Hi everyone! I hope this blog finds you safe and well during this pandemic. This blog is in response to some LinkedIn messages I’ve received recently (thank you to the connections for reaching out to me) and I thought it would be useful to have a blog written for ease of accessibility. The questions are based around the impact of COVID-19 for current applications to firms (Vacation Schemes and Training Contracts) and my advice for gaining work experience during these times.
The impact of COVID-19 on Vacation Schemes and Training Contracts
It is abundantly clear that everyone will be impacted by this pandemic, some in more ways than one. Law firms are no exception. This year, we have seen Vacation Schemes moved online to become virtual internships and assessment for Training Contracts also moved online. So the question is, what will the future of Vacation Schemes and Training Contracts look like, and what can we do now for future applications.
In my opinion (since no-one really knows what will happen), a very likely outcome for the next season of applications in 2021 is a reduced number of places on the Schemes. We have seen partner distributions delayed, promotions delayed, reduced hours etc – I think this will naturally translate into fewer spots on Schemes and thus, fewer Training Contracts . This means that the already competitive nature for places will be heightened. Sorry readers, not the cheery news I’d like to be sharing either. However, I’m hoping the remainder of this blog will provide some useful advice to you during this pandemic and going forward, as well as an update on what I’ve been up to.
Making the most of the pandemic
If you find yourself with a little extra time over summer like me (cancelled summer travel plans and whatnot), then here are some of the things I’m doing to
- Build my CV
- Use my time wisely
- Become more employable
- Learn new skills and a well-rounded person
…and with all of these aims, this already makes for a better Vacation Scheme or Training Contract candidate.
1 – Virtual Internships
I recently completed an InsideSherpa internship with Latham & Watkins on mergers and acquisitions. If you head over to InsideSherpa, you can create an account and have full access to a wide range of free internships by a variety of firms. It’s not just legal internships either – there are also virtual internships for consulting or strategy development!
Just to emphasise – these are COMPLETELY FREE to complete! You can also add the experience to your CV once you’ve completed the internship. Click on the button to find out more details on the virtual internship I completed with Latham & Watkins!
2 – Reading
I think it’s equally important to have some time away from the screen, so, I’ve also been reading some interesting books lately. Pictured here is the book that Bright Network sent me over the course of our last collaboration – ‘Tools of Titans’ by Tim Ferriss. The book is made up of 3 parts: Healthy, Wealthy and Wise. In brief, Tim interviews top athletes, coaches, CEOs, entrepreneurs and speakers and has compiled their top tricks for success into this book. I would highly recommend it for challenging the way you think and offering alternative ways to go about your daily life.
Perhaps there’s a book series you’ve always wanted to read or a highly recommended book – now is your chance to get round to reading it! It gives you something interesting to talk about when networking and you might even learn a thing or two!
3 – New hobbies
What better time to start that thing you’ve always wanted to do but put it off because of lack of time? Whether it’s sports, learning a new language, cooking/baking or sewing – now is the perfect time to develop new skills and become a more well-rounded person.
When firms are looking at applications, some ask questions about hobbies and interests. They do this to see what kind of person you are outside of academics because on paper, people with law degrees look the same. You all have the same qualification/degree. What separates one candidate from another is their life experiences, their personality, their interests etc. I’m also confident that the question “so what did you get up during the pandemic” will pop up in interviews/assessment centres to see if you used your time wisely to develop new skills and add value to yourself!
Personally, I’ve been trying a bunch of new recipes during the lockdown so here are some pictures – just for fun!
4 – Network
For clarity, by networking now, I mean virtual networking! You could use this time to fill out your LinkedIn profile or reach out to some connections! I can say that, recently, I’ve received more messages from connections either looking for some guidance or just to introduce themselves and say hi!
I’ve been able to have so many interesting and intellectual conversations with some connections and I’d highly encourage my readers to reach out to me, and other connections!
5 – Work experience
One of my connections asked for my advice about gaining work experience in the legal industry – a difficult question to answer at this particular moment given that many law firms are still working remotely. However, remember that any work experience is good work experience – it does not necessarily have to be in the legal field. Focus on the transferable skills that you are learning from your tutoring, retail or hospitality etc. Then link these skills to the firm and explain why this would make you a valuable asset to the team.
As above, completing a virtual internship is also experience so do check out what’s available on InsideSherpa!
Always learning…
I hope this blog has been useful in giving you some ideas and inspiration of what you can do during this pandemic to develop new skills or add to your CV! By being productive and proactive during these unprecedented times demonstrates that you are a person with the skill to adapt to ever-changing circumstances, an eagerness to learn new things and have the enthusiasm and initiative to tackle new projects. Don’t all of these skills sound like ones that would make good lawyers? (the answer is YES!!)
So readers, I hope you are all safe and well, and I would love to hear what you have been up to recently!
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