Using the Christmas break to start those Work Placement applications

The Christmas break is a great time to unwind with family and friends and have fun.  You've worked hard all term so why not relax a bit? It might be a good idea, however, to give some thought to getting some legal work experience in 2017, particularly if you are a second or final year Law student.

You can leave it until after New Year but you do need to be aware that Work Placement or Vacation Scheme application deadlines will be coming up fast at the end of January or February 2017.  The holiday might give you time to look at the list of closing dates on Lawcareers.net and decide which, if any, of the larger firms you'd like to apply to.

Work Placements in the larger commercial firms usually last for one or two weeks during Easter or Summer 2017 and they are paid! You can also apply for other work placements in smaller firms.  You probably won't get paid but the experience gained could be just as valuable and you will be adding useful contacts at the same time.

If you are a second year opting for Work Based Learning in May 2017, why not look for opportunities at home to carry out your 5 week placement?  You can search for local firms at Find a Solicitor

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us in Careers and Employability!

Applications for the BPTC open on Monday 12 December 2016

If you are an aspiring barrister in your final year of university, Monday 12 December 2016 should already be imprinted on your memory.  In case it isn't, this is the date from which you can apply for the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) on the BARSAS website.

There is a very useful guide on the website which is worth reading before you start your application.

I have summarised the key points below:

Students can apply for up to 6 programmes across the 8 Providers of the BPTC.
The 8 providers are:

1. BPP University Law School - London , Leeds, Manchester Birmingham
2. University of Law - London, Birmingham, Leeds
3. The City Law School (formerly Inns of Court School of Law)
4. Manchester Metropolitan University
5. Nottingham Law School
6. The University of Northumbria at Newcastle
7. University of the West of England at Bristol
8. Cardiff Law School

Most providers offer full time (1 year) and part-time (2 years) options.  

Funding

The costs of the BPTC vary from £14,500 to over £18,000 depending on the provider and its location.  You may be fortunate to receive a Scholarship for at least part of the cost from one of the Inns of Court if you applied in November.

If not, you may be eligible for a postgraduate loan from the Student Loans Company for up to £10,000 if you choose to study the BPTC with a Masters option.  Check with providers to see if they offer this.

Other options include:

• Future Finance Loans
• Professional and Career Development Loans
• High Street Bank loans

Applicants are not required to be a member of an Inn of Court upon submission of their application but must be a member by 31 May 2017.

The closing date for BPTC applications is Wednesday 11 Jan 2017 at 12 noon.

 Applicants pass an aptitude test, known as ‘BCAT’. It is a multiple choice computer based test which assesses applicant’s critical thinking and reasoning. Applicants will not be able to enrol on the BPTC without passing it. For further guidance on the BCAT click here

Some dos and don'ts for training contract and vac scheme applications

I copy below a really useful list of dos and don'ts for training contract and vacation scheme applications written by Sinead Dineen of Lawcareers.net.

Dos:

• Do check the application form for spelling and grammatical errors multiple times before submitting. Remember lawyers are expected to have excellent attention to detail.

• Do spell the name of the firm you are applying to correctly – this is so basic, yet it still amazes me how many applicants get this wrong.

• Do explain your pre-university academic grades if you were not educated in the United Kingdom (eg, write the score as 18/20 or as a percentage). If you are unsure about what to include, contact the recruiter who will be able to advise you. Do not leave this section blank.

• Do detail the skills you have developed from your work experience. Don’t just say you worked as a waiter – expand on this by telling us how you developed your team working skills and learnt how to handle difficult customers.

• Do read the long-answer questions and make sure you understand what you are being asked. For example, we asked, “Why do you believe you possess the skills and attributes to become a successful commercial lawyer?”. Therefore we expect to see details of skills and how they are relevant to being a lawyer. We did not ask what are your reasons for wanting to become a lawyer.

• Do check the whole application form when you have finished, but before submitting. The AllHires Graduate (formerly Apply4Law) application forms offer you the chance to preview the entire form. Make sure that each section that should be completed is.

Don’ts:

• Don’t write the whole application in lower case or upper case (including your name). Recruiters want to see that you can write/type properly and carefully.

• Don’t type ‘I’ as a lower case ‘i’. This shows a lack of attention and is not appropriate in a professional environment.

• Don’t refer to yourself in the third person (eg, Sinead has excellent communication skills).

• Don’t leave your university degree grades blank. We ask these for a reason (to see your progress from A level or equivalent to degree level) and if they are not completed we suspect you are trying to hide something.

• Don’t include mitigating circumstances unless they are genuine mitigating circumstances. You should be able to back this up with a school, university or medical report and preferably email this to the recruiter.

• Don’t miss out any of the long-answer questions. Their inclusion in the form is twofold: to get a better understanding of you, the applicant, and to check that you can write in clear, comprehensible and structured sentences.

• Don’t write in a colloquial or humorous way. Consider your application to be an important business document and take a professional tone.

Good luck with your  applications!

"Shape your aspirations" - training session by BPP University Law School Wed 7 December 1.30pm

A 2 hour workshop which examines where you will fit into a changing legal world

Shape Your Aspirations - Training Session

Wednesday 7^th December 2016

1:30 – 3:30pm, Chester Parkgate Road campus, Best CBB017

This workshop is beneficial for all Law students, when starting your search for the ideal legal career.

• Understand the changing legal marketplace, range of law firms and legal employment opportunities.
• Consider the impact of technology on legal practice in its many forms
• Analyse your strengths and personality type to find the perfect fit for your future aspirations.                                                                                Research law firms, chambers and other employers                                                       effectively.

"This is a chance to find out more about yourself. By doing this workshop you can start to see how your personality and strengths might fit into different roles within the legal sector"

Sara Dodge, LLB graduate 2016 University of Chester

If you are an aspiring legal professional, attend one of these informative and engaging workshops hosted by BPP University.

They are designed to help you plan and achieve your career aspirations.

Book now on CareerHub. This session is part of the Enhance Your Employability programme. For more details visit www.chester.ac.uk/eyetraining

So you went to Manchester Law Fair - what now?

                                                          

It was Manchester Law Fair this week.  If you went, I hope you enjoyed the experience and came away with a lot of useful information as well as a few freebies!  There is a limit, however, to how many reusable water containers one person needs!


What are you going to do now?

• Look through that recyclable bag of information and dig out any business cards you collected.  Keep them in a safe place and add notes so you can remember who said what to whom!

• Research the people you met on their firms' websites or ask to connect with them on LinkedIn. Say you enjoyed meeting them at the Law Fair.  It's important to carry on with the networking you have now started.

• Reflect on what you have learned from the Fair - has it opened up new options to consider?

• What have you learned about yourself - do you need to change your strategy for applications?

The Law Fair heralds the opening season for applications for Work Placements or Vacation Schemes in larger commercial Law firms for Easter and Summer 2017.  Many firms are also now accepting training contract applications for September 2019.  Yes, that's right, these are the Law firms who recruit 2 years in advance.  If you can get a Work Placement at one of these firms next Summer, you will be well on your way to being shortlisted for a training contract in 2019. Large commercial Law firms also often pay LPC fees as well as providing maintenance grants.

How does it work?

Search on Lawcareers.net or in the Training Contract Handbook 2017 (available now from the Law School or Careers and Employability) for the list of firms offering Work Placements.

Prepare a shortlist of firms you may be interested in applying to.

Do your research on those firms before you apply, and pay particular attention to application details. Some firms will let you upload a CV and cover letter as part of your application.  Other firms will only want their application form completed.  Always follow the instructions!

If you did meet someone from a firm at the Fair, make sure you mention them in your application.

Make sure your CV and cover letter, or application, represent you in the best possible light. Pay attention to spelling and grammar and, remember, I am happy to check all applications in a drop-in session or by email (p.hardie@chester.ac.uk).

It's National Pro Bono Week!

What does Pro Bono mean and how can being involved in it assist you with your legal career?

Pro bono is a Latin phrase meaning "for the public good".  In a legal context it has now come to mean providing free law advice to those people who cannot afford to pay for it.

Why should you try to get involved?

Firstly, it's a great opportunity to get involved in a local community project and use your legal knowledge to good effect.  There are lots of ways you can do this, whether by volunteering at your local Citizens Advice or a Law Centre.  There are also sometimes advocacy opportunities at charities such as Age Concern.  Cheshire West, Cheshire East, Halton and Warrington Youth Offending Service is currently looking for volunteers to support young people who have come to the attention of the police as a result of anti-social/ offending behaviour. For more information please contact careers@chester.ac.uk 

 

Secondly, you'll be using that legal knowledge under supervision, so you can put into practice the knowledge you've learnt from your degree and develop existing skills as well as acquire new ones, such as team working and communication.

Thirdly, you can use your experience of pro bono work to develop your CV.  Employers really like to see evidence of any volunteering activity and, if it's related to Law, so much the better!  You can use your experiences to give examples on application forms and at interview.

Now's the time to get involved, especially as it's National Pro Bono Week!

Manchester Law Fair is now less than 2 weeks away

Manchester Law Fair 2016 is taking place at Manchester Central Convention Centre on Tuesday 15 November from 12.30 - 4.00pm.

This is one of the largest Law Fairs in the country and is open to both Law and non-law students from any university.



This fair is an excellent forum for students and graduates to have discussions with firms of solicitors about their opportunities for vacation placements and training contracts, to talk to training providers about their law courses or to find out about careers at the Bar or in other areas of Law.

Online registration for the Fair is now open.

Sign up on the Law School noticeboard at 67 Liverpool Road for the free coach to take you there!

Details of the exhibitors and the link to online registration are available at:
Law Fair Exhibitors

Go to the Law Hub on Moodle to see my presentation on how to prepare for the
Law Fair.

Chester Law firm presentation Wednesday 26 October at 1.30pm

SO, YOU’RE GETTING A LAW DEGREE ….

Your opportunity to get a valuable insight into getting the right career in Law.

Businessman and Law Firm Founder Mike Simpson together with Ruth Heap, Partner at Chester-based Law Firm, Hillyer McKeown, will give you a valuable 30 minute insight into the changing world of law and a surprising area of law that is set to be the big growth area of the next decade…! 

It will also give you an additional insight into how to get ahead for the all-important interviews!

Wednesday 26 October at 1.30pm in Binks CBK013

Please sign up to attend on CareerHub

Hope to see you there!

Bar Scholarships deadline is fast approaching (Friday 4 November 2016)

If you are considering the BPTC for September 2017 you can apply now for a Scholarship from one of the Inns of Court to help with the cost of the course.  Here's a few things you need to know:

• The four Inns of Court are:

        Lincoln's Inn
        Inner Temple
        Middle Temple
        Gray's Inn









The criteria they use for selection are:

• Intellectual qualities (ability to analyse complex information and identify essentials, judgement, perceptiveness, good memory - academic achievement generally being good evidence on all counts)
• Motivation (very high level of drive and determination, commitment to appropriate aspects of work at the Bar)
• Relationships (ability to get on with a wide range of people, diplomacy, ability to sustain relationships)
• Character (calmness under fire, ability to work hard for long hours and against deadlines, sound personal values and integrity)
• Impact (articulacy, persuasiveness, confidence, ability to suit conduct to the occasion)

• All the Inns have huge sums of money to give to aspiring barristers in the form of Scholarships
• You can only apply to one Inn.
• You do not have to join an Inn before you apply, but if you are successful in gaining a Scholarship you would then have to join that Inn.
• Inner and Middle Temple interview all candidates who apply to them for a Scholarship.
• Lincoln's Inn and Gray's Inn preselect on application before interview.
• The closing date for Scholarship applications is Friday 4 November - check the time of day on each Inn's website. They are different.
• Make sure you have read and understood the reference requirements.  They differ for each Inn, too!
• Remember, the Inns award Scholarships based on merit but it is in your interests to provide your financial information, too.

I am happy to help you with your application.

Springboard into Law at the University of Chester 19 October - sign up now

Want to kick start your legal career?

The University of Law, based in Christleton near Chester, is coming to the University of Chester to present:


‘Springboard into Law’ 





This event is tailored to offer practical insight into how to get started with vacation scheme and training contract applications:

• Insight looking at the current market
• Tips on how to shape your application strategy
• How to research law firms and match your skills to what employers are looking for
• How to apply for the Legal Practice Course

University of Chester

Wednesday 19th October         13.30 – 15.30

Westminster CWE219/2

Book your place:
Online through CareerHub

NationalLawLIVE - Apply now for this one-day student conference for aspiring lawyers Friday 2 December

NationalLawLIVE will be held on Friday 2 December 2016 in the conference centre  at the Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI) in Manchester. There is a competitive application process and successful candidates will be asked to pay a delegate fee of £24. Please see below for further details to this really useful event. Choosing which firms to apply to for a training contract is not a simple process and  should involve extensive research. There are a number of major firms which operate  across large swathes of the United Kingdom (and beyond) and across a number of offices.  Their practices usually encompass a wide variety of work and attract a wide variety of clients , meaning that they are extremely attractive to recruits who seek a range of experience  in their careers. But choosing between them is easier said than done and requires  careful consideration. If you are considering becoming a lawyer – and especially if you are a law student  about to start your second year or a non-law student commencing your final year –  you need to up your game over the coming months if you are going to fulfil your potential.  Some of the questions you might want to ask yourself are: Have you got what it takes to be a top lawyer? Do you want unrivalled, in-depth access to top firms? Do you want to observe what lawyers really do? Do you want to hear the stories of successful lawyers? Do you want to know what recruiters really think? Do you want to make your CV look better to firms? Do you need a way to stand out? Are you ready to grab an opportunity to succeed? If the answer to most of the above is ‘YES!’, then the NationalLawLIVE event in December  is for you. NationalLawLIVE is a full-day, full-immersion exercise in ensuring that you are the type of  candidate who has the knowledge, connections and technique to win a training contract at a  top firm. You will meet and interact with lawyers and recruiters, hear their stories and advice,  and gain a unique insight into how the business of law really runs. Selection for the event is a competitive process, just like getting a training contract. Receiving an  invitation to attend one of our events shows that you are on the right track. Find out more and apply at www.nationallawlive.com. Here’s what some of the delegates from last year’s event had to say: "An amazing, helpful day! I would definitely recommend this event to others. The law firm  representatives were extremely helpful in answering questions and providing advice." 1st year law student "Not only was the event extremely useful for meeting firm representatives and learning  important skills, I have finally realised which path in law is right for me. I don’t think I’ve been  more excited and positive about my career in law!" GDL student Best wishes The NationalLawLIVE team

Welcome to the University of Chester on behalf of Careers and Employability

Hello

My name is Philippa Hardie and I am the specialist Law Career Consultant here at the University of Chester.

A warm welcome to the University and to Careers and Employability, in particular. Enjoy Freshers' Week!

You might wonder why you are getting this message about Careers so early in your studies but it really is important that you start thinking about your future, whether in Law or elsewhere, from Level 4 onwards.

I will be meeting all of you during the Law School Induction during Freshers' Week and hope to be able to talk to some of you at the Social Event on Tuesday 27 September. 

I am based in Careers and Employability on the Parkgate Road campus opposite the Binks Building on Tuesdays and Fridays.




Please have a look at  CareerHub where you will find further details of how we can help you.

In particular, have a look at our Resources section where you will find our new CV and Cover Letter Guide along with our Career Planning for Law Students booklet with example CV and Cover Letter handouts specifically for legal work.

I look forward to meeting you.

Philippa

Training Contract deadline is approaching at the end of July!

As you may already be aware, the major training contract deadline of 31 July is now only days away!

Hopefully, if you are looking for a training contract in a commercial law firm for 2018, you haven't left your applications until the last minute.  It's often a lot more involved than just updating your CV and dusting off a covering letter you wrote a while ago and changing a few names!

Each law firm will need to be researched thoroughly before you even start applying.  Some will let you upload a CV and covering letter as part of the application and others won't want to see your CV at all.  These firms will want you to fill out their application form and answer specific questions, usually within a given word limit.

Here are a few tips to help you with your applications:

• Quality really is better than quantity!  Do fewer applications but do them well.
• Take your time over each application
• Research each firm thoroughly
• Be accurate re grades etc
• Remember the STAR technique when answering questions:
• S ituation
• T ask
• A ction
• R esult
• Vary the examples when answering competency-based questions
• Prepare your answers in Word and then copy and paste into the form
• Think very carefully about why you want to be a commercial lawyer and why you want to work at that firm
• Always keep copies of your applications
• Check each application very carefully before submitting.  One typo can be enough to get yourself rejected!

If you need help with your applications please contact me at careers@chester.ac.uk

Careers and Employability at the University of Chester offers its services to graduates free for 3 years after graduation.

Government Legal Service (GLS) legal trainee scheme opens for applications today

The application process for the 2016 GLS Legal Trainee Scheme (LTS) is now open.

The deadline for completion of the application form and situational judgement test (SJT) is 12pm (noon) on Friday 29 July 2016.

There are 45 trainee solicitor and pupil barrister places being advertised this year and the majority of the places are for 2018.  However, there are some places still available for 2016 and 2017. 

All trainee places will be based in London.

You must have, or be predicted to obtain, a minimum of a 2:2 in an undergraduate degree. This does not have to be in law.
Please see Psychometric tests to practise verbal, numerical and situational judgement tests before you do them as part of the application.

Email careers@chester.ac.uk if you would like your application checking.

The GLS recruits most of its trainees 2 years in advance so you need to be at least  in your second year of a Law degree or the third year of a non-law degree to apply. Graduates can also apply.

Looking for an accounting qualification to add to your CV?

If you are interested in finance, this extra qualification from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) could be worth considering.

ACCA-X Certificate in Financial and Management Accounting  - open to students from all years and disciplines.

This online course allows students with no accounting background to gain a certificate to add to their CV.

This course could increase your confidence in basic accounting techniques. This can be great if you’d like to try out accounting, are looking into roles where a basic understanding is needed or you are thinking of setting up your own business. Many employers would appreciate a candidate who has an understanding of accounting techniques.

The ACCA-X Certificate in Financial and Management Accounting includes:

•           10 week course with 3 hours online tuition per week

•           £139 including 2 online exams and ACCA registration

•           Online learning and exams

•           Learn and take the test anywhere

•           Manageable segments

•           Add a new qualification to your CV

•           Ideal foundation knowledge in accountancy and finance for a first job

For more information and to register your interest, visit:

www.acca-x.com/summer

Registration closes on 4 July 2016.

Have you got a LinkedIn profile that's worth looking at?

LinkedIn has been in the news this week, owing to the deal announced by Microsoft that it will buy the professional networking site for $26.2bn. That's an awful lot of money to pay for the career details of 433 million LinkedIn members.  Are you one of them?  If not, here's a brief guide to how to set up your LinkedIn profile:

1. Choose a photo that creates a professional impression. 
2. Headline - this is the first piece of information anyone will read about you so make it interesting and eye-catching
3. Customise the URL that LinkedIn gives you to make it more personal.  Click the edit button and revise
4. Summary - This should contain 150-200 words outlining your career goals and achievements. You can also add links to blogs and videos here as well.
5. Experience - Use this section for any paid work or legal work experience
6. Voluntary experience and causes - any volunteering you may have done
7. Education - give details of your degree subject and where you studied.
8. Skills and endorsements - add skills that define your professional role, experiences and contributions.
9. You can also add any languages you speak.

There is some really useful information to help you develop your profile on the LinkedIn website - https://students.linkedin.com/uk  

More and more employers are advertising jobs on LinkedIn so get started with your profile today!

Training contract deadlines are looming - don't leave it until the last minute

As mentioned in my last blog post of 1 June, we are now entering the final stages of training contract recruitment in the larger commercial firms for 2018.

If you wish to apply for a training contract in these firms, remembering that these organisations are likely to pay your LPC fees, now is the time to start deciding who to apply for.

31 July has traditionally been the most popular closing date for these commercial law firms, but since the revision of the Voluntary Code for Recruitment of Trainee Solicitors last year, various dates throughout June and July appear more frequently in the list of deadlines on Lawcareers.net 

My advice would be to check  the closing date list once you have drawn up a list of firms to apply to, just to make sure you don't miss a deadline by assuming it's the end of July. 
Target Jobs Law also publishes a list of closing dates.

If you're interested in applying for the Government Legal Service applications open on 1 July and close on 29 July. They will pay LPC or BPTC fees provided you haven't already started the course.

Remember that training contract applications can't be dashed off at the last minute, if you want to make a good impression.  It's essential to start early and take your time.  I would always suggest quality of applications over quantity every time.

Here, at Careers and Employability, at the University of Chester, we are only too happy to check applications from Chester students, whether it's a CV and covering letter or a form. 

As a Chester graduate, you can continue to use our services free of charge for 3 years after graduation. Please get in touch with us - careers@chester.ac.uk

How to write a good covering letter for a training contract application

Now that application deadlines are drawing near (make sure you don't miss a closing date by checking the list on Lawcareers.net) it might be timely to concentrate on the covering letter.

A covering letter is a very important part of your training contract application.  If written well, it could clinch that invitation to interview.  Here are some hints and tips on how to write a winning letter.

• Keep to a maximum of one side of A4.  
• Paragraphs should be clearly laid out.
• Use a font that is easy to read, such as Arial.
• Try to write in a direct and simple way. You will save space and get your message over more easily.

Structure

• Always write to a named person rather than ‘Sir/Madam’ if at all possible. 
• Use their title and surname only, eg Dear Mrs Smith

First paragraph

• Use this to set the scene. 
• Clarify what you are applying or looking for, when for and what you’re currently doing.  
• For example, ‘I am writing to you in response to your advert for a trainee solicitor to start in September 2018. I am currently a final year LLB student at the University of Chester.’ 
• You could also add a reason for your interest in the vacancy, eg previous time spent in a similar firm, relevant options during your degree, 
•  Mention you are enclosing your CV.

Second paragraph

• Address why you are applying to the firm.
• Think about its size, location and areas of specialisation. 
• Then widen this out to anything special or unique about the employer (eg six seats rather than four) and your wider career aims.  
• You need to demonstrate that you have researched the employer and area of work and that you have a good feel for what they are about. 
• Make links to any experience that has helped you come to your decision and avoid vague generalisations such as ‘top class training programme’ or ‘international reputation’.

Third paragraph

• This is where you need to convince the employer that you are right for them and for the role. If you are responding to an advertised position, address each of the selection criteria. 
• Don’t expect the reader to turn to your CV to evidence this; lay it out for them to read. 
•  If you don’t have much relevant experience, explain why you think you could make a contribution, e.g. team player, fast learner, good people skills. 
•  Refer to points on your CV that you want the reader to note without repeating too much information. 

Fourth paragraph

• This is for any other relevant information such as mitigating circumstances for poor academic results, or details of extra qualifications that are relevant to the job, e.g. languages, LLM.

Final paragraph

• Use this space to sign off and indicate your availability for interview. 
• Use ‘Yours sincerely’ where you have written to a named individual and ‘Yours faithfully’ if you have had to use ‘Sir/Madam’.