Having a mentor has seriously helped me more than I could ever imagine.
I am a third year Law LLB student and I have two mentors. I have a mentor through a programme at Kent Law School who I was paired with in September, and I have recently been paired with another mentor in January, through the Buddy Programme with the Kent Law Society.
Just having someone there who has worked in the industry for a while and knows what junior lawyers and students are going through is a massive benefit. Having someone that you can have informal chats with about your options and the next process is invaluable. It’s something that universities and careers advisors cannot teach you. You can gain that experience first hand by asking someone who has already been through it, on a one-to-one basis! They get to know you on a personal level and can make suggestions of different routes for you to try and programmes you can look into.
Since having a mentor I have learnt:
- interview tips for training contracts (TCs)
- how to improve my CV
- different places I could apply for a TC (it’s not just law firms you know!)
- how to record my work in a portfolio when I become a paralegal
- how the SQE exams will work
And so much more…
I have also got the opportunity to practise interviews with my mentors and obtain their feedback on how I can improve.
If you have the opportunity to have a mentor at any stage in your legal career, I would seriously encourage it. It has not only helped me with working out my career plan, but it has also seriously improved my confidence in a number of aspects, like networking, applying for TCs and approaching firms.
Tara is a Member of Kent Law Society’s General Purposes Committee and works as a Legal Secretary and Assistant in the Commercial Property Department at Girlings Solicitors. After graduating this summer, Tara hopes to take up a place to study the LPC LLM. She shares more insights into her studies and legal career story as @kentlawyer on Instagram.
Kent Law School’s Professional Mentoring Scheme aims to help students with career choices, understanding the legal working world and navigating the application process for both work and study. Mentoring relationships with Law School alumni (now working as legal professionals) run for a year. Students taking part in the scheme enjoy the benefit of being introduced to a wider network of professionals.