As a lawyer, choosing the right law firm to apply for can be a daunting task, but there is no time to waste.

Even when applying for internships or holiday schemes, law firms expect you to have a good idea of what you are looking for in your future employers.

Without first carrying out such a scheme it is hard to determine if this truly is the path you want to take but by asking yourself a few simple questions, you will be able to go a long way towards creating a shortlist of potential firms to apply to.

Here are 5 of the most important things to consider when looking for your ideal law firm:

Training

Maybe a Law Firm Glasgow specialises in exactly the type of work that you are interested in, but if their training programme is sub-par, the benefits that you get from a placement there will be limited.

Any hands on experience that you can get will be invaluable in the future, and far more beneficial that classroom based learning.

For this reason, it might be worth considering opting for smaller firms that will give you more responsibility, rather than a City Law firm that will typically rely open more traditional group learning processes.

Never underestimate the chance to work alongside senior lawyers within the firm, any advice or feedback they provide you with will be invaluable.

Reputation

Whilst the size of the firm is not necessarily the be-all and end-all of applying for law firm placements, the reputation of the firm in question is still extremely important.

There is no doubt that a placement at a top law firm will look fantastic to future employers, so aim high.

There is no harm in applying for positions at major firms as the experience of applying in itself is all good preparation for the future.

Training positions at such firms will be incredibly competitive, however, and in order to stand out it is essential that you are an exceptional candidate, both in terms of academic performance and extracurricular activity.

Location

If you have recently qualified as a lawyer it can feel as though moving into London is the only option if you want your career to progress.

Now, there is no doubt that the largest concentration of major law firms, by far, is in the capital, but broadening your horizons could have a number of benefits as well.

Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester, and many other major cities across the UK are home to highly respected law firms that would all offer fantastic experience.

At this stage the who is much more important than the where, and working in a smaller city environment can be less daunting and allow you to find your feet.

In contrast you may not want to live in London but decide it is worth the sacrifice at this stage to get the experience you are looking for.

Getting the right experience now, wherever that may be, will give you a huge amount more flexibility over where you want to live in the future and the range of firms who will be interested in acquiring your talents.

Trust yourself

There are plenty of quantifiable factors that can be used to identify suitable law firms to apply for, but at the end of the day, only you truly know what it is you are looking for.

By all means apply to law firms that might not be your first choice, putting all your eggs in one dream law firm basket is a high risk move, after all the interview and application process in itself is all good experience.

However, in the end, your gut instinct is still crucial to your final decision. After all, you will do your best work somewhere where you feel that you fit in.

In Scotland, and further afield across the UK, there are many different law firms who do fantastic work, and with a bit of research you will be able to create a shortlist of great fits for you to apply to.

Salary

In the legal profession, qualification and experience are the main factors that determine the salary that you are able to earn.

As a trainee, or recent graduate, therefore, salaries will not vary a tremendous amount between positions that you are considering applying for.

For this reason, initial salary should not be used as the main factor when deciding which roles to apply for. Getting the right experience and skills at this stage will allow you to be more selective with your job choices in the future.