Imposter syndrome

Dear Oracle

I’ve secured a training contract with a major commercial law firm which I'm due to start this September. However, the thought of walking through the doors and being a trainee is daunting and I have no idea if I’m going to sink or swim. What could I do between now and starting the job to prepare? Is it normal to have been successful in getting such a job, showing aptitude and the necessary skills only to feel completely unqualified?

The Oracle replies

Reading time: three minutes

First, it's only natural to feel nervous about beginning your training contract. Starting a new job can be scary at the best of times, especially in a demanding profession such as law. To not feel a bit apprehensive would be undesirable as an over-confident trainee will certainly not impress co-workers with years of experience. And you will not be expected to breeze in on your first day knowing all the answers – that's the point of your training contract after all!

How to prepare

Experience in the working world will do much to prepare you for a training contract as you will learn how to interact in a working environment, deal with clients and organise your time – all vital skills a solicitor must possess.

Why not seek work in an industry relevant to your training? For example, a role in an HR department will complement employment law, work in a business will help to sharpen your commercial acumen, while a job involving lots of interaction with people (eg, something as simple as waitressing or retail work) will improve your confidence in dealing with clients.

Visit LawCareers.Net’s Jobs board for updated vacancies from law firms and organisations looking to hire trainees, paralegals, legal assistants and caseworkers.

Pro bono

You could also consider doing volunteer work – not only would this keep you busy but it’s also intrinsically rewarding. Pro bono work is both an important way of providing vital services to people in real need and an excellent way to gain legal experience.

Read this LCN Says to find out the key skills you can gain from pro bono work.

Citizens Advice runs free legal advice centres (as do other local organisations) and is often looking for volunteers with legal qualifications. Getting involved in something like this is great practice at advising clients and is guaranteed to provide you with at least some level of satisfaction!  

Here is a list of LawCareers.Net’s pro bono and volunteering opportunities.

Commercial awareness

As a future lawyer, you must keep your finger on the pulse by regularly browsing the legal press. A huge part of being a trainee solicitor is keeping on top of developments in the legal profession so that you can be in the best position to advise clients. Don't forget to check out the regular news stories and Commercial Question section on LCN, designed to sharpen your commercial awareness.

Visit LawCareers.Net’s Commercial awareness hub to develop this key skill.

Plus, LCN has just launched a Commercial Connect monthly newsletter, which lands in your inbox on the first Friday of every month to connect you to the business world. The newsletter includes LawCareers.Net’s new ‘Wrestle with PESTLE’ series which looks at various business case studies using the PESTLE technique. Register for a free MyLCN account to ensure you don’t miss out!

Future trainees should also read up on Lexology articles to learn about what’s going on in different practice areas.

Finally

Remember that your firm would not have offered you a training contract without being confident that you could handle the challenges of the job.

Recruiters tend to be pretty good at sussing out potential trainees – after all, the commitment costs them a large sum of money. So, a bit of faith in your own abilities will go a long way!