This document provides advice on enhancing a legal career, including setting career goals, managing your career path, finding job opportunities, and preparing for interviews. It discusses developing a career plan, building skills and experience over time, and being flexible to new opportunities. The document also provides guidance on writing a CV, including appropriate formatting and content, as well as preparing for interviews by researching the employer and having answers prepared for common questions.

1. Enhancing your
Legal Career
Jason Elias, Director, Elias Recruitment
College of Law, Perth 13/6/13

2. Summary of Topics
1. Setting career goals
2. Managing your career
3. Sourcing opportunities
4. Applying for positions
5. Preparing your Curriculum Vitae
6. Interview preparation and skills
7. Question and Answer Session

3. Career Goals
Where do you want to be in…
12 months
2 years
5 years
10 years?

4. Managing your career
• Develop a career plan
• Setting milestones
• Role of mentors/ coach
• Building a profile
• Developing technical skills
• Enhancing soft skills
• Continuing Education
Map out your plan but be prepared to adapt to
circumstances and seize opportunities

5. Legal Options
What to do with your Law degree:
• Lawyer in a firm/ ILP
• Sole practitioner
• Barrister
• In-house Counsel
• Community Legal Sector
• Government

6. Lawyer’s Weekly Poll May 2013
1000 Lawyers surveyed- the main reason I am
a lawyer is because…
31% I love what I do and who I work with
30% I want to leave and am waiting for the right
time to move
23% it’s all I know
16% the pay is good.

7. Beyond Legal Practice
• Policy / Politics
• Business
• Legal Publishing
• Journalism
• Legal events
• Recruitment
• Costs assessment

8. Career management
• Balance between “job hopping” and getting
stale
• Always have justifiable reasons for leaving
• The Magic Two Years
• Quitting before securing next role
• Leaving on good terms/ burning bridges

9. Sourcing Opportunties
• Active or passive sourcing
• Reviewing job boards and
websites
• Building and promoting
your personal brand
• Social Media esp LinkedIn
• Developing relationships with stakeholders
• Understanding the "hidden job market" eg
secondments

10. Applying for positions
• Appreciating the current market
• Tailoring your application
• Addressing the selection criteria
• Responding to calls for action
• Your Unique Selling Proposition
• How have you MADE money, SAVED money
or IMPROVED systems.

11. Preparing your CV- Formatting
Biographical vs Skills based CV
Use formal language and the first person.
Check your spelling and then re-check your
spelling (don’t rely on US spellcheckers)

12. Gilding the Lily
Promote yourself but be subtle and resist
temptation to “embellish”
12% lied about qualifications,15% job
performance,19% job descriptions,17%
skills, 27% exaggerate current salary.

13. Preparing your CV
Contact Details
Robin Banks
rbanks@gmail.com
0412 345 678
12 Chandos St
Dianella WA

14. Contact Details
• Photos are inappropriate
• Email addresses should be professional
Avoid crazyrob@hotmail or hunkyguy23
• Do not include your DOB
• Do not include marital status or hints about
your sexual preference
• Do not mention having kids or pregnancy
• Do not include your religious or political
affiliations

15. CV- Education and Qualifications
2010 Bachelor or Laws (UWA)
(Distinction Average)
2011 Grad Dip Leg Pract
(College of Law)
June 2011 Admitted to Supreme Ct of WA
2012 Admitted to High Court of Australia

16. CV- Employment History
May 2010 –Current Johnson Legal, Perth
May 2010-June 2011 (3 dpw), Paralegal
June 2011- Current, Solicitor
Duties included:
• Legal research on major Trade practices matter
• Working closely with plaintiff clients
• Briefing counsel and attending hearings
Achievements
• Won staff award for client satisfaction

17. CV – Skills and Memberships
Skills
Fluent in Mandarin
Typing speed 80 wpm
Memberships
Law Soc of WA
Construction Lawyers Association
College of Law Alumni Association

18. CV – Hobbies and References
Hobbies and Interests
Swimming, hockey and Crime fiction
Referees
Available upon request

19. CV Pitfalls
• No potentially discriminatory
material eg DOB, marital
status, children, religion.
• Include dates eg admission
date (which
jurisdictions), months in
dates of employment
• Explain gaps in your
employment eg parental
leave, travel to Europe, LLM

20. Interview Preparation and skills
• Be prepared
• Know who you will be meeting with
(research their background)
• Use insiders/contacts where appropriate
• Work out where it is and plan your trip
• Be early (10-15 mins)
• Eat properly and brush your teeth
• Dress and groom appropriately

21. Interview tips
• Understand body language NB non-verbal
impression is critical
• Firm handshake
• Lots of eye-contact
• Know your CV intimately
• Prepare answers to common questions eg
TMAY or explaining gaps in CV

22. Questions and Answers