Hello folks! My name is Fern and I’m an international student from Hong Kong. I’m currently in my second year of a law degree at the University of York. I’m so excited to share my career journey so far, hopefully you can learn something from it!
Studying in the UK as an international student
Job hunting is never easy, especially for international students. In my first year, I encountered many obstacles, including cultural barriers, language barriers, and not always knowing what employers expect from law students. From my own experience, my suggestion would be to really make good use of the surrounding resources. You’ll save yourself a lot of effort!
Why is it so important to join the Law Society?
Joining the York Law Society (YLS) should definitely be at the top of your list. It offers tons of great opportunities and resources for students. For example, they organise exclusive opportunities such as law firm open days, mentoring schemes for first-year law students and brand ambassador opportunities.
In my first year, I had the opportunity to join the “YLS Goes Met” and the “YLS Goes North” trip. This was such an amazing experience. With these two trips, I had the opportunity to meet the solicitors in the Herbert Smith Freehills and Watson Farley and Williams law firms in London and Leeds. I was also able to experience what the daily routine of a solicitor working in a firm is like in person. Those experiences helped challenge my assumptions and figure out what I truly want (and don’t want) to do in the future. I found I didn’t fit into the commercial vibe, and that’s the reason I’ve chosen healthcare law and criminal law as my second-year modules.
Additionally, the Law Society is an excellent platform for you to build up your social network as well! They organise Career Dinners for members to attend and have fun. They’re also a good chance to meet people who share similar goals as you. As a member, I would say my networking and communication skills have been strengthened a lot by the networking events run by the society. Therefore, the York Law Society is definitely worth joining for every law student who strives for opportunities and growth.
Career support at York Law School
Never underestimate the importance of the Careers and Development Programme! This programme provides very useful resources for students, including work experience opportunities, ‘Link Days’, workshops and one-to-one guidance appointments.
Last year, I joined their CV workshop. They invited Ramsdens Solicitors to give useful advice on producing effective resumes to impress law firms. These workshops really help you build the skills law firms look for when applying for training contracts or other roles. One of the most valuable resources for me was the one-to-one guidance sessions. I explained my situation to the employability tutor and he helped me figure out my own strengths and weaknesses. This guided me in deciding what action I should take at the very beginning of my career journey.
There’s also the Virtual Learning Environment and You and Your Career website, which offers plenty of useful resources for students and résumé and cover letter templates designed especially for law students. These are so useful to help you stand out as an applicant. I successfully secured my first-year insight scheme at the TLT law firm by using the résumé and cover letter templates on the site!
Lastly, you guys should also take advantage of the alumni support system. It allows students to make connections with York Law School alumni working in various law firms through LinkedIn or email. For those who are looking for placement opportunities, building internal connections within the law firm is extremely important!
Developing skills outside your degree!
Many first-year students think it’s too hard to find work experience. Legal roles might be competitive, but plenty of valuable opportunities exist beyond law. For instance, students can also find volunteering or part-time work opportunities on platforms like Handshake. This year, I joined York Neighbours as a wellbeing phone call volunteer. I actually had lots of fun with this experience while learning the essential skills needed to work with vulnerable people. Don’t assume that only legal experience leads to success. Diverse work experiences also build transferable skills and help you stand out to employers.
It’s completely normal to feel confused as a first-year student, but if you make good use of the support that surrounds you, you’ll soon find your footing!
Leave a Reply