Into The Law Magazine Issue 2 by Into The Law Magazine

SEPTEMBER 2013

Stand Out From The Crowd

The Modern Lawyer Networking: Getting It Right In Key Situations The Trainee Solicitor Recruitment Cycle

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Editor’s Welcome W

elcome to issue 2 of Into The Law, the new digital magazine for those pursuing a career in law.

This issue comes out in September, which is the start of new things for many. Whether it be starting a new uni or law school year, or even starting a paralegal role, its a good time to consider the road ahead. With this in mind, this issue brings you some invaluable advice about the trainee solicitor recruitment cycle and some golden guidance on networking and how to succeed in your career pursuits from lawyers who have been there, seen it, done it. You will also find some tips on how not to go about getting a law degree and some more law student problems. If you are on the look out for paralegal work we have you covered too.

Into the Law Magazine

Editor - Matt Oliver

This Issue’s Contributors Steve Weiner Simon Price Samuel Clague @Vicissitudes Matt Oliver Paula McMullan Krish Nair

We are already working on issue 3 but would love to know what you want us to cover. Please send your suggestions to: info@legalcareersgroup.co.uk

Get in touch:

And if you want to write for the magazine and bolster you CV just email in your ideas.

info@legalcareersgroup.co.uk

As always, we're here to support you on your journey Into The Law!

Cover image: Nina Matthews

SEPTEMBER 2013

Contents 5

The Trainee Solicitor Recruitment Cycle -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Interview: Becoming The Modern Lawyer: An Interview with Simon Price -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How NOT to Succeed in Your Law Degree -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Inbetweeners [Life After the LPC] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Networking Or Not Working…Getting It Right In Key Situations -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How To Stand Out From The Crowd & Land The Perfect Paralegal Role -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q&A: How To Put Yourself Ahead In A Competitive Job Market -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

More Law Student Problems from @LawVicissitudes -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Book: How to Get YOUR Solicitor’s Training Contract -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Into The Law Magazine

SEPTEMBER 2013

Career

The Trainee Solicitor Recruitment Cycle by Matt Oliver

October of each year sees the start of a new Trainee Solicitor Recruitment Cycle â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a 12 month cycle that many firms work to when marketing, and recruiting for, their training contracts.

Into The Law Magazine

SEPTEMBER 2013

The Trainee Solicitor Recruitment Cycle

Here’s an example chronology for the activities of a typical law firm that regularly recruits trainee solicitors:

• • • • •

October/November – attending selected law fairs around the country – some will be exclusively for students at that uni whilst others will be open to all. October/November – accepting and considering applications for winter and spring vacation schemes (if they offer these). October-January/March – accepting and considering applications for summer vacation schemes. January-April – conducting interviews and assessment centres for summer vacation schemes. January-March – they may have a selection of open days at the firm’s offices for potential candidates to get to know the firm better.

This may come as a surprise to many but it is important to understand that the recruitment process for many law firms actually lasts for a full 12 months.

• •

January-July – accepting and considering applications for training contracts to start in one or two years time. Some firms consider applications on a rolling basis all year round however so its good to apply early. August & September – conducting assessment centres and interviews before offering training contracts to the successful candidates.

And then the cycle is repeated for the next year’s intake. The reason why many people don’t know about this Trainee Solicitor Recruitment Cycle, or don’t want to acknowledge it, is because they have not done their research – either into the recruitment processes and requirements or into where they want to apply to. This uncertainty about which firms they want to work at or the type of law they would like to train in is experienced by many candidates and is one of the biggest reasons for failure in securing a training contract. Let’s compare two students.... The first knows about the Trainee Solicitor Recruitment Cycle, accepts that it exists and has planned how to use it to their advantage. The second candidate either doesn’t know about it or sort of knows about it but chooses to put their head in the sand. They will then try to pull a rabbit out of a hat in July when the training contract application deadlines are looming. Into The Law Magazine

SEPTEMBER 2013

The Trainee Solicitor Recruitment Cycle

You will not have had the advantage of speaking with firms’ representatives at law fairs, open days and listening to their presentations. This helps you put forward a persuasive case for why you want to work for them. The issues which arise a lot more if you are the second type of candidate rather than the first type of candidate are:

• • • •

• •

You have less time to invest into quality applications Many of you will also have exam pressures for much of May and June Panic can start to set in which never results in your best work You identify/think about gaps in your experience when its too late to do anything about it – trying to get that two week work experience placement in June/July so you can add it to your applications before you send them off is going to be hard work – even if you get it you then have less time available to focus on your applications If the firm recruits on a rolling basis then there may well be less places available to you when you get your application in and thus your chances will be lower You will not have had the advantage of speaking with firms’ representatives at law fairs, open days and listening to their presentations. This helps you put forward a persuasive case for why you want to work for them.

If you were unsuccessful with your applications this year then you cannot afford to ignore this advice or fail to take all the opportunities that are available from the start of the Trainee Solicitor Recruitment Cycle. If you are a second year law student, a third year non-law student or otherwise in a position where you will apply for a training contract within the next 10 months or so then I would urge that you do not ignore this either. If you go to law fairs and open days and start researching law firms, their recruitment processes and their requirements early then you are far more likely to get your applications right. The good news for you is that many people will not be given this advice or will see it and ignore it. Therefore you will have a significant competitive advantage if you take this on board and apply yourself consistently throughout the full Trainee Solicitor Recruitment Cycle. Into The Law Magazine

SEPTEMBER 2013

About Matt Oliver

Matt is a former FTSE 100 in-house lawyer, editor of Into The Law magazine and MD of the law careers website, Trainee Solicitor Surgery. He provides entry level law careers advice to students and graduates through his writing and mentoring. Get your FREE copies of Matt’s essential guides to succeeding with applications, interviews and assessment centres >>>

Your essential guide to securing a training contract, vacation scheme or paralegal role

trainee solicitor surgery www.traineesolicitorsurgery.co.uk

Spotlight

Becoming The Modern Lawyer: An Interview with Simon Price Simon Price has inspired over 2500 law students across the country via The Modern Lawyer workshop. Its a unique peak performance and employability workshop about how students can think strategically about their career and maximise their potential. The Modern Lawyer website has just gone live at www.themodernlawyer.co.uk. Into The Law editor Matt Oliver caught up with Simon recently and asked him to share some of his wisdom Matt: When you are delivering "The Modern Lawyer" workshops, what are the key areas you find students need to work on? Simon: I have delivered the Modern Lawyer to thousands of law students of all levels (LLB, GDL, LPC) at numerous law schools across the county and a couple of areas crop up consistently. The first is having the confidence in your ability to succeed. This is not arrogance, but a firmly held belief that knowing you have worked hard and maximised your potential, you will be successful. It may not be on your 1st or even your 10th application, but you will succeed. Of course, you need to have the necessary academic qualifications, but that is just one aspect of being a lawyer. 1 Future Solicitor Magazine MARCH 2013 Into The Law Magazine SEPTEMBER 2013

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Interview: Simon Price of The Modern Lawyer

Doing something you value will bring the best out of you. Confidence and professionalism are behaviours that are both situational and learnable

The second area students should focus on is strongly linked to the first aspect and that is developing a resilient mindset. Almost every aspiring lawyer will suffer a setback in their career and being able to learn from every experience in terms of how it equips us for the future is extremely important. Matt: What do you see as the main things that are preventing many candidates from being successful in securing a training contract at this moment? Simon: Everyone is different and I think students often get caught up in trying to be something that is incongruent with whom they are or trying to be like the person next to them. During the Modern Lawyer workshops I challenge people to tell me what makes them great. That is a tough question, but it forces people to undertake personal reflection and people are often astounded by what their answer to the question reveals. Matt: What are the key strategic things students need to think about in respect of their potential future career as a solicitor? Simon: Students need to have clear goals for their career. Not just a generic “in 3 years I want to be a lawyer” - be more specific. “I want to be a lawyer working in Leeds, working for a firm specialising in litigation”. The latter is much more achievable because you can build a plan that you can measure your performance against. I challenge students to take action every day towards their goals. This breaks something that appears unachievable into something much more manageable. Future Magazine SEPTEMBER MARCH 2013 Into TheSolicitor Law Magazine 2013

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Interview: Simon Price of The Modern Lawyer

Matt: How can those aspiring to get a training contract differentiate themselves to stand out from the crowd of other candidates? Simon: Our personal narrative is our most effective differentiator, yet is often not embraced as people seek to become the same as everyone else. During the Modern Lawyer I tell the students to embrace their own story as we can only start from where we are and where we have been. If you did not get good grades at Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;level or did not go to such and such a University then that is personal narrative. You then need to decide where you want to go and how you are going to get there. Yet, I often get students telling me that they are no good because of some perceived â&#x20AC;&#x153;failureâ&#x20AC;?. That is the wrong starting point. Focus on what you are great at and start from there. Matt: Certain 'soft skills' such as confidence and professionalism are now extremely important for potential trainees. How would you recommend candidates practically develop these skills? Simon: A good way to develop confidence and professionalism is to get involved in projects that you are passionate about. Doing something you value will bring the best out of you. Confidence and professionalism are behaviours that are both situational and learnable. The more you practice exhibiting the behaviours you want to show people, the easier it will be to demonstrate them in an interview situation. Matt: An issue I encounter regularly is that students don't fully know what they want to do in their careers. What would you recommend they do to gain some clarity around this? Simon: Attend a Modern Lawyer workshop of course! I often conduct an exercise called Time Machine during which I ask the students to imagine themselves in 5 years time. I ask them where they will be, what type of firm and a series of other questions to help them create a career destination. People are often surprised by what answers they give when they write something down.

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Interview: Simon Price of The Modern Lawyer

Matt: I find that many candidates believe they will fail before they even start with their something that is incongruent with whom training contract applications? What should they do in order to create a more successful they are or trying to be like the person next to mindset? them. During the Modern Lawyer workshops I challenge people to tellofme what makes Simon: A key element crafting our personal narrative is celebrating our successes to them great. That is a tough question, butyou it develop a successful mindset. Also, have a date. This builds confidence and helps forces to undertake personal clear people understanding of what success means to you individually and do not rely on reflection and people are often astounded someone else’s definition. by what their answer to the question reveals. Matt: Could you outline what you think are the 3 key things that make up a successful training contract application (excluding academics). Simon: Being clear about your own personal narrative and how it makes you stand out; Being clear about what your career destination is; Being yourself.

About Simon Price

Simon is an experienced commercial disputes lawyer and has been described as “an intelligent advocate for widening participation in the law and an inspirational role model for values driven behaviour.” Simon passionately believes in the importance of developing the next generation of leaders. He has delivered his award winning Modern Lawyer workshop to thousands of graduates as a visiting speaker at numerous Universities in the UK. The workshop has been described as a “new approach to success in law”, “inspirational” and “simply mind blowing”. Simon devised, developed and delivers DWF’s award winning community engagement programme 5 STAR Futures. The programme is committed to developing the next generation of leaders through the celebration of personal narrative and collaborative community knowledge sharing to make a sustainable and measurable impact on communities.

Find out more at The Modern Lawyer Website >>>

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Career Study

How NOT to Succeed in Your Law Degree by Mr Law Student Problems

Ten top tips from our resident law student “oracle” for failing that all-important law degree you’ve worked so hard to get onto. 1. Skip lectures After all, who needs lectures when you can just read the slides online? So what if I don’t have the same understanding, reading up on the law should be easy enough right? I wasn’t being lazy by staying in bed when I should have gone to the lecture; it’s just that my bed is REALLY possessive sometimes.

Into The Law Magazine

SEPTEMBER 2013

How NOT to Succeed in Your Law Degree

2. Get through tutorials without saying a word It’s a fantastic feeling having done no prep for tutorials and then scraping through Scot-free without saying a word. The adrenaline rush of living life so close to the edge is intense. I just love the bravado.

3. Get totally lashed on weekdays It’s definitely a good idea to go for a big night out before your 9am class the next morning. As students say, “you only live once”. Monday night is definitely the best student night in town, and I’m not going to miss it. It’s about getting your priorities right. Obviously one comes to university for the student lifestyle and partying, studying is an unfortunate add-on. #YOLO

4. Only read the case if you can find it on Wikipedia It’s all about time efficiency. You shouldn’t waste time looking up cases on Westlaw or Lexisnexis, let alone read them! Googling cases and then clicking on the Wikipedia entry requires minimal effort. Besides, Wikipedia is a very credible source – so I have been told – so I can probably cite it in my essays.

5. Say no to readings As we all know there are just so many more exciting things you could be doing with your precious student life other than reading. It isn’t as if the assigned readings are designed to help you develop a critical understanding of the law or anything.

6. I only need 40% It’s important to work smartly. Why work harder than you have to when you can pass a law degree with minimal effort? If I learn 40% of the course materials I can save so much time and still pass whilst winning trophies on football manager and getting a new high score on Candy Crush saga.

Into The Law Magazine

SEPTEMBER 2013

How NOT to Succeed in Your Law Degree

Who goes to the library to study? I mean really? 7. Become a pro procrastinator I pride myself on achieving new record levels of procrastination at university. I like to brag about it to my friends and see who wins in a competition. Things get exciting around exam time when all my friends are working hard and I’m still relaxing. I’ve still got plenty of time to do my work later.

8. Pull off some all nighters Because I am so good at procrastinating, all-nighters have almost become commonplace. I just love working through the night to finish my readings and prep for the next morning’s tutorial. I get a sense of achievement closing my book at 7am and then oversleeping for my 9am tutorial. I did the reading at least, so that’s the most important bit done. It doesn’t matter that much that I actually didn’t turn up to it.

9. The social library Who goes to the library to study? I mean really? I like to go with friends so we can catch up about this week’s episodes of Jeremy Kyle – if I get any work done, that’s an added bonus. I don’t know why other people are so serious there, sat on their high horse, looking up to scowl at me every now and then, from their humongous books. They need to lighten up.

Into The Law Magazine

SEPTEMBER 2013

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How NOT to Succeed in Your Law Degree

Don’t be the person who is remembered because you turned up late, because you were dressed inappropriately, or because you disregarded other people’s contributions.

10. Take all this advice seriously I hope you have realised this article is a light-hearted spoof, giving tips for how NOT to succeed in your law degree. Following this advice is a sure-fire way to succeed at failing. I know that I’ve been guilty of doing a few of these during my degree, but I’ve learnt from my experience and developed better habits to help me succeed. If you work smart, work hard, and stay organised you can leave plenty of time for a fun university life and a good degree classification. To those starting a law degree in September or returning to one, I wish you the best of luck!

About Mr “Law Student Problems” Having recently graduated from university he is due to start the LPC in September. The exciting news since the last issue is, despite battling so many problems, he has recently secured a training contract. He will continue to tweet during the LPC so be sure to follow him @lawvicissitudes on Twitter >>>

Into The Law Magazine

SEPTEMBER 2013

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International law firm, aspiring lawyers, rewarding career Apply now for training contracts starting in 2014 & 2015 For more information, email us at tcapplications@gide.com

Gide London Trainee Recruitment @Gidetrainees

Career

The Inbetweeners

By Krish Nair

I am leaving law school, dying in original sin, and am waiting to be eternally damned by a firm of lawyers. I'm in limbo. I am an inbetweener. And nothing on this planet is quite as wasting as the time of an inbetweener. What is an inbetweener to do?

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The Inbetweeners

Uncertainty is the state of existence of an inbetweener. Since I finished the LPC, the recurring thoughts are 'what on earth am I doing'? and 'should I reassess and do something else'? Is it a blessing in disguise this period of longing, lingering, lamenting? Maybe its us inbetweeners who are truly privileged. Maybe we're the ones who have the chance to have a real go at life, the ones who have the time to step back and ask 'what do I really want to do'? After all, a man finds himself when he gazes into the abyss. Or maybe we're the ones being left behind with the dregs of society; maybe we are the dregs. You can understand what I mean about uncertainty. When you're an inbetweener you want to be employed, for neither luxury nor comfort, but for your own sanity. Finding a TC is difficult, but finding a hold-over job, an inbetweener job, is arduous because they are precisely that: jobs.

When you're an inbetweener you want to be employed, for neither luxury nor comfort, but for your own sanity. We have paid our way through university and law school, endured the bad tidings of countless PFOs, shook hands with people we will never again encounter, availed ourselves as best we could of the wisdom of practitioners, and have wrestled to harbour our confidence and self-belief. Not for a job, but for a career. Not for the thing we land in, but for the thing we want. As an inbetweener, the most stress-inducing aspect is the need to put the pursuit on hold, to an extent at least.

Into The Law Magazine

SEPTEMBER JULY 2013 2013

The Inbetweeners The Futility of Comparing Yourself To Others

I still send applications, attend an interview here and there and do this and that for mr and mrs legalease, but I can never immerse myself in this pursuit; I have to keep my eyes above the surface so I can see what else is out there. Life as an inbetweener is frustrating, dull, confusing, mind-numbing and often solitary. But this could also be the most important period of my life. It is a period of, and I say this grudgingly, desperation, but also one of reflection; the two are discordant but reflection is involuntary. 'Reflection': do I simply mean I am thinking about doing something other than law? It is a more holistic kind of reflection; the French writer Chamfort wrote “a man should swallow a toad every morning to be sure of not meeting with anything more revolting in the day ahead.” Well this is toad swallowing time.

Life as an inbetweener is frustrating, dull, confusing, mindnumbing and often solitary. [ED: This article was originally written by Krish Nair after he had completed the LPC. His blog and twitter presence helped him secure a full-time blogger role at a law firm. He then went on to secure a training contract with a firm that was looking to be more competitive online via a new website, blog and social media presence. He’s a great example of how to be pro-active in your job hunt.]

About Krish Nair Krish is currently a trainee solicitor and a legal writer. You can find his historical blog charting the journey to becoming a lawyer here: The Training Contract Hawk >>>

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Stand Out From The Crowd Into The Law Magazine

SEPTEMBER 2013

Career

Networking Or Not Workingâ&#x20AC;Ś Getting It Right In Key Situations by Steve Weiner

Into The Law Magazine

SEPTEMBER 2013

Networking Or Not Working…Getting It Right In Key Situations

It’s 11am. This evening you’re going to a law careers event. You suspect there will be a number of people there who might be influential in the world of legal or law firm recruitment. And you want a job in the law. In other words, you’ll need to bring your A-game to avoid blending into a background of perceived mediocrity.

As such, you want (well, need…) to make an impression on everyone you come across – from legal recruitment consultant to HR professional and even senior lawyer. What, however, does ‘impression’ mean? Well, the clue’s in the word; impress. You need to leave on whoever you meet an ‘impressed’, positive memory of you that oozes quality, warmth and interest. How do you do that? Here’s some ideas: Before the event: 1. Do your research Which firms/organisations are you interested in investigating? Is there a list of those attending? Does it specify who might be attending from each institution/firm/ organisation? Go on Linkedin and do your research. It’s not creepy, it’s sensible. Aside from company/ firm/organisation’s websites, Google them and review all the latest news relating to them. If it’s a firm, who does it work for? Any interesting deals/matters/cases recently? Anything negative in the press (e.g. redundancies/down-scaling/reputational issues)? Arm yourself with as much information as possible so you don’t get caught short in a conversation. 1 Future Solicitor Magazine MARCH 2013 Into The Law Magazine SEPTEMBER 2013

Networking Or Not Working…Getting It Right In Key Situations

Try to avoid just ‘having a chat with someone’ unless you have a specific interest in chatting to them.

2. Consider your image What type of event is it? If it’s in a law firm, you’ll need to be smart. If it’s a learning institution/organisation, find out what others are wearing and be a little smarter than them. If it’s in the Union, whilst turning up in a suit and tie might be weird, turning up in a t-shirt and jeans/shorts might also send the wrong message. If in doubt, never go more casual than you might be if you were attending a smart-ish dinner in a swish restaurant. At the event: 1. Be focused Know who you want to speak to and why. Why are you going to the event? Be clear with yourself. Have a plan. What is your desired outcome? Try to avoid just ‘having a chat with someone’ unless you have a specific interest in chatting to them. Using phrases like ‘I just thought it would be good to find out about your firm/ organisation/company’ are low-impact. Especially when it becomes clear you aren’t interested/in a position to take your interest any further. People notice if you are wandering round aimlessly or just there for laughs and freebies. You risk being perceived as a bit of a chancer and possibly an irritant.

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Networking Or Not Working…Getting It Right In Key Situations

Rather, focus your efforts on a smaller number of high-impact conversations. And don’t be snobby about other people’s career choices. That HR professional that works in a law firm isn’t a failed lawyer. They chose their career and might have a significant impact on yours. Be mindful of putting people in boxes because of the way they speak, the job they do or the way they look. 2. When you see someone you’d like to chat to Ensure you aren’t interrupting someone else’s chat. Whatever you do, don’t hang around looking uncomfortable if the kiosk/desk is busy. Move off to a safe distance, keep your eye out and wait your turn. Then, when you spot an opening, walk calmly up to the desk and… 3. Act like a human being To establish rapport with the professional: a. Wait until they have made eye-contact with you; b. Smile and step forward, retaining eye-contact; c. Dry your hand in preparation for the possible hand-shake (keep a tissue in your pocket – there’s nothing worse than a clammy hand); d. Open the conversation with clarity, politeness and openness, something like: ‘hi, my name is XXX, I’m a 2nd year law student. I am currently looking at my career options and I am really interested specifically in the work your organisation/firm carries out, especially in relation to [name of work/clients/industries]. I was wondering if you can tell me a bit about your recruitment process and how it works?’;

Whatever you do, don’t hang around looking uncomfortable if the kiosk/desk is busy. Move off to a safe distance, keep your eye out and wait your turn.

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Networking Or Not Working…Getting It Right In Key Situations

e. If they go to shake your hand – remember to smile, maintain eye contact and keep your body still (don’t shift around). A good handshake is firm (equal firmness for male and female – about 6/10 where 10 is a bone-crusher and 1 is like shaking hands with a full water-balloon) and lasts for two and a half shakes; f. Listen actively whilst they talk – maintaining eye contact, nodding and acknowledging them as they speak (‘that sounds interesting’, ‘I have read about that’, etc). Don’t just stand silent, smiling like an idiot and nodding. You’ll come across as one; g. Monitor your body language – keep your hands on show, never in your pockets and keep your feet still whilst you talk.

Try to switch off that voice in your head (your ‘shadow story’) that distracts you from really being in the moment and reacting to the facts of the situation not the thoughts in your brain; 4. Be changed by their words Listen to what they say and ensure that your statements and questions are linked to theirs. Try to switch off that voice in your head (your ‘shadow story’) that distracts you from really being in the moment and reacting to the facts of the situation not the thoughts in your brain; 5. Always have an answer For key (and easily foreseeable) questions. For example: a.Why you’ve chosen to speak to them b. Why the kind of work they do interests you c. What you’re doing now to show you’re committed to this kind of career d. What your next steps are to prepare yourself for your career e. What you like doing to relax/wind down/have fun 1 Future Solicitor Magazine MARCH 2013 Into The Law Magazine SEPTEMBER 2013

Networking Or Not Working…Getting It Right In Key Situations

6. Don’t be afraid of your own personality

About Steve Weiner

Don’t be like everyone else. If you do/have/like something (appropriate) that makes you stand out, mention it when they ask or at the right time in the conversation. Don’t forget, people buy people, not robots. And you’re a student – you should be having fun! 7. If they give you freebies or business cards, be sure to thank them for the goodies and also for their time and – if necessary – ask for next steps (e.g. recruitment processes, vacation schemes, networking events etc). 8. Smile again, make good eye contact and shake hands again (following the same rules above). Most of all, enjoy the event. You’ll get to meet lots of new, interesting people and – potentially – an employer for your dream job! Good luck.

Steve previously worked as a solicitor in a City firm before leaving practice to work as a skills trainer and a business coach in a number of leading City law firms. Steve is also an award-winning stand-up comic, has performed in comedy clubs all around the UK and is a TV actor, radio presenter and an accomplished comedy writer. Visit: steveweinerconsulting.com

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How To Stand Out From The Crowd And Land The Perfect Paralegal Role

How To Stand Out From The Crowd & Land The Perfect Paralegal Role by Samuel Clague

The market for paralegal roles is fiercely competitive due in part to the saturation of prospective applicants, ranging from LLB graduates to LPC graduates with many years of experience. This is not something that needs to necessarily put you off however, it simply means adjusting your strategy to stay ahead of the competition and give yourself the best possible chance. 1. Be proactive This may sound obvious, but it is highly unlikely that many [if any] paralegal roles will come to you. HR departments and recruiters can receive up to 100 applications per paralegal position, which means that there are a lot of other candidates competing against you. If you are not pro-active in your approach someone else most certainly will be. So what does â&#x20AC;&#x153;proactiveâ&#x20AC;? in this context mean? It is about giving yourself visibility to the firm/company you are applying to. Even though your name will likely be seen, it is unlikely that the person reviewing your CV will remember your name once he/she has been through all the others. Therefore, it can be useful once you have submitted your CV to follow up with the firm/ company to make sure they have received your application. This also allows you a small opening to introduce yourself and a small bit of your personality whilst you are on the phone. Future Magazine SEPTEMBER MARCH 2013 Into TheSolicitor Law Magazine 2013

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Tips To Stand Out From The Crowd And Land Your How To Stand Out From The Crowd And Land The Perfect Paralegal Role Ideal Paralegal Role

If you have a similar CV profile to another candidate and you are remembered as the polite person who called to follow up, it is likely that you will get the nod ahead of someone who didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. 2. Differentiate yourself With the amount of CVs and applications that recruiters will regularly see, it is quite possible for potentially suitable and able candidates to be overlooked, due to their CV not standing out [in the right way!]. When applying for a paralegal role, try to put yourself in the shoes of the person who will be viewing your application. Take the time to think what will impress them and what will make them want to meet you at interview. If you are applying for a paralegal role through an agency, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just copy and paste a generic cover letter as to why you are suitable. Take the time to write a bespoke cover letter incorporating why you are suitable for the particular role. Show the agency that you have thought about the job description and give succinct reasons as to why are a good match. 3. Attention to detail One of the key characteristics of successful paralegals and lawyers is their attention to detail. When reviewing documents or drafting contracts for clients, it is absolutely imperative that you get the finer details, as any mistakes could be hugely costly for your firm and the client! It is therefore crucial that, in your CV & covering letter, you make sure there are absolutely no spelling or grammatical errors. As well as using spellcheck tools, you must personally check and double-check everything yourself. Once you have done this, let someone else read over your documents. They may well be able to pick up on something that you have missed. About Samuel Clague Samuel completed the LPC at The University of Law and worked as a Paralegal at a range of City law firms before starting The Stephen James Partnership Legal [SJP Legal], the only specialist Paralegal recruitment company in the UK run by Paralegals, for Paralegals. SJP Legal assists law students, graduates and Paralegals find work within law firms, companies and government organisations. Find out more at the SJP Website and on Twitter @SJPLegal Future Magazine SEPTEMBER MARCH 2013 Into TheSolicitor Law Magazine 2013

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The only specialist Paralegal recruitment company in the UK run by Paralegals, for Paralegals Candidates: we offer the best Paralegal roles on the market Clients: we provide exceptional service and candidates

www.thestephenjamespartnership.co.uk

Q&A

Put Yourself Ahead In A Competitive Job Market We asked an experienced graduate recruiter a question we are hearing a lot at this stage of the year....

With the new training contract recruitment cycle starting, what are the key things candidates can be doing prior to next summer's deadlines to put themselves ahead of the competition for jobs?

Q Into The Law Magazine

SEPTEMBER 2013

Here is what Paula McMullan, Graduate Recruitment Manager at Gide Loyrette Nouel LLP (London), had to say:

If you are still at uni, check out when firms are visiting your campus. If you are post-uni or a career-changer, think about how you will get exposure to law firms - work experience, vac schemes, open days, etc. Some firms use online applications which allow them to flag candidates who have made a good impression at a previous meeting - so go, meet them and impress them. Start planning your vac scheme applications. More and more firms are using vac schemes to pre-select for training contracts - for some, it is an integral part of the training contract application process. Don't get caught by surprise many firms' vac scheme application deadline is 31 January.

Some firms use online applications which allow them to flag candidates who have made a good impression at a previous meeting - so go, meet them and impress them. Think about the aptitudes that firms are looking for in your application and do a personal skills inventory. Be honest with yourself and get feedback from others. If you are a naturally quiet person, how will you get your ideas across and influence others in a group assessment? If you are enthusiastic and a great conversationalist, how will you also show that you are a safe pair of hands and able to follow instructions? And finally, the buzz word with many recruiters is commercial awareness. More and more aspects of recruitment are focused on testing this. This can mean having an understanding of the business world generally, as well as knowing what drivers influence law firms and client service. Find out as much as you can about how law firms operate and what their business strategies are. Follow business commentators and read up on how the City works. And ask questions of anyone who has worked in the law or who has been the client of a law firm. Putting the graft in early will put you in a good position to sell yourself when those deadlines start rolling around.

For graduate opportunities visit www.gide.com Into The Law Magazine

SEPTEMBER 2013

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More Law Student Problems.... by @LawVicissitudes

After a great response to the “Law Student Problems” in the last issue, we couldn’t resist bringing you some more classic tweets from the anonymous (and infamous) King of the Law Student Twittersphere, @LawVicissitudes .....

Future Magazine SEPTEMBER MARCH 2013 Into TheSolicitor Law Magazine 2013

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