As a lawyer, you will have strong legal knowledge and technical skills that you have picked up throughout the course of your career. However, there will be wider skills that can set you apart and put you ahead of the game. So – what are these skills? And how can you gain them? These are the solicitor skills that you need to succeed!
Communication skills
Having strong communication skills will improve your daily working life. Being able to communicate effectively can improve your professional relationships and help you to manage your time better, leading you to a more productive and successful career. So how do you improve your communication skills?
- Practice makes perfect: simply, practice your communication more! Whether that means writing things down before you communicate, or considering the most effective way to phrase something. You will get better the more you practice.
- Read more: This is a great option if you enjoy reading as a pastime anyway! Whether it’s fiction or a book specifically for improving communication – reading is a great way to widen your vocabulary and improve your communication skills.
- Seek out training opportunities: If you’re seeking specific improvements to your communication skills, training opportunities will help you to do this. You may discover that your employer has access to training opportunities, or that you will have to find something externally. Luckily, there is so much out there in the way of training – both online and in person!
Business Development Skills
Once your communication skills are improved, you could try flexing them to develop your business development skills! Business development is a fantastic skills to have – particularly if you enjoy sales or connecting with others. You can improve your business development skills in a number of ways…
- Attend networking events: Meeting new people will help you to progress your business development skills. If you’re new to networking, start by listening to how others approach it!
- Engage with others on professional platforms: Networking on social media platforms such as LinkedIn is an additional way to develop your skills. It’s also a little less intimidating than networking in person! You can check out our blog on the benefits of networking.
- Identify new opportunities: You might find that your networking and business development skills will lead you to new opportunities. Being able to find new clients or business partnerships is a fantastic additional skill!
IT Skills
If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that tech is an important part of keeping the working world moving! Unfortunately, problems do arise and sometimes you can’t get the support you need immediately. Try to learn how to fix minor issues yourself (google is your friend!) and keep up to date on the systems that you’re using. There might be helpful videos or webinars that will support you in navigating any potential issues or new systems.
Keeping up to date
As mentioned, a strong legal and technical knowledge is vital as a solicitor. However, staying up to date in the legal market so that you can be a valuable source of information is beneficial. You can do this by reading articles on changes to the legal industry, listening to podcasts and attending industry specific talks or events.
Leadership
Honing your leadership skills is great for gaining confidence and getting a step ahead if you’re interested in managerial positions further down the line. Whether you’re in a small team, or as you progress into a larger one, offer to take on responsibility or lead on a project. You could also try heading up a committee if you’d like to get a taste of leadership in a less pressured capacity!
Finding ways to diversify your skills is always a great way to set yourself apart as an invaluable team member! Don’t be afraid to try something new – who knows where it could lead!?
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