Summer Work Experience – 12 things to do to improve your employability and professional development
Did you miss out on work experience this summer? Don’t panic! There is still 8 weeks left to make a difference to your CV, professional development and employability!
I’ve compiled a list of 12 things that you can do for free to enhance your skills and have something to talk about during an interview!
1. Earn a virtual insight scheme certificate with Forage
Forage Law Virtual Experience Programs are developed with a variety of top law firms to give our students a plethora of opportunities in the legal field – whether you are looking to be a Lawyers, Attorneys, Paralegal, Legal Advisor or Compliance Officer, you’ll be able to gain important insights!
Essentially you can choose a top law firm, take part in many activities in which their trainees would undertake and have a certificate which can be posted on your LinkedIn and your CV!
Tip: These awards also give you something to talk about in an interview (especially if you intend on applying to a large city firm!)
Here’s a link for Forage: https://www.theforage.com
2. Set up your Vantage profile
Vantage is an online headhunting sight which connects law students with top employers within the sector!
Essentially you just fill out your information on your profile and employers can approach you with work experience opportunities! It’s also a useful platform to have as many employers such as Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner use the platform to accept applications!
Here’s a link to visit the Vantage site and set up your profile today: https://www.vantageapp.io
3. Set up your LinkedIn (or make sure its up to date)
LinkedIn is a professional networking sight and I cannot emphasise enough how useful of a tool it is.
You should set up your LinkedIn with a professional headshot and fill out the relevant sections to show case your certificates, awards, scholarships and work experience or employment history! You can then expand your network to connect with professionals in the legal field (or any other career sector!)
Here’s a link to LinkedIn to set up your profile today: https://www.linkedin.com
4. Volunteer
Employers love volunteering, it brings so many transferable skills and demonstrates a good work ethic even when you’re not being paid! If you can, approach your local charity shops, youth groups or scouting / guiding groups and see if you can gain some volunteering experience!
5. Get a part time job, temporary job or agency work
Paid work is also great for showcasing a wide range of skills acquired and never goes unnoticed by employers! Understandably shops may not want to hire you if you’re headed back to university soon however you can try local recruitment agencies and ask for bank or temporary agency work – meaning you get the work without any commitments into contracts!
6. Improve your CV
Everyones CV can always use a bit of work – use this summer break to tweak things, rearrange your information and remove irrelevant details. Make sure you have a CV which showcases your skills and experience well and try to include your university grades if you intend on using it to apply to vacation schemes, mini pupillage etc.
7. Take a free course with The Open University
The Open University offer many free short courses which can be undertaken in various degree disciplines. These also provide you with a certificate which can be posted on LinkedIn and put on your CV
Tip: Undertaking a course in a subject you are particularly interested in can help in interviews for various jobs!
8. Get a BPP Summer Skills Certificate
BPP Law School is a leading provider of post-graduate legal education, every year the University offers certificates which can be posted on your LinkedIn and mentioned in your CV! These can be obtained by attending four webinars run by BPP throughout the summer – they’re usually no longer than an hour and are on interesting subjects and can provide a lot of guidance for post-graduate study options!
To find out more head over to @bpp_ca_surreyuni on Instagram!
9. Improve your commercial awareness
This can be done so simply throughout the summer and is something which employers are very big on therefore improving your commercial awareness will also help you in interviews!
You can do things such as read the news e.g BBC News, BBC Business, The Financial Times. Listen to podcasts e.g Watsons Daily, Law Pod UK, Linkubator, UK Law Weekly and begin thinking of the wider impact of news stories on businesses and law firms clients.
10. Get a legal research Certificate
Whether you’re a Lexis lover or a WestLaw user, you can get a legal research certificate for either and include it on your CV and applications to demonstrate your skills!
The certificate is obtained by undertaking a test which examines your skills at legal research! There is lots of preparation material provided and you can undertake both the foundation and the advanced certificate for either provider!
Link to LexisNexis Research Certificate: https://www.lexisnexis.co.uk/law-students/lexis-library/certification.html
Link to WestLaw Research Certificate: https://legalsolutions.thomsonreuters.co.uk/en/products-services/uk-law-student/get-certified-westlaw-uk.html
11. Take up a hobby or sport!
Employers also like to see that you have a passion and that you do not just eat, sleep and breathe law! Spend some time finding your hobby, trying a sport and finding something to talk about during interviews that can set you apart from your competitions!
12. Research where you’d like to apply for the year
This is something which may take a little longer but will give you a head start during the academic year – essentially begin researching where you’d like to get work experience, whether that’s a vacation scheme, mini pupillage or an open day, start now so that you can watch out for the deadlines to apply!
You can use sites such as Chambers Student, LawCareers.Net, Legal Cheek and the firms own pages to find useful information about where you might like to eventually work!
Link to Chambers Student: https://www.chambersstudent.co.uk
Link to LawCareers.Net: https://www.lawcareers.net
Link to Legal Cheek: https://www.legalcheek.com
I hope these ideas have been helpful and have given you all something to do in these weeks before uni restarts – don’t forget to relax as well, we’ve all worked very hard this past year so deserve the break!
Best Wishes,
Chelsea Lewin
Law Careers Officer