First Impressions
This week I actually set foot in the College of Law for the first time. It does seem strange to me that I can sign up to do a course at an institution that I've never visited but it does sum me up rather well.
I think that's because I have a tendency to find the first acceptible thing and stick with it. So, when during the OU course the possibility of studying with the highly respected College of Law arose (and boy does it arise-because the OU and CofL work so closely together, the OU plug the College whenever they get a chance), I snatched at the opportunity to come back to Surrey and bugger the alternatives.
It does make me ask the question though as to why I didn't marry...
Anyhow, in the run up to the first term the College are keen to throw open the doors and run a few courses for their future students. This week it was the turn of the careers department to hold classes dealing with interviews/interview technique and the various types of tests that firms can use to weed out the chaff from the quality wheat.
I went for two reasons
i) The place I liked-it has a slightly scruffy feel at the present (especially the grounds) as if the majority of staff who do the 'real' work are still on their holidays. This is great-if it had been all shiny and highly polished/finished, I would probably have run away screaming and demanding a refund (and yes, the bank have finally honoured my cheque).
The students...hmm. Depressingly young-all the women are irresistibly cute, all the men are slim, buff and with chiseled features;
The group (22 of us) appeared to be an even mix of LPC and GDL students (students with a first degree outside of law wishing to take a crash course in the 7 main subjects). The usual chat, 'where are you from?', 'what was your degree in?', 'where did you study?'-after that, not a lot.
I desperately didn't want to come across as a middle-aged pervert (but I think that I failed miserably).
As I expected no one was even close in age (in fact some of them felt that they were a bit old because they had taken a gap year-I didn't want to say that I had taken 20 gap years...) So, as I say;
ii) The College supplied a pristine handout pack to us that contained the main topics that the speakers would cover. After each topic there were questions asked openly by them to the group.
One of the main drawbacks in my life is that I am pitifully shy. People who know me would disagree with this but that's the key. With new people I am quiet (prefering others to talk) and blush badly when speaking in public. The strange thing is that in a work situation I can go up to a total stranger (or group) and speak quite easily (and well) but not if I'm not getting paid for it.
Weird, huh?
I have been warned that an enormous amount of the CofL course is workshop based with group participation being the key to success. This sends a very broad shiver down me. Speaking in public I place on a par with going to the dentist (and I loathe the dentist), so being frank this part terrifies me.
If you have similar fears to me, the trick is to force yourself to speak early-this breaks some of the inhibitions and allows you to relax a little.
The problem then occurs about 'getting your bit in'-invariably someone steals your idea and you have to wrack your brains finding a new one. Well, true to my theory I did force myself to speak and as expected I did blush a deep Salmon pink (Is the expression named after the fish or me?-tricky one that) but I did mention a previously unmentioned point so I can claim a small moral victory. Whether I can take this tiny taste of success into the main course we shall have to see.
The presentation itself was good (but not ground breaking) and solid enough to give everyone a combination of hope/fear.
Success at interview could be summarised as;
But all in all-a good day and well worth it.
I am (and always will be) a little impetuous.
I think that's because I have a tendency to find the first acceptible thing and stick with it. So, when during the OU course the possibility of studying with the highly respected College of Law arose (and boy does it arise-because the OU and CofL work so closely together, the OU plug the College whenever they get a chance), I snatched at the opportunity to come back to Surrey and bugger the alternatives.
There were alternatives?
It does make me ask the question though as to why I didn't marry...
Anyhow, in the run up to the first term the College are keen to throw open the doors and run a few courses for their future students. This week it was the turn of the careers department to hold classes dealing with interviews/interview technique and the various types of tests that firms can use to weed out the chaff from the quality wheat.
I went for two reasons
- A chance to get a feel of the place and meet some students
- To look scornfully on the whole procedure since I have been to dozens of interviews in the last 20 years and know it all. This does raise the obvious question that 'if you're so good, how did you end up with such cack, dead-end jobs?'
....but we'll slip quietly past that one, eh...
i) The place I liked-it has a slightly scruffy feel at the present (especially the grounds) as if the majority of staff who do the 'real' work are still on their holidays. This is great-if it had been all shiny and highly polished/finished, I would probably have run away screaming and demanding a refund (and yes, the bank have finally honoured my cheque).
The students...hmm. Depressingly young-all the women are irresistibly cute, all the men are slim, buff and with chiseled features;
This could be a long year.
The group (22 of us) appeared to be an even mix of LPC and GDL students (students with a first degree outside of law wishing to take a crash course in the 7 main subjects). The usual chat, 'where are you from?', 'what was your degree in?', 'where did you study?'-after that, not a lot.
I desperately didn't want to come across as a middle-aged pervert (but I think that I failed miserably).
As I expected no one was even close in age (in fact some of them felt that they were a bit old because they had taken a gap year-I didn't want to say that I had taken 20 gap years...) So, as I say;
this could be a veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery long year...
ii) The College supplied a pristine handout pack to us that contained the main topics that the speakers would cover. After each topic there were questions asked openly by them to the group.
One of the main drawbacks in my life is that I am pitifully shy. People who know me would disagree with this but that's the key. With new people I am quiet (prefering others to talk) and blush badly when speaking in public. The strange thing is that in a work situation I can go up to a total stranger (or group) and speak quite easily (and well) but not if I'm not getting paid for it.
Weird, huh?
I have been warned that an enormous amount of the CofL course is workshop based with group participation being the key to success. This sends a very broad shiver down me. Speaking in public I place on a par with going to the dentist (and I loathe the dentist), so being frank this part terrifies me.
If you have similar fears to me, the trick is to force yourself to speak early-this breaks some of the inhibitions and allows you to relax a little.
The problem then occurs about 'getting your bit in'-invariably someone steals your idea and you have to wrack your brains finding a new one. Well, true to my theory I did force myself to speak and as expected I did blush a deep Salmon pink (Is the expression named after the fish or me?-tricky one that) but I did mention a previously unmentioned point so I can claim a small moral victory. Whether I can take this tiny taste of success into the main course we shall have to see.
The presentation itself was good (but not ground breaking) and solid enough to give everyone a combination of hope/fear.
Success at interview could be summarised as;
- Preparation,
- Relaxation
- Positive body language
But all in all-a good day and well worth it.
posted by Paul Salmon at
8:00 am
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