Common worries for the trainee solicitor
1. Should I stay or should I go?
Everybody seems to be on the move - should you be too? Despite the activity that fills miles of column inches in the legal press each week, should you add to the traffic? Think hard about the role offered and the culture of the firm you are at. It may well be that you have been offered what you want and you get on well with your colleagues and seniors. You would be quite right thinking "if it ain't broke don't fix it"; don't forget things are going to be hard enough the other side of qualification. What have you got to gain by moving?
2. I haven't been kept on!
Has everyone been let go? If so, the decision doesn't reflect on your ability. If not it may be that you have indicated your interest in a department that simply hasn't got the capacity to take on a Newly Qualified at this point. Ask questions, try and get more information, and then build on the positive aspects of the feedback you are able to get.
3. I have been offered - but not what I want?
This is a common problem; many areas and teams are habitually oversubscribed. Do you settle for the area you have been offered in, or hold out for what you really want? You don't want to find yourself out of work, it is harder to find a new role from a position of no job. Find out if you could develop the role you have been offered so that it brings into play more of the work you really want. Be careful you don't get trapped in an area you really don't enjoy, that's going to bring you back to the drawing board in a year or so's time. Be clear of your long-term plans and be sure you are happy to settle in this instance for second best.
4. How important is the quality and breadth of my training?
All important. This is the basis on which your new employers will judge you. If you have had lots of responsibility and hands-on experience, make sure your CV reflects this. "Big name" firms carry clout on a CV - as do academics. Prospective employers can be human too - and realise that a 6 months seat in one area is a very limited basis for a decision that maybe your final choice. If you think your training has been patchy, read up on your chosen area of law, be aware of recent developments, and display your interest and enthusiasm in the area at interview.
