Using the careers service
Who should use us?
The simple answer is - anyone who needs us.
While your career is your career, and final decisions rest with you, why not take advantage of the help on offer to you?
- If you are just starting your job search, we can help you to identify the types of firms/chambers and areas of practice you’re interested in and suited to; research these areas and draw up a list of potential employers; and identify the correct application procedure so that you know what you need to be doing and when.
- If you’ve already decided who to apply to, we can help with writing a CV, covering letters and application forms to ensure you make the best application possible, and give you the best chance of securing interviews.
- If you’ve been invited to interview, we offer advice on interview technique, presentations, and assessment centres, as well as offering mock interviews.
- If you have a job offer, we can help you identify the pros and cons and to negotiate with the employer should you need to do so.
- If you are a career changer, we can suggest ways to present your previous experience to greatest effect, and help you target mature-friendly employers.
- If things haven’t gone to plan, and you’ve made lots of applications but received no interview offers, or had several interviews but no offers of a job, we can work with you to identify what’s going wrong, and suggest action that may help turn the situation around.
- If you have a ‘gap’ year to fill before taking up a training contract or pupillage, we can give you ideas for further study, travel or exchange programmes abroad.
- If you decide not to pursue qualification, we can advise you on legal-related or alternative careers.
When should you use the Careers Service?
Given the long recruitment process of many firms and some chambers, it makes sense to start using the Careers Service as early as possible.
While smaller firms, high street and legal aid employers usually have shorter recruitment time-scales, you still need to get advice early on. In many cases, students can improve their CVs by obtaining additional work experience or experience of a different kind. This takes time to organise and implement, so you will need to start investigating opportunities as soon as possible.
Before you accept a place at The College of Law
- Take a look at the Career in Law section of this website, which will help you to decide which area of law might suit you best
- Attend the open days where teaching and careers staff will be available to answer your queries and to give you advice about what you should be doing and when
Once you have accepted a place, we offer the following services to new students:
- Access to a password controlled vacancies database for training contracts, paralegal and legal-related positions (a password is given to you once you have accepted)
- Careers libraries at each centre
- Summer workshops
- Brief e-mail and telephone advice
- Individual appointments with a Careers Consultant from 1 July in the year in which you start your course
Once you’ve started your course, we offer the following additional services:
- E-mails alerting you to new and/or suitable vacancies
- Careers workshops throughout the academic year
- Employer talks
- College mentoring scheme
- Free copy of the Training Contract & Pupillage Handbook and Chambers Student Guide when published while stocks last
How to contact us
You can contact us by phone, e-mail, fax or in person. We will use e-mail to contact you about future events, suitable vacancies and careers news, so please check your College e-mail address regularly.
We welcome your feedback
We are constantly developing the service we offer and welcome your comments on your experience as well as any ideas you may have for new services you would like to see.
