'Don't rush into a vacation scheme' and other applications advice, from over 200 trainee solicitors

We quizzed 206 current trainee solicitors in the TARGETjobs Law Recent Graduate Survey 2012 about the advice they would like to give to aspiring trainees and here, in their own words, are their top career tips.

Don’t rush into a career in law…

• Do not rush into this career. You must decide you really want to be a lawyer (there are many reasons not to). Get as much information and experience as you can before deciding. Do not wait until you are on the LPC/training contract ‘conveyor belt’ to think about such things.
• Take your time. Don’t rush into trying to get a vacation scheme or applying for training contracts. Some students are really very young and don’t know what they want to do yet.

…do your research, consider alternatives and take time to gain new experiences

• A lot of firms realise that candidates who have taken time out to discover what they want to do are often more focused about doing – and staying in – law, and bring more skills with them.
• Gain work experience in various sectors before committing yourself to the LPC and the hunt for a training contract.
• Research firms thoroughly. Treat each application as if it is the only one you are doing.
• Get work experience by any means possible and research the firms and industry – graduate recruiters and partners do not appreciate explaining what the firm does nor do they like the question ‘what can you do for me?’.

Have you got what it takes to be a successful solicitor?

• Your legal knowledge is not necessarily the most important factor, it is more important that you are an interesting person with an ability to think analytically and with the potential to become a good lawyer.
• Seriously consider your chances of success. Law is incredibly saturated with students and the jobs are scarce. Getting yourself into a firm may cost you £10,000s and you don’t always earn as much as you’d like. Weigh that against how good you really are, be realistic, and come to a rational decision before you fork out on university and postgraduate education.

Lawyers need good people skills

• Don’t forget to have interests outside the law – it’s a people profession.
• Most people in the law want to work with people who are bright, but also who are personable. Think about how well you interact with other people. If people like you, they will be far more inclined to offer you a job.
• Be yourself – smile, have a sense of humour, be personable. Always be on the look-out for commercial considerations – clients and firms all want to make money. Ask pertinent questions of interviewers. Steer clear of ‘I want to make the world a better place’ speeches.

What skills are specific law firms looking for?

Know what the role of a solicitor involves

• Make sure you fully understand what a solicitor actually does. A lot of students like the idea of being a lawyer without fully understanding the commitment (both in terms of financing the courses and time) it can take.
• 70% of your time is spent managing cases, 20% of your time is spent dealing with chargeable hours and billing, 10% of your time has something to do with purely legal issues.
• Consider carefully what sort of lawyer you would like to be. The difference between being a litigator and doing corporate work is as great as the difference between being a banker and solicitor.
• Speak to trainees and find out as much about the actual training contract as you can rather than simply focusing on the process of getting one.

Make more of your non-legal, commercial work experience

• Try to get a part time job in a commercial environment, not necessarily a law firm.
• Any work experience (not just legal) will help you to bridge the gap between university and legal work. Constantly reflect on what you do well to help build a case that demonstrates you will make a good lawyer.

Promote your commercial experience in your applications

Stand out from the crowd

• Most student lawyers have a very similar background. Try to get some alternative experiences that make you stand out from the crowd on your CV.
• Gain as much work experience as possible. Have something in your repertoire that makes you unique or unusual among candidates.