Tips for Future Trainees

“Four months can really go by in a blink of an eye!” is often the most heard comment from our associate trainees at the end of their trainee period. When yet another four-month traineeship was coming to an end, we asked our associate trainees to reflect on their time at Hannes Snellman and give some tips for future trainees. According to them, the best way to prepare for a new day is to arrive at the office with an open mind, a smile on your face, and a hunger for improvement. The rest of their tips are listed below.

Being Yourself

You may have heard rumours about certain aspects of life at a law firm, such as a strict dress code,  hierarchical structure, or confusing titles for colleagues. However, the way of working at Hannes is certainly not about these things. At Hannes, your colleagues want you to be comfortable being who you are and to “feel like home” at the office. You will become familiar with the office’s practices and your new colleagues surprisingly fast – and they are eager to get to know you!

Being a Good Colleague

Good teamwork is all about good communication. As an associate trainee, you will most likely cooperate with many of your colleagues and sometimes have too many balls (tasks) in the air at the same time. Therefore, it is important to plan ahead, identify which tasks are the most urgent, and take your colleagues’ timetables into account. It is equally important to communicate openly if it seems that you cannot get the task done by yourself in time, and sometimes just giving a heads-up to your colleague might be the key to getting the work done in time. Remember that your team is there to support you as you support them.  

Being Social

Positive workplace relationships improve performance and overall well-being, so making an effort to get to know the people you work with is highly recommended. Consider joining the Hannes Snellman floorball team or taking part in the book club. Seminars, team-building activities, after-work drinks, and other events organised at the office are a fun way to bond with people. Also, take advantage of your lunch breaks and be sure to have lunch with as many colleagues as possible during your trainee period.

Being Humble

Be kind to yourself, because one thing is for sure: no one knows everything. When given a task, try figuring it out on your own first, but do not hesitate to ask for help, especially if the task is urgent. Being humble leads to better work results in the long run, and it is always better to ask for help too early rather than too late.

Being Brave

Your traineeship will include many things you most likely have not done before, and in fact, the job of a lawyer is to take care of things that might not have been done before. Therefore, be brave and embrace these demanding tasks as an opportunity to learn something new and develop your skills. Trainees are an important part of the team at Hannes and taking ownership of matters is valued by colleagues.

Being Proud of Your Work

Remember, sometimes after spending a lot of time researching a matter, you are the expert in the room. Your colleagues at Hannes highly appreciate the input of trainees, so do not be afraid to draw conclusions and present your own views.

We are already looking forward to your first day at Hannes and preparations are underway to ensure that you have a smooth start! In addition to all these tips, we also want to remind you to enjoy the ride, make new friends, and gain valuable experiences.