Making the Most out of Virtual Experience Opportunities

Article written by Friyana Guzder, Middlesex University Dubai, LLB Honours Law with Criminology Student.

Whilst writing this article, I finally realised that the job/work opportunities we students seek are always near us. But we either don’t receive the correct guidance, don’t know how to look for it, or don’t know whom to ask for help. If we can master this stage of research, then we will be able to develop ourselves through these opportunities. However, I ensure students who felt like me a few months back this article will show way to some of your issues. As a student, I understand it is genuinely hard to balance life. It slowly becomes a puzzle, and simultaneously moving are the pieces such as university, responsibility, family, and financial problems etc. However, if an individual broadens the image of what they want in their mind and allows themselves to move out of their comfort zone, these barriers tend to disappear slowly. During this process of change and evolution, the best way to gain experience and get your overall health back on track is to make the most out of virtual experience opportunities. How exactly? Why exactly? This is what this article will focus on.

In the legal world and most professions, the key to enhancing your skills, mastery, and knowledge is a practical experience rather than just expressions written in a text. This experience helps kickstart someone’s career in the correct direction. Whether the occasion is in-person or virtual, volunteering, pro bono or paid, it counts as it brings people to adapt, comprehend, network, and oversee the scenarios provided. Therefore, even the most minor opportunities have value.

Virtual experience prospects have become prevalent and drastically expanded in the last few years. These virtual experiences are online, remote, e-learning ventures, live or on-demand, easily attainable and accessible. The most promising element about these virtual ventures is that you can work remotely with firms all over the orb while still accumulating the wisdom provided during in-person opportunities. These primarily include opportunities like internships, virtual work experience, virtual vacation schemes, and career insight days. The process of making the most of these opportunities begins before the opportunity is accepted and continues even after gaining knowledge.

Focus on planning, organising and creating a routine

Start early. Firstly, create a LinkedIn profile if you don’t have one yet, as it is an ideal way to network and keep up to date with your specialisation. This way, you can observe organisations in sectors of your interest and legal services associations, keeping up to date regarding deadlines, affairs, announcements and much more. In the future, when you complete virtual ventures, they can be portrayed on your profile; always keep it modernised and suitable. When this is accomplished, forthcoming firms can know your vocation while skimming at your exterior profile.

Be proactive. Based on your interests, find remote or virtual internships and work experiences. Companies like Indeed are a fantastic way to start. However, to go beyond what others do is to find prospects through other legal services websites, go via the deadline calendar, see what works for you and apply. If presently at university, ask the Careers and Employment team about job postings and external possibilities. Do remember each virtual event is distinct, and scheduling for most of them differs slightly. However, the fundamental aspects are exploring the firms who will be at the event and apprehending the event’s vision. To go an effort further, set aside a few hours to work at attaining these experiences and retain your calendar journal where you can track the opportunities you want to attend or apply for.

Interact, learn & listen, ask questions

Now moving towards the event itself. Remember that interaction is critical to showcase personality, character, attentiveness, and other noteworthy aptitudes. During live events, either voice up or have worthwhile conversations in the chat box, Q&A session or during the networking sessions. The virtual presenters like an engaging audience to speak to as it showcases admiration and significance given to the wisdom provided. Furthermore, as the event commences, always have a notebook or a record opened on your device to note down the suggestions, guidance and other practical knowledge given as you can use it for future references. Try to also ask if the presentations and video recordings will be provided after the event, as that way, you can only mention the critical matters, and the rest can be viewed through the materials presented later.

Nevertheless, even if taking notes, listen to the presenters’ or firm associates’ stories as each individual had a different trail to where they are today. Another tip for both live or on-demand sessions is while listening in the session avoid distractions such as social media, YouTube, and other work-related pop-ups. This way, you can explore what is communicated in the sessions. If the session is long without any intervals, make your own mini interludes for five to ten minutes by having a refreshing drink, walking around, stretching and much more. This way, your mind gets relaxed from all the details provided. Lastly, ask questions, whether you feel it’s frivolous or very nominal.

Connect & communicate

This is the conclusive step. However, the people you met during the experience would have left an impression on your mind. Connecting and talking to them will benefit and steer you in numerous ways imaginable. Try to communicate with them and ask them to have a brief meeting or call with you. This way, you can get to know them sufficiently, understand their philosophy, ask for direction, or have a widespread conversation. Periodically, students also find mentors to guide them through their careers. Networking after an event allows you stand out and display you are keenly inquisitive in developing yourself as a professional. However, remember to always be yourself, not get stressed and have the will to improve.

Conclusion

From my experience, I shall express two things. Firstly, even if you have no one to guide you, become your own direction by moulding your research mastery, networking skills, speaking to people, and socialising skilfulness; when a person does this, they can get a more comprehensive conception of the world, their ambition, and purposes. Consistently be optimistic about the present and hereafter without worrying about the past. This way, stress diminishes, which helps you gain a transparent sense and work on your pursuits effectively.

In addition, I would like to say to all the students out there that regardless of whether you are just entering law school, receiving your degree or have graduated, one thing remains the same-learning with every step, the more we know throughout our lives, the better we will be able to cope with the changes of today. The more I took this step, the more pleasing my life became, and I learned something new every day. Every minute will be spent learning when we stop making justifications. However, do remember to move out of your comfort zone gradually at your pace and not overburden yourself, as everyone’s expedition is distinct. Just unwind.

The motive for conveying this is that no matter how capable a person is, they fall benumbed and freeze when in distress; therefore, healthiness is significant to work efficiently.