Your career questions answered

Q: I’m working as a paralegal in personal injury and am mid-way through my CILEX Level 6 qualification. I have been given notice that I’m going to be made redundant and am starting to look for a new role that will allow me to continue my studies. How do I persuade a new employer to support me?

Briony: These days, the vast majority of law firms will offer support for those studying with CILEX. After all, it is in their own interests to grow their own talent and support their employees’ professional development. It shouldn’t necessarily be something that you have to ‘persuade’ them to do as the benefits for all those concerned are obvious.

If a potential employer refuses to support your CILEX qualification, then it is worth finding out the reasons why. If it is because they are not especially supportive of the CILEX route into the law more generally, then you would need to consider whether it is a firm you want to join.

If there is a more reasonable explanation, then you will need to weigh up the lack of support against other factors. It might be that if they can offer you a higher salary and/or annual leave entitlement than your previous role that would give you the time and money to support yourself through your remaining studies. Alternatively, one of the benefits of CILEX is that you can pause the qualification and pick it back up later on, although I would advise against that unless your options are very limited.

Louise: I’m sorry that you have found yourself in that position. Remember that you can access LawCare’s confidential service if you need emotional support and CILEX’s myCareer offers help with dealing with redundancy, your job search and interviewing advice.

When applying for roles, I would advise being up-front at interview, making it clear exactly where you are with your studies, how far you have come and how little you have left to do compared to the time you have already invested. You will be able to demonstrate the knowledge you have already gained and your willingness to complete your studies. Highlight your future fee-earning potential and the fact that, having worked throughout your studies, you will be able to hit the ground running.

This way, the return they will get on an investment into your studies, be that paid time-off or financial support, will be self-evident.

You may also want to consider obtaining a written reference from your current manager to support you in your applications. This would demonstrate how well you have managed your work and study to date and include details of the type of support that the firm has provided you with, making expectations for your next role clear.

Q: I’ve just started a new job working as an employment lawyer in a law firm. It’s a bigger team than I am used to and, although some of the work is very familiar, other areas are new to me and I am feeling out of my depth. I’m not getting much guidance from the partner I am working for, whom I rarely see, and I am worried she expects more from me. How do I tackle this?

Louise: Huge congratulations on your new role. The first few months of a new job can be a bit of a roller coaster but the first thing to do is to remember the skills and strengths your new employer saw in you when they offered you the role. Take time to build relationships with your colleagues and get a good understanding of the job. Ask lots of questions.

Be proactive and email the partner to say you would like to set aside some time together to talk about what is expected of you. You can put together a list based on the job description, any discussions you had in the interview, and from talking to colleagues within your team at similar levels. Ask to discuss any additions and make it clear you want to understand your priorities and potential areas for development.

Find out who on the team covers the work that you are currently unsure of and get some time in the diary to chat to them about it; perhaps you can develop a buddy system where you can ask them questions or shadow their work for a brief time.

Remember, your knowledge, experience and fresh perspective will be useful to them too – you might be able to offer support, mentorship or guidance in areas where it is you that has more experience.

Briony: Starting a new role will always be daunting and its normal for there to be new things to learn and challenges to overcome during the teething period. It’s important to not suffer in silence when you feel out of your depth, so book in a one-to-one meeting with your manager and be totally honest with them, outlining what you’re struggling with. It will be a good opportunity for you to find out exactly what is expected of you and how to accomplish this. It will also give the partner a chance to identify training needs for you so further training can be organised.

I’m sure plenty of your colleagues felt the same when they first joined, so it might be a good idea to discuss this with them, tell them how you’re feeling and ask for help when needed. You secured the role, so they obviously see potential in you and think you’re capable – just don’t be afraid to ask for help.