Getting the best careers advice
They say that forewarned is forearmed, and this is never truer than when you are considering a career in law. You will need the best advice you can get, given that competition for the legal profession is fierce and the outlay is high in terms of both time and money. It’s never too early to seek careers advice. You really do need it from the very beginning in order to be in the know about careers fairs, open days, campus presentations and crucial work placement scheme/ mini-pupillage deadlines. One former head of graduate recruitment and graduate development at CMS has the following advice: “All the careers advisers I speak to are incredibly committed people with the best interests of the students at heart; but for whatever reason, some students do not use them as effectively as they could.” Available help We suggest that you use every resource on offer at your university/college careers service in order to be as informed as possible. Usually, resources include: • details of law fairs with visiting firms of solicitors and postgraduate course providers, and law firm open days; • a programme of campus visits by firms; • workshops on applications/CVs and interview technique; • names of people in the profession who are willing to talk to you (eg, former students who are now practising law); • up-to-date files on employers; • information leaflets and brochures; • recruitment literature for firms and prospectuses for postgraduate courses; and • copies of the trade press and The LawCareersNet Handbook to keep you abreast of the legal scene.
written applications and interview technique (eg, assisting with mock interviews). Careers advisers may also be able to help organise work experience. Although careers advisers are a highly valuable source of information and advice, don’t ask them for step-by-step instructions on how to fill in an application form or answer interview questions – too much rehearsal can kill individuality and prevent your true personality from shining through at interview. Claire Leslie, a senior careers consultant with experience at a range of universities and sixth form colleges, has this to say: “Your careers service should usually be able to offer you the following: one-to-one advice to help you decide the direction you should take and when things need to be done; practical help and advice on applications and interviews; and opportunities to meet recruiters. If you are away from campus, you can usually get advice from your careers service by email, telephone or Skype. Use the extensive information available to you – it’s never too early to plan your legal career.” Puneet Tahim, senior recruitment coordinator at Latham & Watkins, advises playing to your university’s strengths: “If a university has a particularly active student law society that manages the recruitment events calendar and has an up-to-date website with information about firms and deadlines, you should become a member. Alternatively, you might attend a university where the careers service manages the events and have all of that information readily available.” Meanwhile, Andrew Pearson, a barrister at 7 King’s Bench Walk, advises trying to get help from those already in the legal profession: “Contacts are perhaps the most difficult, but the most useful people to talk to. When you’ve worked out the basics, ask your careers service whether they can put you
Your adviser should also be able to give you some individual help with improving your CV,
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