How to get a training contract

I will be starting my training contract on 1 September 2014 and have decided to make my training contract diary public through regular entries on Medium.

Ever since I can remember I have been working towards a legal career, like many other law graduates. It’s pretty clear that even now, in a time where there are more options open to us than ever to practice law, the training contract remains what we are all looking for.

But first, for those of you just starting out, here are my top ten tips to getting here in the first place…

Before you start, be clear in your mind that this is what you want.

Law is glamorised, whether it be through legal dramas or day time court room programmes. It is worth learning now that a legal career is hard work and unless it is something you are truly passionate about, you won’t make it.

You will need a diverse range of legal / business work experience.

How can you know a legal career is what you want without experiencing law in practice, or anything else for that matter? It is never too early to start work experience placements and this should continue throughout university. Be creative and utilise your contacts to get you there.

Go to a reputable university and work at it.

We all know that these days, university as much about ‘life’ education as it is about getting your degree. You do however, still need to take it seriously and get into the best university and get the best grade you possibly can. Far too often I have seen law students struggle to get paralegal jobs, let alone training contracts, based on the university they have chosen or based on their degree classification (if not 2:1 or above). You can’t go back to study your law degree again so make sure you get it right and make the most of it the first time around.

Start working on your confidence and self-belief – it’s an ongoing project.

This is something you will work on throughout your career but start early. Being confident that you will get a training contract and make a successful solicitor is half of the battle. How can you expect others to believe in you if you don’t believe in yourself?

Be confident in yourself and your abilities and others will too. Continuously put yourself outside of your comfort zone by signing up to societies and set yourself a goal. My goal was being elected as society president. Attend as many social events as you can and meet new people. Keep pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone. It will pay off and you will find that your confidence in yourself will build the more you do this.

Speak and listen to those who have done it before.

Find somebody who has achieved what you want to achieve and learn from their mistakes. By following in their footsteps you will reach your goal much quicker.

Network network network.

Get to know as many people as you can in the field. Go to as many law events as you can, even those that might be a fair trip away – it will be worth it even if you come away with only one contact. It may prove to be a valuable one and it is one more than you had before. It pays dividends when you are applying to a law firm if you can say you have met somebody who works there as well as what you learnt about the firm as a result.

Corporate social responsibility.

This is rated very highly in every law firm I have researched. If utilised, it is a powerful tool. Do as much charity work as your diary allows and not just for your CV, but to help others and to develop your skills. This is a big part of being a lawyer and before you qualify, it is guaranteed to trigger interest in your applications and interviews.

Only apply to the law firms you feel passionate about and make each application count.

However easy and/or tempting it might be, there is no reward for firing off the same application to lots of different law firms. Law firms will not give you their time in interviewing you if you have not spent time on their application. You need to reach a point with each application where you are certain there are no spelling mistakes or grammatical mistakes and that you deserve an interview based on its content. If you have doubts over your application, you are right in thinking an employer will too.

Dress the part and look organised.

First impressions are everything so make sure you make yours. Wear a suit, smart shoes and take a bag or smart folder with you containing a notepad and pen. Look how you want to look as a successful solicitor and the reception you receive will be positive before you have said a word.

Preparation and research is the key.

Now you look the part, play it. Don’t let the interview you have worked so hard to get slip through your fingers due to lack of preparation. No preparation is too much. You should be working on what you know about the firm, your questions and answers and your technique right up until the afternoon before your interview (if the following morning) and then put it down. At that stage, try to relax knowing you have done all you can do.

I am excited to share my experiences of my first week with you!

Thanks for reading