Job seeking

Planning your career

By the time you've qualified and reached the stage of applying for jobs, you should have a clear idea of what area of law you want to work in.

If you’re newly qualified you'll probably have some relevant work experience from volunteering and your period of training.

If you’re already working and want to take the next step in your career you should think about how you want to progress.

If you’re changing career, your experience and industry insights may be useful for certain law firms, especially if the firm has clients in your previous industry. Look at firms’ recruitment information to find out which may value your skills and experience.

Find out more about career options in law

Preparing for job seeking

Before applying for jobs, look at your knowledge, experience and skills, and think about:

• your strengths and weaknesses
• your experience
• the types of work and areas of law that interest you
• skills that you want to develop
• the qualities you can bring to an employer
• where you want to work and the opportunities that are available

You should leave enough time to research and prepare applications to improve your chances of success.

Resources

How to prepare for a video job interview during the pandemic – tips for video interviews from Sellick Partnership

Gazette feature: A new world of work

Gazette feature: New year, new career: career planning for 2021

Recharge: Impressing at interview when returning after a career break podcast (18 minutes)  

Marketing yourself: Recharge webinar (96 minutes)

Podcast: How to sell yourself as a candidate with JMC Legal Recruitment (38 minutes)

An overview of the legal jobs market during COVID-19 with JMC Legal Recruitment (6 minutes)

Changing career direction during Covid-19: Q&A with JMC Legal Recruitment (webinar held 18 November 2020)

Changing career direction during Covid-19: Q&A with JMC Legal Recruitment (webinar held 24 November 2020)