Success story from City Law for Ethnic Minorities! Read how it helped Alex land his dream job at Baker & McKenzie!

Alex attended City Law for Ethnic Minorities in June 2012, find out how the event helped him land his dream job at Baker & McKenzie!

This event was brought to my attention by a lecturer during my first year at University. Some of my course mates and I applied and we were very pleased to have been successful.

Day 1
Following a brief introduction, we were split into small groups and we were immediately given a series of intense, interactive and challenging tasks. These tasks were led by members from graduate recruitment teams of various City Law firms and included advice about applications and interviews.  This was an invaluable opportunity, as it was these same people that would be reading and assessing our vacation scheme and training contract applications in the near future.

Once the skills sessions were over, we were given half an hour to network with trainees and graduate recruitment staff from a array of law firms. This opportunity proved to be incredibly important to me as it was then that I had my first interaction with my future employer, Baker & McKenzie. This opportunity enabled me to develop meaningful relationships within the Firm and when it came to applying for a vacation scheme with them, I felt that I had a genuine understanding of their culture and values. Moreover, the trainees that I met on the day provided me with help and support, where they could, throughout the application process. 

Day 2
On the second day, we were separated into small groups and taken to different law firms. My group were taken to Reed Smith's offices, where we were given presentations by a trainee, an associate and a partner. They discussed the Firm's values, their work and how to be commercially aware. Later, we were given a group exercise based on the London 2012 Olympics. This experience proved to be very beneficial, as it was similar to group exercises that I was required to do during vacation scheme assessment days. 

Following this session, we were taken to Wragge & Co's offices (now known as Gowling WLG), where we were given a talk on due diligence. After this we undertook a research task and we were asked to present our findings to a panel comprising of members of the firm. Again, this experience mirrored assessment day tasks. I believe that it was extremely beneficial to me to be able to practice these skills in a controlled and less pressured environment. 

Finally, we were taken to Mayer Brown's offices where we were given a Q&A panel session with partners from City law firms. 

Fast-forward 1 year
Applying the advice that I was given at the City Law for Ethnic Minorities event, I was successful in obtaining a place on Baker & McKenzie's summer vacation scheme.

Fast forward 2 months - (1/9/2013)
Following my vacation scheme with Baker & McKenzie, I was offered a training contract with the Firm to start in September 2015! 

I believe that my experiences at the City Law for Ethnic Minorities event were instrumental to beginning my legal career and I would strongly recommend applying!

To find out more about the next event, visit the website HERE!

Looking for a way to get ahead of the crowd when applying for grad schemes and internships next year? Senior Project Manager, Katy Phillips, has offers some key advice to stand out from the competition in a positive way when putting together applications.

As a team, we view thousands of applications each year from students looking to attend our events. Because spaces are limited and demand high, we ask each candidate to submit a CV and a 200 word paragraph on why they want to attend. This is a great opportunity to practice the key skills needed when applying for jobs and placements later in the year and also gives us an insight into the applicant and whether they’re a good fit.  

 Here are my top five tips on how to put together an application that’s memorable for the right reasons!

   

1. Spelling
     This is number 1 for a reason! I simply cannot put enough emphasis on how important spelling, punctuation and grammar are. An application is a first introduction to you and first impressions count! Make sure you proofread in addition to using spell check to look for any auto-correct errors such as ‘from’ being auto-corrected to ‘form’.

2. Attention to detail

Most application forms will ask for key information, and you can be sure this is for a good reason! All our events ask for a CV which is 2 sides of A4 and contains details of your latest grades. When you’re competition is high, attention to detail about seemingly small matters like this can go a long way!

3. Check the criteria

You wouldn’t believe how many boys tried their luck at applying for our female only events last year, or those who spent time on tests and questions for the Undergraduate of the year awards only to be told that they didn’t fit the criteria outlined on the initial website. Reading this through before you apply could save you a lot of time, and also tell you exactly what the recruiters are looking for, allowing you to really tailor your application. This brings us nicely to…

4. Sell yourself

I’m yet to come across an application that doesn’t offer an opportunity to write a little about yourself and why you wish to apply. This is your opportunity to display passion, knowledge and drive to the reviewer. Your text should always be tailored to the opportunity you’re applying to. If it’s a job, write why the company and the role interests you, if it’s an event, look at which companies are attending and explain a little about what it was which sparked your interest. Try to use as much of the word count (if given) as possible and avoid one sentence answers like ‘I want to apply because it looks like a good opportunity’, we know it’s a great opportunity, but why do you think so?

5.Ask the experts

Websites like TARGETjobs are great for gaining ideas and advice on what to include on your CV, and perfecting more complicated employer application forms. There’s a plethora of information available if you take the time to look for it, for example here: http://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/applications-and-cvs

Applications for our autumn series of events are open now and I’m sure if you follow the advice above you’ll be well on your way to the next stage, which for us involves a telephone interview - but that’s another blog…

Attending one of our law events? Read Charlotte's blog to find out her tips for the day!

Name: Charlotte Evans

University: Queen Mary, University of London

Course: Law

Events attended: A Day in the City

Why did you apply?

I was made aware of the event through my university Law department and thought I would apply given my interest in a career as a City lawyer. After reading about the event online, it stood out due to the fact that you were able to visit and speak to members of two different law firms in one day. I also wanted to have the opportunity to take part in the various structured exercises that would be similar to those expected of you at interviews as I had no previous experience of this.

What were your goals for the day? How did you set out to achieve them?

My main goal was to get a feel for what working in a big city firm was really like and decide whether I would be suited to such a career path. I decided the best way to do this would be to speak to as many people as possible and find out why they enjoyed their job and what advice they would have for me coming into the profession now.

I also wanted to get stuck into things like negotiation exercises. I hadn’t had a lot of opportunity to do things like that before so I made sure I had read up on both firms to get an idea of what practice areas they specialised in and what they would want to offer their clients. I also did a bit of reading up on how the City operates and how to think about issues from both a clients and firms’ perspective to come to the best solution.   

Tips for the day?

1. Research – it might not be an interview but I found that having some knowledge about both firms really helped when asking questions.

2. Don’t just talk to people about work – it sounds strange but I actually made some really valuable contacts through conversations completely unrelated to the event.

3. Join in –everyone else is in the same boat as you and are just as nervous. Just may sure you keep up and you’ll be fine.

What did you learn?

Don’t try to be clever, just be honest about why you’re there and be yourself. You’ll be surprised at how much more valuable the event will be!

The event this year is due to take place next week! Applications for for our City law for ethnic minorities in June are now open!

Attending a TARGETjobs Event? Chances are there will be a networking opportunity! We spoke to Project Manager Becca who gave us her top tips!

Name: Becca Ritchie-Timms

Job title: Project Manager,TARGETjobs Events team

I work with the TARGETjobs Events team to deliver a wide variety of events which always include networking sessions. So here are my five top tips to working the room:

1.      Read the room

People stand in circles. A wider circle is open to anyone to join. A closed circle usually denotes a private conversation. Closed circles are not common at our events so if you are not sure, hover outside a circle: if they are open they will widen to invite you in.

2.      Join a group

Conversations rarely cease at networking sessions so don’t be afraid of offending by joining mid-flow. Introduce yourself when there is a pause in conversation. How you do this is up to you; there are various styles. I would suggest for the purpose of TARGETjobs Events, that you stick to your name.

3.      Engage

Ask questions: if you are interested in other people, they will be interested in you. Let the conversation flow naturally and be yourself.

4.      Know when to leave a group

Leaving without feeling rude can be the most difficult part of networking. To get the most out of a networking session, make sure that you move around the room. Decide whether there is more to be gained by remaining in your current group. If not, wait until the current person speaking has finished. Thank the group and tell them that it has been a pleasure to meet them. You can either move straight on to another group or, if you feel uneasy, make an excuse eg to get a drink. Then wait a moment before moving onto another group.

Warning, if someone leaves your group to ‘get a drink’ it is possible that they want to move on to another group. Try not to follow someone around the room to achieve your own goals. You could be in danger of being a pest and no one wants that. Think of the responses they have given you in your conversation and if you believe there is a contact to be made, try approaching them again later on in the session.

5.      Exchanging contact details

Striking up a good conversation can bring you great value but only if you follow up with your new contacts later. You will know when you have struck gold with a contact. Ask them if you can exchange contact details. You can do this toward the end of your conversation, or if you are confident that you will have time and opportunity, go back to them at the end of the networking session. Choose a method that works best for you: this could be finding them on a site like LinkedIn or exchanging business cards. Make sure that you follow up with a simple ‘hello’ stating where you’ve met a couple of days afterwards.  

targetjobsevents.co.uk

City Law for ethnic minorities has been taking place for over 10 years, and is TARGETjobs Events flagship event! Read what Louisa thought of the event in June!

Louisa is studying Law at UCL, she came to the TARGETjobs Events City Law for ethnic minorities event back in the summer. Read about her experience here!

I first applied to the event as being a first year student at that time, I wanted to gain more of an insight into the legal industry in London and I felt that City Law for ethnic minorities by TargetJobs Events was the perfect opportunity. Being specially catered to ethnic minorities, I knew that the content of the event would be organised in a way that would most benefit me. I was particularly attracted by the number of, and the names of, law firms participating in the event. Coupled with the fact that the event was well structured and publicised, it came to be too inviting not to attend. Finally, I felt that it was a great way of getting to know other students from throughout the UK – friendships and networking!

To increase my chances of being invited for the event, I did thorough research and read about the experiences of past participants of the event. I did this to get a better understanding of what the event offered, and what I could do to best portray my enthusiasm of wanting to participant in this year’s City Law for Ethnic Minorities through my cover letter. Also, I ensured that my CV was up to date, to give me the best chance of being successful.

My telephone interview was incredibly friendly and made me feel at ease throughout the entire duration of the interview. The lady was clear and asked me about why I wanted to attend the event and a few things regarding my CV. The phone call did not last very long, and was well informed about when I would be hearing from them.

A few key things that I would advise would be to make sure that you are in a quiet place – preferably in your own room, that you have your CV and cover letter which you submitted next to you for reference and definitely, be ready and wait for the phone call to come in.

Finally, the event gave me the perfect exposure to city law firms around London, and I picked up a few skills and tips through the workshops that the law firms organised. I made a lot of new friends and was definitely glad that I had the chance to attend it!

 

Applications are now open for the 2014 event! 

Apply here!

Ei has been to 3 of our TARGETjobs events and loved them all, read her thoughts, hints and tips!

About me

Name:  Ei Nge Htut         

University: Newnham College, Cambridge

Course: Law

Events attended:
1. TARGETjobs Law – December 2011
2. City law for ethnic minorities – June 2012
3. Women in Investment Management – November 2012

Why did you apply?
I applied for the first law event because I wanted to find out more about a career in commercial law. After attending my university law fair as a fresher, I came away more confused than well informed! Therefore, I thought that a structured, one day event would be a great way to get the specific information I needed. The opportunity to network with representatives from major law and investment management firms seemed too good to pass up. As I had such a positive experience on my first event, I continued to apply for various TARGETjobs events. For these later ones, a real drawing point was the case study or commercial awareness exercises. Although they seemed intimidating at first, I wanted to get used to problem solving on the spot, with a commercial mindset. I thought these group exercises would also be a good trial run for future assessment days.

What were your goals for the day?
My main goal was to ask as many questions as possible. It was really useful to research the firms that I would be meeting. I prepared general questions on the working culture, quality of training and type of work on offer. This enabled me to compare firms quite easily during the application process. For my favourite firms, I did more in depth research, reading up on recent deals or mergers so I could ask interesting questions that reflected my commitment. For these sessions, formal business attire is a must. It is also helpful to have your own notebook on hand so you can take detailed notes throughout the day on each firm. I had a large notebook reserved for these types of events and open days - it was my personal bible during the application process.

It can be nerve racking to network or present on the spot but try to participate as fully as possible. Being well informed of current affairs is important and particularly useful in the presentation exercises.  Group situations can be challenging and almost impossible to prepare for – just be yourself, be assertive and get your opinions across clearly, without overshadowing other members of the group.

                                               Tips for on the day?

1. Make full use of the networking sessions.Talk to trainees about working life and their experience of the application process – these anecdotes are invaluable!

2. Follow up on contacts made. Contact representatives one or two days after the event, thanking them and asking any follow up questions.

3. Get to know other students on the event. These events are more enjoyable when you have a rapport with fellow students – be friendly!

4. Put yourself forward. Be the spokesperson for your group – don’t be shy!

5. Don’t forget about graduate recruitment. Ask all those burning questions about the application process.

What did you learn?
Commercial awareness is a skill that must be developed over time. It is about analysing the information you have from your client’s perspective to achieve the best possible solution.

Are you looking to develop a career in Investment Management? Then look no further than our Women in Investment Management event being held on 21st October 2013! Few spaces remaining - APPLY NOW!