I really need help please!

So what exactly do you want us to do now? :smile:

Reply 2

OP

Original post by arina162

So what exactly do you want us to do now? :smile:

I don't know :frown:

. Maybe advise me on how stupid my CV would look to other employers of other types of jobs when my CV will have so much Law stuff on it?

Reply 3

malteser87

Your degree doesn't have to determine what you do! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siu6JYqOZ0g
It's important you have your degree anyway as it will open loads of options for you.

Reply 4

Katie_p

15

Don't put all the law stuff on it then. TBH the law-related things you've listed would only really be suitable for a CV aimed at the legal profession, and would be listed under "relevant experience". It's not exactly work experience.

So just stick with the part time jobs and anything you did at Uni that might be related to the fields you're looking at.

Reply 5

malteser87

Original post by Katie_p

Don't put all the law stuff on it then. TBH the law-related things you've listed would only really be suitable for a CV aimed at the legal profession, and would be listed under "relevant experience". It's not exactly work experience.

So just stick with the part time jobs and anything you did at Uni that might be related to the fields you're looking at.

The law experience should go on her CV! It won't look stupid, every experience adds to your skills and they'll want to know what you can do.

Reply 6

OP

Original post by Katie_p

Don't put all the law stuff on it then. TBH the law-related things you've listed would only really be suitable for a CV aimed at the legal profession, and would be listed under "relevant experience". It's not exactly work experience.

So just stick with the part time jobs and anything you did at Uni that might be related to the fields you're looking at.

Original post by malteser87

The law experience should go on her CV! It won't look stupid, every experience adds to your skills and they'll want to know what you can do.

This is my dilemma! I have lots of law work experience, and I feel very lucky to have it all as not many people do.

But if I didn't put it on, I wouldn't know what to put on, as I don't know what to apply for, as I don't know what I want to do.

Reply 7

Do you have any other work experience apart from those two weeks at law practices? Apart from those several days? This can hardly be counted as work experience... Sorry to be so blant but it's really true.

And frankly, if you don't know what you want to do you can't write an appropriate CV. You have to find out what you want from life first.

Reply 8

littleeggy

13

Original post by insignificant

This is my dilemma! I have lots of law work experience, and I feel very lucky to have it all as not many people do.

But if I didn't put it on, I wouldn't know what to put on, as I don't know what to apply for, as I don't know what I want to do.

I think you should definitely put the law experience on. I did a psychology degree and have experience doing medical/psych work experience so when I applied for jobs that were in no way shape or form related to psychology I still put the experience down, BUT the key is the explain what skills you learned (which are transferable) from that experience. There will be loads of transferable skills!

Skills and experience from your law degree:
- Analytical and problem solving skills
- Experience constructing and writing logical arguments.
- you have developed strong oral and written skills.
- Throughout your degree you will have become highly skilled in researching and then assimilating large amounts of information and complex data.
- You will have empathy and understanding of the needs of your clients and become commercially aware.

In terms of your work experience, think carefully about what you did during your experience. What did you do, what skills did you develop, What did you learn?

Hope this helps somewhat.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 9

OP

Original post by arina162

Do you have any other work experience apart from those two weeks at law practices? Apart from those several days? This can hardly be counted as work experience... Sorry to be so blant but it's really true.

And frankly, if you don't know what you want to do you can't write an appropriate CV. You have to find out what you want from life first.

I can't just wait around until I find out what I want to do. I need to try different jobs to see if I like it or not. I don't see how having 3/4 days at each law firm is something to be snide about, work experience anywhere for any length of time is gold dust.

Reply 10

Hal.E.Lujah

19

To be honest, I'd put them on my CV and try to argue that it shows skills that will be useful in whatever job you're going for.

Reply 11

OP

Original post by littleeggy

I think you should definitely put the law experience on. I did a psychology degree and have experience doing medical/psych work experience so when I applied for jobs that were in no way shape or form related to psychology I still put the experience down, BUT the key is the explain what skills you learned (which are transferable) from that experience. There will be loads of transferable skills!

Skills from and experience from your law degree:
- Analytical and problem solving skills
- Experience constructing and writing logical arguments.
- you have developed strong oral and written skills.
- Throughout your degree you will have become highly skilled in researching and then assimilating large amounts of information and complex data.
- You will have empathy and understanding of the needs of your clients and become commercially aware.

In terms of your work experience, think carefully about what you did during your experience. What did you do, what skills did you develop, What did you learn?

Hope this helps somewhat.

This definitely helps! Thank you so much. I definitely need to go down this route of a skills based CV , rather than just listing things I have done, I have seen that there are so many different types of CV's, this one seems the most appropriate, thanks :smile:

Reply 12

Original post by insignificant

I can't just wait around until I find out what I want to do. I need to try different jobs to see if I like it or not. I don't see how having 3/4 days at each law firm is something to be snide about, work experience anywhere for any length of time is gold dust.

Sorry I didn't want to sound like I didn't appreciate it. :frown:

It might very well be true what you're saying. I can only tell you (from my experience at HR departments and law firms) that a week working somewhere will hardly count as work practice. It may be completely different in England though.

I'd put more emphasis on those part-time jobs if I were you. Since you don't want to work in law two weeks work practice won't help you there. There are several fields that you could enjoy working in. You like dancing so maybe you could work at a dance school? What else do you like? Music/Films? Are you creative? Anything you did enjoy while studying law that might help you now? :smile:

Reply 13

http://www.whatcareerisrightforme.com/career-aptitude-test.php

Maybe something like this could help a bit, too :smile:

Reply 14

OP

Original post by arina162

http://www.whatcareerisrightforme.com/career-aptitude-test.php

Maybe something like this could help a bit, too :smile:

I understand what you were saying, I didn't really take offence and yes maybe things are different in your country, it's just I put a lot of effort into these work experiences! I took that test and I couldn't help but laugh:

Mathematical Technicians
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators
Computer Numerically Controlled Machine Tool Programmers, Metal and Plastic
Patternmakers, Wood
Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
Brickmasons and Blockmasons
Insulation Workers, Mechanical
Maintenance Workers, Machinery
Foundry Mold and Coremakers
Biostatisticians

Ideally, I would love to be my own boss, becoming a property developer, I would be competent in the legal aspects and financing, my dad is a joiner, and I don't like working with other people so it would be perfect. Unfortunately I would need a job to get the start up money, but other things would get in the way, needing to get my own house, and then eventually a wedding/children would happen, and no money for the property developing.

Urgh, life.

Reply 15

littleeggy

13

Original post by insignificant

This definitely helps! Thank you so much. I definitely need to go down this route of a skills based CV , rather than just listing things I have done, I have seen that there are so many different types of CV's, this one seems the most appropriate, thanks :smile:

You're welcome. If you have only done half a day here and there at a few law firms you might want to bundle these together rather than listing individually and say ' I have had x number of days experience at (1,2,3?) law firms...' then say what skills you developed, what you learned etc. Unless you did have a significant number of days at one law firm in particular and/or the work you were doing was quite different from the others?

It just depends really. Take a look at your CV, you want to leave out the unecessary detail and focus on the key aspects that the employer wants to see in a potential employee.

If you have had part time jobs for a longer period of time, obviously also put these down and the same thing, the skills and what you learned. Also if you have held down a part time job for a good amount of time, this shows dedication and a good work ethic.

Might be worth giving your CV to someone more experiencesd with CVs - Even just someone older. My boyfriend's mum was great, she's a finance director and has plenty of experience with hiring people so I gave my CV to her to look over. She gave me loads of advice on how to improve it. Also, unfortunately when you apply to many jobs, you will have to tweak your CV a bit for each one to emphasise the skills and experience they are looking for. Jobs often have a person specification, which is like a tick list of the skills and experience they are looking for. Compare your CV to this and see what is missing from that person specification.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 16

Original post by insignificant

I understand what you were saying, I didn't really take offence and yes maybe things are different in your country, it's just I put a lot of effort into these work experiences! I took that test and I couldn't help but laugh:

Mathematical Technicians
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators
Computer Numerically Controlled Machine Tool Programmers, Metal and Plastic
Patternmakers, Wood
Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
Brickmasons and Blockmasons
Insulation Workers, Mechanical
Maintenance Workers, Machinery
Foundry Mold and Coremakers
Biostatisticians

Ideally, I would love to be my own boss, becoming a property developer, I would be competent in the legal aspects and financing, my dad is a joiner, and I don't like working with other people so it would be perfect. Unfortunately I would need a job to get the start up money, but other things would get in the way, needing to get my own house, and then eventually a wedding/children would happen, and no money for the property developing.

Urgh, life.

Hahaha, yes, these tests never help. BUT I quite like doing them because they can give you ideas or jobs you may never have thought of on your own. :smile:

Reply 17

LexiswasmyNexis

Original post by insignificant

So I've decided to rewrite my CV to try and apply for a few graduate jobs . Only problem is, my entire experience and degree is Law related, and I don't want to do Law as my career, my degree made me realise that.

I have a weeks work experience at a Magistrates Court, a weeks work experience at a Criminal Law firm. I did the Pathways to Law programme which involved a residential at Warwick Uni, and several days at various law firms such as DLA Piper, Eversheds etc .I'm in my final year of a Law degree, most likely to get a 2:2.

I've had various part time jobs working in shops etc. My main outside interest is irish dancing, I've done it since I was 4, and competed in many competitions and won lots.

I don't know what to do! I don't know what sort of job I want or what I want to do.

Sounds like you should remember to focus on NOT getting a 2:2.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 18

OP