How employable are you?
Taking the time to really think about what you bring to employment
can help when you are trying to put together an employment application.
Throughout your degree you will have learnt about the specifics of law,
such as torts, legal institutions and methods, criminal law and
evidence, as well as how this knowledge relates to the wider world, for
example property law, administrative law and equity law. This is your
beginning skill set as a law graduate, which will be added to and
developed throughout your career.
As an individual you will also have qualities and non-law specific
knowledge and skills that may make you more employable than another
candidate. Where do you want to go? gives
further information on how to identify these aspects of your
professional identity, which could include time management skills,
negotiation skills, knowledge of environmental issues, or experience in
the media.
As a University of South Australia graduate you will also be able to
claim the following qualities:
- You operate effectively with and upon a body of knowledge of sufficient depth to begin professional practice.
- You are prepared for life-long learning in pursuit of personal development and excellence in professional practice.
- You are an effective problem solver, capable of applying logical, critical, and creative thinking to a range of problems.
- You can work both autonomously and collaboratively as a professional.
- You are committed to ethical action and social responsibility as a professional and citizen.
- You communicate effectively in professional practice and as a member of the community.
- You demonstrate international perspectives as a professional and as a citizen.
When you think about it you have quite a lot to offer a prospective employer. Even if you are some way from graduating, thinking about examples to show your qualities, skills and overall employability is very useful. It can assist in guiding you to areas you need to learn or improve and to finding opportunities to develop certain qualities before you graduate. It also makes addressing those selection criteria a little less daunting.