Applying for a training contract can be daunting, and it's not always easy to relate the experience you have to the job. In our "Life Lessons" series, our trainees reflect on the non-legal experience they had and how it helped them with their application and interview.
Did you know trainee Cara Ramprakash worked as a floor manager for SNOG Frozen Yoghurt?
"The role helped me develop my customer service skills and I think that this has been transferred into client contact. It taught me how to listen and communicate effectively, and how to communicate my knowledge in a confident manner. As I was manager, I also had to deal with customer complaints. This helped me to understand the importance of client expectation so that this aligns with the service we deliver, to ensure the client has a positive outcome.
Additionally, every shift I had to manage my team as well as work with them to ensure that rules were adhered to and the best service was being provided. This has transferred as being a lawyer, I think, is all about working in a team. I am currently in the Private Client and Family department and we are constantly tapping into the knowledge and skills of other teams such as Real Estate and Dispute Resolution and so it's really important to be able to work with other people.
The legal industry has changed a lot over the last decade - traditionally it has been quite heavily dependent on grades (which of course it still is!), but now clients want an approachable person that can hold a conversation and make that stressful situation easier, so firms are also looking for a person who is 'human' and can relate. Ultimately I believe my role as a floor manager helped me show that I am a rounded person, and allowed me to develop the skills as above and was very customer facing which reflects a lawyer's role as we are always working for a client!"
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