What Next? A Guide to After Exams

What next? a guide to after exams

Now that exams are done you may be wondering, what’snext? Many of you will be looking for some time away to relax and unwind after a long year of university. However,many of you will be wondering what you can do over the summer to enhance your CV. There are many different options open available for a person looking to boost their CV over the coming summer months and beyond.

Rest

The first and most important thing to do after you’ve finished your exams in this hectic exam period is to find some time to relax. It’s important that before you go out looking to get experience that you get rest and recharge your batteries. Exams and assessment times are difficult for everybody and take a lot of energy physically and mentally. Rest will give you the best possible chance of getting the most from any experience that you are able to gain during the summer.

Work experience

For most people work experience takes up a lot of time during there summer holidays. When looking for a career within the law and surrounding areas, work experience Is a crucial element to have. Work experience can take many differentforms from; from shadowing barristers and solicitors to vocational schemes and scholarships. There are lots of opportunities out there to be snapped up. However, you have to be proactive in procuring these opportunities it’s unlikely that they will just fall into your lap. Taking positive steps in actively looking to find work experience clearly shows that you have a genuine interest in a job with the area. This will impress future employers when it comes to looking for jobs and training contracts etc.

Volunteering

If you’re finding it difficult to get work experience or are just looking for a different avenue of experience, then there are great opportunities around to volunteer. Volunteering your own time to help others will look great on your CV and will show that you are willing to be unselfish and are looking to help others. Both of which are great qualities to be able to example when in a future job interview. Volunteering is a great way of learning and expanding vital skills that will be crucial to any future career.

Travelling

There’s a common misconception that universities, as well as future employers, are just looking for students with good grades and this is simply just not true. A great degree will help put you ahead of a lot of people. However potential employers also look for a student who is well rounded and has been able to push themselves in certain situations. Travelling over the summer is a great way to prove that you can work in differing circumstances and pressures. Travelling not only broadens your horizons but it will teach you about the opinions and lifestyles of others, which for a law degree can be a crucial skill to obtain when it comes to critical analysis. However, these skills can be transferred to any career even one not concerned with the law.

Join a sports team

For some joining a sports team may seem a strange move. However, joining a sports team shows clearly skills that future employers will be looking for you to give examples of in interviews. Joining a sports team shows that you are committed to a cause, as well as this it shows clearly that you work well in a team to gain a mutual goal. These are all skills that you will be required to prove and test when looking to take steps towards your future career.

Have fun!!

Finally, no matter what you choose to do with your summer may it be travelling, working, or just taking the summer to recover from exams, you have to make sure that you enjoy what you’re doing. The more you are enjoying what you are doing the more likely you are to enjoy and learn from all ofyour experience.

If you have any more ideas for summer opportunities that you feel people should know about, please feel free to comment below. Us here at the Almost lawyers hope you all have a lovely summer no matter what you do and hope to have more blogs out across summer.

WH