Careers Support for Law & Business students
As students on a joint honours degree you are in the enviable position of having a range of
specialist careers support available:
Claire Leslie
Law Specialist
Anna Preston
Law and Business
specialist
Hilary Riseley
Law and Business
specialist
Book appointments by
emailing:
Book
C.A.Leslie@warwick.ac.uk appointments
through
myAdvantage
Book
appointments
through
myAdvantage
WBS Drop Ins
WBS Drop Ins
Louise Considine
Business specialist
Book
appointments
through
myAdvantage
WBS Drop Ins
We can support you with any aspect of your career planning including:
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Whether or not to qualify as a lawyer
Whether to do the 3 or 4 year course
Getting relevant work experience
Networking with employers
Careers Timetable – How to maximise your chance of securing the dream job!
This is an overview and not an exhaustive list of possible activities!
Term 1 Years 1 (and Year 2 if 4 year course)
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Attend careers fairs.
Attend one or more employability skills workshops which can help you to
understand career routes and teach you how to put applications together.
Attend several presentations from employers in different sector areas. If you are
interested in a legal professional career attend sessions run by law firms of different
sizes and a Bar event. Do not restrict yourself only to events put on by those offering
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legal professional careers, even if at this stage you are convinced that a legal career
will be for you.
Get involved in life on campus and look to join societies which interest you. Plan to
become involved in organising and running these societies from your second year
onwards.
Investigate First Year internship and experience opportunities. (There are limited
openings for first years but there are some Spring Week schemes at Investment
Banks, the Bank of England has a 6 week summer internship open to First year
students and many law firms offer experiences or office visits varying in length from
a few hours to a week. Application for most of these can be made in Term 2 but note
that the Bank of England scheme opens for applications in September.)
Consider making an appointment for Career Guidance from week 7 onwards.
Term 2 Year 1 (and 2 if 4 year course)
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Typically this is when you need to apply for Spring Weeks and First Year Experience
Schemes. Make sure that you ask someone to check over your application. Any of
the careers team is able to do this or you could see a Job Search Advisor. Remember
that while your family and friends may be able to proof read your applications they
will not generally be experts on exactly what is required. Careers staff spend time
talking to employers and do understand what is needed.
Consider what you might do over the summer, it is exceptional to secure an
internship at the end of your first year. Employers like evidence of paid work or
volunteering. You can gain great skills from shop and bar work or from helping out in
your family business.
If you have not already had a Careers appointment why not book one?
Aim to attend several employer led presentations or careers skills sessions.
If you want to go to the Bar start to research for mini pupillages and make sure that
you check your eligibility to apply for these and any widening access initiatives which
might apply to you.
Term 3 Year 1 (and 2 if 4 year course)
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Your focus is going to be on exams and getting the best marks of which you are
capable.
You might be standing for election as an executive officer for a Warwick Society.
Remember though that the careers service continues to run during the term so if you
feel in need of support, make an appointment. The service is confidential, nonjudgmental and personalised for you.
Term 1 Penultimate year
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If you want a legal professional career decide on the sort of firms which interest you.
If you envisage working for a big City firm then chose several which really interest
you and go along to everything they attend on campus so that the recruiters get a
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chance to know you. If you would like a smaller firm then check to see which firms
are on campus and make an effort to see them.
If you want to secure a training contract to become a solicitor start to put together
your applications for vacation schemes. The deadlines are normally in mid January.
Do not wait until Term 2 to draft the applications. Remember to get them checked
by a careers professional.
Many other careers offer summer internships for second year students and you will
need to apply for some of these in Term 1. Do your research.
As in year 1 attend skills sessions and careers fairs.
Consider making an appointment for careers support.
If you want to go to the Bar apply for mini pupillages.
Term 2 Penultimate Year
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Lodge any applications remaining in good time before deadlines and prepare for
interviews and assessment centres.
Look for mock interviews offered by careers.
Consider attending skills sessions covering any areas where you are not confident.
If your applications for internships and vacation schemes have been unsuccessful get
a Careers professional to look through them to comment on what could be
improved. Put together speculative applications for work experience or work
shadowing over the summer.
Term 3 Penultimate Year
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Your exams are now even more important. Careers staff will be around for
appointments.
You may need to make applications for training contracts before the standard
deadline of 31st July.
Graduate schemes will open for application from August onwards, do your research
and get applications in as soon as possible.
Term 1 Final Year
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If you are applying for graduate schemes and have not got applications in over the
summer you should be very busy with applications this term.
If you want a legal professional career in a large firm and have not secured a training
contract you will want to apply for Christmas and / or Easter vacation schemes.
Closing dates are often by mid-October. Get the applications in as soon as possible.
If you are wanting to apply for a Masters you should be putting together your
personal statement and putting the application in. Note that the personal statement
will need to be very different from that in your UCAS form and get help putting it
together.
Aspiring Barristers need to continue to apply for mini pupillages.
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If you are still undecided as to what to do or you have been disappointed with a lack
of success make sure that you get careers support.
Term 2 Final Year
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You may still be making applications for graduate schemes during this term or it may
be a time to take stock and think what you want to do next.
Term 3 Final Year
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Concentrate on exams but remember that careers support is still available.
Look out for a possible Finalists Get Hired event after the exams are over.
Remember that you have careers support after graduation.
Let your tutor or someone in Careers know what you will be doing next.
Note that if you are doing a four year degree things will be different. You should
check in your first year whether any of the first year schemes are open to you. Some
may be but generally you will need to assume that your second year is Year 1 here,
your third year is Year 2 and your final year is Year 3. If you are going to be abroad
during your penultimate year it is particularly important that you organise yourself
and seek careers support. You will want to be sure that you do not miss deadlines
while you are away and that your applications are good.