Getting Stuck in a Rut

Getting stuck in a rut happens to most people. It is comforting, safe, and reliable to be in a cosy little cocoon of loveliness. People generally are adverse to change, and if you have it fairly good why should you do anything to change that?

These are some thoughts that I have had in the last week.

Now that I have a job and it is something I am enjoying and being paid a good sum of money for, I thought toward my future. 

You think you have everything planned out...

I have been certain of my plan to pursue becoming a solicitor and securing a training contract. This has been my plan since I was 16, and I have taken steps from this time to help make this goal a reality. 

But now. Now I have a job, and I don't want to have to go back to student life. As some of you will now you have to complete further education after university to qualify as a solicitor. In my case this is the LPC (Legal Practice Course) which takes one year full-time. 

And then it hit me. 

Student life.... Again. 

It is going to be very hard to go back to counting pennies after becoming fairly comfortable with a reliable income. And whilst the aim to save this year is certainly present, the reality is that the Jo Malone counter in the department store is calling out to me. First world problems, I know.

The more I thought about it the more I thought I could stay in this job for two years, rather than the originally planned one. Just disclaimer, my employers are perfectly aware of my plans and are very supportive.

And this seemed like a great idea. More time to save to put money away for expensive London prices (a season ticket alone coming at a price of over £4000 from where I live in Kent). It would also give me more office experience. 

Snap out of it!

But then I realised that if I did this then it would just be stalling. I would become Chandler from Friends who went into data processing with a dream to be a comic-strip creator (OK I am a Friends geek). It just never happens.

You get too comfortable. You forget to push yourself. You lose sight of what your long term goals are.

So I gave this some thought and came up with a few pointers for any of you who feel like you are getting stuck in a rut. This can happen to anyone in many forms. Maybe you are considering doing a masters degree for no other reason than to stay at university. Maybe you are happy just coasting along at school/college etc with the bare minimum you need. But what could you achieve if you just pushed yourself just that but more? Get out of the comfort zone.

Scary...? Most definitely. But I think completely worth it.

Tips for getting out of a rut

• Snap out of it quickly. If you start thinking that staying in the same place would be the best option (when deep down you know this isn't the case), don't ponder it too long. If you have to think about something this much, chances are you are not convinced by your decision anyway. Stick to your original plan.
• Start looking at things you can do in your future which get you excited. For example, I started looking at LPC courses and started thinking- a new student card for student discounts? Yes please!
• Keep manageable to-do lists which further you toward your end goal. Looking far into the future can be daunting. Break it down into bite size chunks by dealing with obstacles a few at a time. 

I hope these are helpful. This is certainly what got me out of my funk. But I have found a great article on Forbes during my research which I can highly recommend on this topic.http://www.forbes.com/sites/glassheel/2013/04/25/8-ways-to-dig-your-way-out-of-a-rut/

If any of you have any tips on how to get out of a rut, comment below. And as always if you have any ideas on what you would like me to talk about then please give me your thoughts. I need idea feul!

Interview Preparation

Just a quick one today...

And yes, I am aware that I missed out Sunday. I fail at life already. My apologies. I went to a horse-show all day and was exhausted when I got back. Evidently future planning is something I need to work on!

But anyway...

I have a training contract interview tomorrow, and I am very nervous. And I have only had a few days to prepare- with a phone call on Monday and my interview on Thursday. 

So I thought I would take you through what I have done to prepare and hopefully give you all some ideas you may not otherwise have had. I will avoid things like what not to wear etc. I am sure you all have enough common sense not to stroll into ANY interview whether it is for KFC or KPMG in a miniskirt. 

So on with the real stuff.

My Interview Preparation

1. Know the structure of the interview, and if possible who you will be seeing
   Some important things to note include how long the interview will last; how many interviews there are (I have two, one with HR and one with legal staff); what the interview will entail. Last year I had an interview which required me to give a 10 minute presentation.
   
   If you know who you are seeing, it may be of benefit to see if the company website has a profile on them, just so you can see what their role is, what department etc. This isn't crucial to interview success, but certainly worth knowing if possible
2. Make a list of all of the things you would like to get across about yourself in the interview. This may be work experience you have had, or something you took part in at university... The list goes on.
   
   If you write these down, make sure it is ONLY in note format. Do not learn answers word for word, as this can make you sound robotic and TOO prepared. Interviewers want you to be prepared but they also want to see your personality. Plus, being able to think on your feet is a valuable skill.
   
   If the company you are interviewing for is an established graduate employer, such as PwC et al, chances are they will have core competencies. Make sure you look for these and think of a couple of examples for each one.
3. Do your research. Make sure you research the company. Know what they are doing at the moment (i.e. any mergers, important work etc). Simply doing a Google search will tell you this.
   And if you haven't already make sure you have a good grasp on the services the firm offer and the approach they take in their work.
   
   Many firms have "core values", make sure you know these if you can find them, make sure you put effort into knowing how they run their business.
4. Commercial awareness. This is really the age old term, but so important. Really this should be an ongoing thing. However, make sure you know what is going on at the time generally and also in your chosen field and chose a couple of things which interest you. Research these more thoroughly, so if you are asked what story has interested you lately you will be able to provide an in-depth opinion and perhaps start a discussion you can keep up with.
5. Be yourself. Last but not least to use the old cliche. The employer already knows that you are qualified, otherwise they would not have asked you to interview. The purpose of the interview is more often than not a chance for you and the firm to see if you will work well together.
   
   I personally think rapport between you and interviewer is crucial. If it is appropriate, you can use humour. However, DISCLAIMER, if you are uncertain whether something will go down well DO NOT USE IT. Whilst it is nice to slip in a well-timed, tasteful joke, if you are unsure as to the reception it is better to err on the side of caution.

Think that is about it for today. If you have any other tips, comment below or get in touch and I can add a few! I end this with this penguin picture. Because it is cool. And penguins are cool. Maybe because they live in the Antarctic. Meh... I am no scientist. 

Wish me luck guys! See you on the other side.