Hi everyone, I am trying to rewrite my CV.

I am in my last 8 months as a trainee solicitor and would like to have a go at applying to a few firms for when I qualify next May.

I just don't really know what I should put down as experience.

I am doing so many things under the Training Contract, and am not sure how much to write about each legal area that I covered. Should I put down all the things I know how to do in every area of law I covered? And I am learning every day, so tomorrow it could be different.

I have tried to look for CVs for Newly Qualified solicitors on the web but haven't found any practical examples.

I hope someone can help, or give some suggestions. I guess it doesn't matter what subject area one does.

Thanks!

base it round a traditional cv - put the very basics on the cv - what area of law and what you did - i.e. drafting, going to court, interviewing clients - all trainees have the same general skills - the rest of your CV should be the same - separate legal and non legal experience

have a separate extract with each seat in detail

about 4 months before you qualify - just after christmas and new year - best time for recruitment - make shed loads of applications - if you haven't secured anywhere after 6 weeks - get in touch with an agency

Good advice from Terrano. Remember to keep it brief, and don't make the mistake of putting too much information down. We get some CVs coming in at work that are 4 or 5 pages long for trainees, and they are very off-putting.

Don't be afraid of ringing one or two firms for feedback about your CV as well. That can be very useful (and it makes you look keen!).

Thank you very much to both of you!

So for example Commercial Law: should I write that I have had training in drafting Distribution Agreements, Confidetiality Agreements, Agency...

or Litigation: Drafting Letter of Claim, Taking Witness Statements, Offer to Settle, Negotiation...

or Conveyancing: Drafting Contract, Investigating Title, Carrying out Searches...

or should I just list the areas adn it will be obvious to the reader?

This is very daunting.

When you are a newly qualified, do you still need to put all your grades in?

Thanks!

just continuing from my last message...

What if I have not actually done 4 separate seats? I have done so many as it is a small firm and we do everything. So basically they have trained me in so many areas that anyone looking at the CV may get a bit confused.

just pur enough in to wet their appetite & then wait for the interview. terrano was spot on & u had the right idea in your last post keep it simple.

try contacting these guys Specialist Legal Recruitment (http://www.specialistlegal.com) - they rewrote my friends' CV, were really helpful and found him a job in Yorkshire within a couple of weeks.

just keep it short and sweet.

You might also want to think about applying to in-house firms at insurance firms etc as alot of high street firms are not recruiting due to :-

http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/breaking/view=newsarticle.law?GAZETTENEWSID=302445

and the effect it will have on legal aid firms who deal with matrimonial, care and other legal aid areas.

One of my good friends has just been sacked after 3 months in his new job due to the carter review (allegedly) and he is abou 10 years pqe.

Doesn't really matter what you put in. Most firms realise that when you come in from the training contract, your knowledge is minimal and therefore, don't try to bamboozle them into thinking that you know lots. Just be honest and show eagerness to learn.

You obviously need to explain why you are not being retained. . .