Giving life 'The Finger'

After a crazy (!) comment from one of my work colleagues ('wuv' him...) I got to thinking about this. Giving life the finger I mean. On the way home, there was an absolute N-U-T-T-E-R (sorry I'm not more PC) on the bus, making me lust after drivng lessons (or a lottery win) even more. He proceeded to throw batteries at a bemused couple sitting in front of him and then rolled around on the floor of the upper deck of the bus whilst speaking in tongues and laughing manically...A fellow and rather handsome passenger commented on the fact that the noises the man was making sounded like he was in a "Busta Rhymes" video...LOL

I seem to attract strangeness.

*COUGHLEOCOUGH*

Also, as I sit here in the dark typing this, I've noticed that my right ankle is quite swollen and puffy. But you know, I'm going to stick two fingers up to life and crazy things at the moment...

Giving it 'the finger'...so to speak.

I'm also quite excited about my other blog at the moment which is giving me an excuse to drink teas and other lovely drinks.

Let's see what tomorrow will throw at me

CBC

xx

What makes an 'undesirable' trainee candidate?

As my days are now almost entirely consumed by applications, trawling the web for vacancies and blogging, I am beginning to wonder whether in a firm's eyes there is such thing as an undesirable candidate for a training position and what that person would be like. It seems there are several categories/ qualities which firms are reluctant to budge on. I must just clarify that I am not generalising about firms but merely passing comment on what I have observed about the application process. Here are just a few observations:

Degree Classification and University
90% of Firms which I have come across either via the web or their hard-copy literature request an upper second class degree or above, regardless of discipline. There are a small percentange of firms which state that they 'require' a lower class degree or above and an equally low number of those which do not specify a degree class on their recruitment brochures etc. So on this evidence it seems that the likelihood of a student getting offered a training contract with anything less that a 2:1 is going to be based on a lot more than their degree result.

Legal Practice Course
I have also recently noticed that a large number of firms are now specifying 'Distinction' and 'Commendation' as well as the 2:1 or above. Fair enough.

Language Ability
A lot more firms are wanting fluency in a second language and I have even come across one or two which wanted fluency in several languages! In particular the international and multi-jurisdictional firms will place more importance on the fluency of candidates in different languages and this is not at all unreasonable given the nature of the firm. However, some smaller (medium) sized firms would love a candidate to be fluent in a second language also.

Legal Experience
This is interesting as the firms do not ALWAYS mention this but it is assumed that they'd all want some level of experience. The experience could range from vac schemes and pro bono work to part time employment and paralegalling. The experience requirement is not exclusive to law of course but it seems that it is vital to securing a training contract. The good thing I have noticed about some firms is that they clearly state that should there be a reason why the candidate did not achieve a high level of academia, if they have 'good' experience elsewhere, this may have a positive impact on their application.

SuperPowers
The often hidden category, the majority of firms expect a level of superpowers ranging from time travel, flight and invisibility to telepathy. No sarcasm whatsoever. In all seriousness it seems they would like prospective trainees to have something...special about them. Having interests outside of work are handy.

SO, back to the original question, an undesirable doesn't really exist...do they?

I don't expect firms to compromise on quality of candidates of course; that would be to their and their future clients' as well as the profession's detriment. I can't argue with that.

CBC

xx

Same excrement, different week...

Hello dear readers. After what seemed a crazy weekend at the bookshop, I am left feeling worn but looking forward to the week to come with all that it brings.

CBC

xx

P.s. You may notice some changes to the blog layout in the week to come; I'm giving CBC a little bit of a makeover...

The Inner Sanctum

So I realise that I haven't NOT posted a whiney, "Give me a training contract" post for a while...even subliminally (and yes for grammar nazis out there I realise I've used a double negative) But today dear readers, will be different. I am off on a fashion tangent today. I have been following Style Bubble's Blog for a couple of days now and already I am hooked. I've looked through all of her style diary outfits and her Style Bubble Daily wear blog and I can't wait to get shopping! Her style is as she describes, 'eclectic' and a little eccentric as described by others who follow her. I love the mish mash of colours, textures, brands, layers and creativity that she throws into each and every outfit that she wears. What an inspiration.

I'm a fashion novice and at the moment don't really consider myself to be fashionable or with the trends but recently I've found myself becoming more and more curious about clothes. I'm not about to go for a career change just yet folks, but it doesn't stop me from experimenting with fashiony things.

And yes, although I am sat here in shorts, trying not to aggravate the slow healing flare-up on my leg, I AM wearing feather earrrings and lipgloss...

I wonder how much individuality in attire is appreciated in the inner sanctum.

CBC

xx

Boiling Cold

This is how I've felt yesterday. After shivering for hours and feeling hot and cold, I feel a little better but still achy. My eczema has flared up on both legs to the point where walking is pulling on and splitting my skin (sorry for the graphic detail) How on earth can I serve the lovely customers at the bookshop when I can barely walk? This will not do www. This will not do.

Well, I have the rest of today and tomorrow to recuperate...

To smilier days

CBC

xx

Edit: As I watch the Wright Stuff on Channel 5, he is asking the question, "Would you miss men if [they] we were gone?"

Hmm...Matthew, I'll get back to you on that one.

Employment Drought

So dear bloggers,

I am away for the weekend on a much needed break away from home which is driving me up the 'crazy' wall at the moment.

In the past week or so, I have taken a short break from the relentless job searching and applying purely to let my hair down a little but now I'm getting back in the saddle out of necessity. I went on an 'interview' last week which was an odd experience I won't detail too much on here. Needless to say, the firm in question was not prepared to pay me until a future date...

I am so close to screaming, it's choking me.

Till Monday

CBC

xx

Ding dong merrily on high....t'is the month of Ju-ly

Happy July www. I've been away for a little while 'living it up' in the sun but now that I have been charged with several counts of GBH on my bank account I am holed up in my hot and humid bedroom without a window, drooling over items in the asos sale.

I'm not one to moan (much) and I love the sunshine, just not when it continuously causes sweat moustaches which one has to wipe away every other minute of two whilst holding one's nose to protect oneself from the lovely London commuters who forget that deodorant exists. (I have to stress that the majority are aware of soap, water and deodorant but the select few who do not are the culprits) That said, I love the summer; cold watermelon juice running down your arms while you sink your face into a slice. Sunglasses and flip flops slap-slapping against your soles. Long summer nights. Butterflies. Cool showers. Makeshift fans with bits of cardboard.

*sigh*

Last Friday, I attended the Wimbledon championships with my friend Politics Girl and what an experience that was. It was one of the most unbelievably amazing days. For starters to get grounds access resulted in this mammoth queue,

for approximately 7 hours or so. What a queue that was. That said though, it was a fun wait with so much going on around us and so many funny characters, like this guy who decided to give his friend a back massage.

Also, we met a greyhound rescued and homed by Wimbledon Greyhound Welfare and I managed to get an amazing close-up of him yawning! (Edit: I removed the photo for technical reasons)

All in all www, it was an amazing day. Here are a few other shots from the day.

Stay safe in the sun!

CBC

xx