Whether you're just starting to plan your SQE journey, working on obtaining QWE or you're a seasoned professional looking for your next step, we want to support you in making the best moves for your career. That's why we've created the BARBRI CareerHub—designed to get you career ready.
But what exactly is the CareerHub? To help answer some key questions we have interviewed our Head of Employability and Engagement, Rob Dudley.
Why is the CareerHub so important for BARBRI students?
As we have such a geographically diverse pool of students studying their SQE’s across the globe, it is vitally important for our Career Service to be able to connect with each one of our students and to offer a robust Careers & Employability service. Our CareerHub offers this in abundance, offering a wide variety of resources, including an AI based CV checker, cover letter creator, interview simulator, psychometric tests along with a catalogue of careers focused content.
What makes our CareerHub platform unique?
One of the best features of our CareerHub is the accessibility for students. You can access the content and resources 24/7!
How does it support students searching for QWE opportunities?
We offer a dynamic job search engine, which lists a range of vacancies across different sectors and practice areas. Our intuitive job search engine makes applying for work easy!
‘Our Partners’ page is frequently updated and boasts the latest news and updates from our valued partners—providing opportunities for our students to gain experience in a variety of roles including those which qualify for work experience. Students can also take advantage of an ample number of tips, toolkits and advice offered by our partners to help navigate you through rigorous recruitment processes.
Can career hub help students with CV optimisation?
In short, yes! Our CareerHUB features an AI based CV checker to help optimise your CV called CV360. CV360 scores your CV against more than 50 checks that commonly trip up an ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems), annoy a hiring manager or get your CV deprioritised. You get instant, detailed feedback so you can optimise your CV and significantly boost your chances of getting to interview. Once you’ve optimised your CV to score over 90%, we recommend booking an appointment with one of our dedicated Career Consultants that will help you tailor it to specific legal industries and firms to give you the best chance of getting shortlisted for interviews.
What’s your favourite CareerHub feature?
Increasingly, law firms are using critical thinking tests as part of their recruitment process. Critical thinking tests, also referred to as critical reasoning tests, are a type of psychometric test considered especially accurate in the assessment of potential lawyers. These tests are designed to measure the following skill sets:
- The ability to identify problems
- The general understanding of the importance of evidence when making conclusions
- The ability to combine the skills above when making decisions.
Our CareerHUB offers a library of psychometric and aptitude tests including critical thinking. What’s great is that unlike many other practice tests which just provide you with right and wrong answers, ours offers you an explanation alongside it, to better help you understand and prepare for these assessments. It is certainly one of my favourite features!
What’s your top tip for students looking to secure a training contract or QWE?
Building commercial awareness and networking has to be up there. Building strong commercial awareness allows legal practitioners to demonstrate that they are aware of the latest trends and developments, their impact on the legal industry and the possible opportunities that they could create for a law firm.
Networking can also play such an important role in developing a deeper understanding of the legal sector through meaningful conversations with legal professionals. Both can also help you secure qualifying work experience (QWE) and other relevant opportunities to boost your CV.
Another great way to further your own commercial awareness and networking would be to take advantage of the opportunities available through your personal and professional network. Here at BARBRI, we offer workshops and events throughout the year hosted and delivered by us and our partners. You can find more about these events through CareerHUB or our Events & Webinars page.
If you're not a BARBRI student yet, you can sign up to BARBRI HeadStart to get a sneak preview of CareerHub and use some of our career resources! Find out more here.
Read our other Careers & Employability blogs here: