From a shifting geopolitical landscape to the exponential growth in FinTech, this is a time of unprecedented change. And these largescale global, social and economic changes are being felt directly by you as students every day. These changes will likely affect your outlook, your interests and your career decisions. So, how can we help you get ready for a career when the world and the workplace feel like an everchanging target? It is all about being prepared no matter what the future holds.
For example, artificial intelligence is on the rise across many industries and sectors. But, what does this mean for you and for the graduate role you have your sights set on? Employers are increasingly looking for people who are tech savvy and up-to-date with the latest developments. We ensure our employees have the training and development they need to thrive as technology advances – it’s why we’ve developed our own AI tool and why some of our trainees are learning to code. As a law firm, we are looking for candidates who understand how AI is helping to speed up the due diligence process and how blockchain and smart contracts work. We also want candidates who are aware of what we are doing in that space. If tech is a strength or interest of yours, keep pushing yourself to understand more so that you can show employers what assets you bring to the table. You’ll also be prepared for any future changes that arise and will be in a better place to understand how they affect our industry and our clients.
As the tech world develops, employers are also starting to realise the benefits of having a more mobile workforce. We are looking for people who can multi-task, are strong communicators and who can take initiative. Start thinking about how you can best demonstrate your prioritisation skills or examples of when you’ve worked well in a team. When have you had a leadership role and what exactly did this involve? Thinking of these examples in advance will ensure you can easily identify them and fill any gaps that you find. It also means that you can build upon these skills as you progress in your education or professional life and will always have recent examples to give at interview.
The changing world is also having an impact on our clients. Businesses are now facing a more uncertain future and we need to support our clients through these periods of change. To do this, we must be flexible and creative in finding solutions to their problems. That means we want to hire people who are problem solvers and who aren’t afraid to share their ideas. It’s why our global Innovation Team lead our Think > Do > Shout strategy and encourage ideas from everyone at the firm. When was the last time you tried something new or set yourself a new challenge? This not only shows motivation but also ensures you have a wide variety of experience to draw from when thinking through future problems. At our assessment days, we aren’t looking for you to have all the answers, but we do want to see logic as well as creativity in your thought process.
Finally, we know many of you are experiencing change even closer to home as the route in which you can qualify to become a solicitor is evolving. For the vast majority of you, you’ll still be able to qualify through the normal route and we would encourage you to do so. However, if you are a first-year non-law undergrad you’ll likely be the first cohort to go through the new system. Rest assured, we and other employers are thinking hard about creating an alternative which is as pain free and well supported as possible. And we will be sure to keep you in the loop when we know more.
Great change is here, and at Linklaters, we will make sure you are ready.