Advice To Myself As A Young Trainee

When starting your traineeship you can be given so much advice, it's hard to know who knows best and what to follow. Reflecting on those pearls of wisdom which proved most valuable to me, I can share with you the following:

1. Don't worry about feeling like you don't know anything

What your firm or practice will want from you is your ability to learn well and your positive energy and determination. Everything you need to know they will teach you on the job.

2. Know when to ask a question

This one sounds like common sense but it's trickier than it seems in practice. Sometimes it is better to ask a quick question when you're unsure of something rather than to struggle for twenty minutes trying to find the answer on your own. However, at the same time be wary of asking stupid questions and know who to ask these to when they arise! It is all about finding the balance and you'll learn with time, but if in doubt it's always better to ask than suffer in silence.