Career Planning – Why Now? 1st Year Law

Darren Johnson

Careers Adviser

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Why Now?

• Certain sectors very competitive increase your chances of success - vacation/open day opportunities even in 1st year

• Career Planning A Process – Needs Time

• To raise awareness of opportunities including help from CAS

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University – Are You Making The Most Of It?• Student Societies

• College Activities

Be proactive as employers want….

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What Employers Want

Evidence of: Achievement – drive and determination

Soft Skills- persuasion/negotiation/customer focused/attention to detail/problem solving/teamwork/leadership

Commercial Awareness for many career areas

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Career Planning- What Makes You Tick ?

•Interests

•Strengths

•Motivation

•Skills

Starting Points

Prospects Planner/Options With Your Subject – www.prospects.ac.uk – What Jobs Would Suit Me

MyPotential – details on CAS website

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Destinations

• Almost 2/3 went into postgraduate study for BVC/LPC or LLM

• Employment – legal related and non legal careers………

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Considering A Career As a Solicitor /Barrister Exploration:

Occupational Role – skills and qualities – use reports and contacts of Durham alumni and regional employers from CAS

Organisation – size/specialisms/location/clients

Self

Make comparisons - be realistic

Its competitive

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Competition

Solicitor

2007 6,012 training contracts

5,921 LPC passes

Note: Up to a ¼ of T.Cs go to conversion (mainly Bar) and still previous LPC candidates applying

Barrister – 34% of successful BVC candidates obtained pupillage

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Exploration Tips

Durham Law University Law Fair , D.S.U , 12 – 3.30pm , 24/25 November

Publications - Target Jobs /The Lawyer – limited numbers available at thelaw fair

Reports and Contacts of Durham Alumni – visit CAS Information Room

www.lawcareers.net www.lawyer2B.com

Employer Events

Check events being run by the Student Law Society

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Considering Solicitor: Taking Action in your 1st yearMichaelmas/Epiphany Research firms and apply to Open Days/ informal work experience

(solicitors-online.com)- ask at Law Fair

Speculative Approach for Informal Work Experience = CV and cover letter / networking. Note: many of the larger firms will not offer this

Remember many firms will look at 1st year results as part of selection for future vacation schemes and training contracts

Get actively involved in the student Law Society

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Preparing For The Law Fair

• Pick up a leaflet today• Research employers attending – CAS website• Shortlist ones of interest• Ask relevant questions

• Approach employers with a positive attitude

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Questions – some tips

•Training and development - early years and beyond qualification. •What makes a strong application?

•How can you best impress at the interview?

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Alternative Careers To Solicitor/Barrister – Durham Law Graduate Destinations 2006 •Law Commission•Research Assistant

•Constituency Assistant for MP

•Police

•Trainee Chartered Accountant

•Law Librarian

•Executive Officer , Home Office

•Teach First

•Marketing

•P.R

•Recruitment Consultant (Banking and Finance

•Commercial Lender – Alliance and Leicester

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Other Popular Career Areas For Law Graduates U.K wide

•Property

•Consulting

•Legal Publishing

•Investment Banking

•Civil Service Fast Stream

•Human Resources

•Lecturing

•Company Secretary

•HM Customs and Excise

•Compliance

•Charities/NGOs

•European Commission

•Research more at www.prospects.ac.uk

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Considering Barrister – Taking Action In Your 1st YearThroughout the year

Research minipupillages/apply for non formal placement for vacations (www.lawcareers.net)

Construct a strong CV and cover letters for the above – get checked at CAS Applications Advice/Quick Queries

Become an active member of the student Law Society

Work hard at degree, sets will look at your first year results

Research Inns of Court and consider joining one – network and attend events

www.online-law.co.uk/bar/inns_of_court.html

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Useful Events

http://www.dur.ac.uk/careers-advice/forthcomingcareerevents/

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Other opportunities

Some employer sectors such as Investment Banking have:

Open Days

Formal vacation schemes/internships (efinancialcareers.com/CAS website)

Use Durham alumni contacts in Careers Folders at CAS for a range of career areas – may lead to work experience.

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Cover Letter

Demonstrate enthusiasm for the particular set/firm

Length – 1 page A4 , typed unless stated to be handwritten

Structure

• Introduce yourself –stage of study, why you are applying, if advertised vacancy , where you observed this.

• Why them

• Why You

• Ending Paragraph – when you are available for interview

Remember basics, no room for spelling errors ! Read it back to yourself as if you were the recruiter, does it impress?

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CV – a self marketing tool

No more than 2 pages A4Keep content relevant Include personal details and relevant skills/achievements

(academic and extra curricular), work experience, positions of responsibility, interests

State your contributions where relevantFont no less than 10, consistent headingsEasy to read, concise, effective use of space Spell Check!Get it checked – CAS Applications Advice/Quick Queries

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Help from CAS

Applications Advice

Quick Queries

Guidance Consultation

Events

Lunchtime Talks CV/Applications/Interviews

Information

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Careers Advisory Service

49 New Elvet (next to D.S.U)Term Time – 10am – 5pmVacation – 10am – 1pm 2.15pm – 5pmTel: 0191 334 1424/1437careers- advice@durham.ac.ukwww.durham.ac.uk/careers-advice