Why taking a working gap year can be your ticket to success (plus my tips on getting started)

I have watched countless friends leave the country for a clichéd self-discovery mission to Australia, Thailand or South America. I must admit, I have not watched them leave without feeling mild envy. However I knew I could never justify a year out without legal work experience to any employer at the criminal Bar.

Having got a decent degree and being perfectly aware that 'decent' is not the required 'excellent', I embarked on a mission to demote my grades to the second page of my CV. Instead, I decided I would fill the first page with impressive and varied work experience. (All this, of course, came after an entire summer travelling across the United States. You have to do something fun while you can!)

So, as university drew to a close I ignored the deadlines for impending law school applications and focused on the first step of the career ladder.

It was definitely not easy. Most law firms won't take on paralegals that aren't qualified (ie, post LPC/BPTC), so I was already under qualified for many of the jobs I applied for. Lesson one: learnt! Research before a big life decision should be much more thorough.

I considered broadening my horizons and taking on non-legal jobs. (Never a bad thing; a range of experience is fab for interview conversation and justification for your chosen career). Just one sales interview in, I had to concede that it just wasn’t for me.

Recruitment agencies

As the summer began to draw to a close, I found myself meeting with an agent from a recruitment agency. By this point, I had exhausted most of the jobsites and was willing to try anything. I was most definitely skeptical. I had heard more horror stories about recruitment agents than I had heard fairytales. Now, I think differently.

If you are looking for training contracts in the future, recruitment agencies may be the way forward. Huge firms do not always advertise on jobsites. Have you ever seen a job for Clifford Chance on Totaljobs? Don't play yourself down and find top legal agents that boast clients like Linklaters or Freshfields. These firms often advertise only with agencies for jobs like temp work and six-week litigation projects. If you're flexible, you could find yourself working for a magic circle law firm before you've even qualified!

It's still who you know…

My next tip would be to utilise who you know. It’s so old fashioned and it is a bit of a shame that things are still this way, but do go back to your old work experience or your parent’s friend who knows someone, somewhere, and ask them. It can be totally worth it. Be open minded; it’s not going to be your dream job, but it might help get you there.

I heard on the village (yes, village) grapevine, of a paralegal job in the big city. I got in contact and was in their office being paid within the week. It was never going to be what I wanted to do, but it gave me invaluable experience and a title of 'paralegal' that would make me a safe bet for future employees. Previous experience will get you everywhere.

Where my working gap year has got me so far

Within a month, my recruitment agent came up with a job that was perfect for me. I was able to add previous paralegal experience to my CV and, amazingly, I got the job!

Now I network every single day, working with some of the leading barristers in the United Kingdom. I am in a fantastic position when it comes to my pupillage application and the best thing is that I get paid for the experience.

So, stop rushing to get to law school. Remember, law graduates have a long path to travel to start work. Don’t panic if you don’t think your grades will carry you through. We committed to this road and we will do it properly.

It’s the same for any graduate in the end. If your grades don't demonstrate the peak of your abilities, take a year out and show everyone how you can cope in the real world. Suddenly your academic career starts to take a back seat.

Emily Latham is a law graduate currently working as a paralegal in a London Chambers and independently with Burton Copeland solicitors, based in Manchester and London (http://www.burtoncopeland.com). She embarks on the BPTC part time in September 2014.