Career Question: To Defer or Not to Defer, That is the Training Contract
You will have to excuse our Shakespearian jaunt, we couldn’t resist. Now and again Solicitr receives requests for career-oriented advice, some serious and some of a more humourous nature. Of course, most people like to throw in their tuppence on such issues and it is always interesting to get a broad smattering of opinion. Here we have a question that is pretty pertinent at the moment and whilst only two firms have admitted to offering this to prospective trainees, …
You will have to excuse our Shakespearian jaunt, we couldn’t resist. Now and again Solicitr receives requests for career-oriented advice, some serious and some of a more humourous nature. Of course, most people like to throw in their tuppence on such issues and it is always interesting to get a broad smattering of opinion. Here we have a question that is pretty pertinent at the moment and whilst only two firms have admitted to offering this to prospective trainees, rumours abound about others so…
" Having signed a training contract in September 2008, I am due to start my LPC, which is being paid for by the firm this Summer. I had a phone call from the firm recently asking how I would feel if deferral for a year was an option, with a financial incentive. They claimed they were just testing the water and that nothing had been decided.
They were looking for volunteers and said the main reason for contemplating it is because retention rates are important to the firm and if some chose to defer it means it would be easier to keep everyone on and ensure they had good quality work to do. They assured me the firm were fine and not to panic. I was wondering what you thought this meant for the firm and whether or not you would advise deferring in this situation?"
What are your thoughts?
January 15, 2009
Year off plus financial incentive – sounds like an opportunity to go away, have a good time and come back to a nice secure job.
January 15, 2009
Check the terms of your contract and the terms of the offer. If satisfactory it could be a great opportunity. Reading between the lines it appears that the firm is saying that they do not currently have the work and therefore the capacity (and obviously see these factors as an issue going forward) to take on the number of trainees currently in the pipeline after qualification. This does not necessarily mean that the firm is in any trouble, something that they have specifically confirmed to you already (though it might) but they may wish to save themselves some expense by training/recruiting etc less people through the downturn. For you, it means you can spend a year doing something else rather than sitting quietly in an office wondering if things might pick up soon.
January 15, 2009
Being paid to go away for a year in this enviroment has to be a winner. Sitting staring out of the window trying to fathom up some billable hours is utterly depressing.
January 15, 2009
I would swap you right now. Fancy being an corporate associate in the City.
January 15, 2009
Make sure you check the terms and conditions of your Training Contract very carefully before you make any noises about accepting.
January 15, 2009
You can live in places like India and Thailand very cheaply for moonths at a time. A great way to sit out a recession. Might take you a bit to gear your head back up for law but I managed after several months in South America.
March 17, 2009
Am in the same position. People keep saying check your contract of employment, but what are you supposed to look out for? Please reply!
March 18, 2009
Training Contracts Deferred: Halliwells Hold the Headlines. Deferrees Needing Advice?
http://www.solicitr.com/2009/03/18/training-contracts-deferred-halliwells-hold-the-headlines-deferrees-needing-advice/