Is it ok to stay on with firm I have trained with?

Yes, if you have enjoyed your traineeship, had good training and they are able to offer you a role in the area of law you wish to do then its definitely a consideration. We are happy to advise on this, you don’t need to be actively looking for a new role to speak with us, we are always happy to help and advise at this crucial stage in your career.

When Should I start looking for a NQ position?

Most trainees in Scotland qualify from the summertime onwards in a given year. Our advice is to get in touch with us around November of the year before you qualify. This will give you lots of time to start preparing your CV and thinking about your next step.

I have never used a recruiter before, how does it work?

At Sharri Plimbley Associates, we aim to make the job hunting process as stress-free a journey as possible for all of our candidates.

As recruiters, our services are free of charge to our candidates – including our NQ Pack and our CV/Interview prep. After consultation with ourselves we match your experience and aspirations with the vacancies we feel are appropriate and apply on your behalf. If offered, we negotiate your deal and make sure you are offered the best possible package. When using recruitment agencies, its fine to be speaking with more than one as different recruiters will have relationships with different firms, however do make sure to keep a note of where you are applying and avoid duplication.

Can I move into a new discipline even if most of my traineeship/experience is different?

Absolutely! Our team will work to find you a client who is willing to retrain, or we can discuss different routes to achieve your dream career! It can be a longer path for you, but it’s never impossible if you are willing to put the hard work in. Our initial advice is to tailor your CV to focus on your transferrable skills which would suit any discipline!