Hi, I’m Elizabeth Collin and I am the Business Manager at Davitt Jones Bould (DJB), real estate law specialists, and we are one of the sponsors of Get Hired this year.
After graduating from the University of Warwick in 2018 with first-class honours in English Literature, I embarked on the graduate job hunt. When looking for positions, I was very open-minded, seeking a position that would allow me to learn and grow in a commercial setting.
This is always my first tip to graduates now: with this mindset, you will invariably stumble upon opportunities that you weren’t even aware of at the time. This is exactly what I experienced when I secured my graduate position at Davitt Jones Bould (DJB).
DJB is a national law firm founded in 1999 which has become established as the largest specialist real estate firm in the UK. Unlike traditional law firms, at DJB we operate a twin-track model, separating commercial dealings from the legal practice.
Under this model, our commercial team is as important as our legal team, working hand in hand to delight clients. We are proud of our unique operating model, allowing highly experienced solicitors with a PQE of 10+ years to focus on legal work, and specialist commercial professionals to deliver exceptional levels of client care. We are focused on growing future business leaders, and this model allows us to do just this.
My journey with DJB
I joined Davitt Jones Bould as a Graduate Trainee on the commercial track, working on a project basis covering the full spectrum of business disciplines, including systems implementation, process improvement, marketing and communications, event management and more.
“For me, the graduate training programme provided the perfect introduction to working in a commercial setting. “
It was an immersive, dynamic, and fun experience and all the skills I learnt carry through to my role with DJB today. Above all else, the scheme taught me to never have expectations about what you’ll be good at. As an English Literature graduate, building database systems seemed so far from my skillset, but that very thing soon became the backbone of nearly every project I worked on. I find you learn most from the things which push you out of your comfort zone!
I later progressed into our Account Management team where I undertook client-facing responsibilities in the form of managing a key client account. Both this role, and the graduate trainee role, form the basis of my position today as a Business Manager, in which I am responsible for driving business improvement, development, and growth initiatives across the firm, working with key Partners and clients and reporting directly to the Board.
Trust the process
The Business Management role didn’t exist when I joined DJB – a lesson in trusting the process that hard work will often generate new opportunities where you least expect them. We look for graduate trainee candidates who are hardworking (dedicated and effective), resourceful and have a self-motivated approach, with a strong commitment to group-up learning styles, strong attention to detail and demonstrable skills in written and verbal communication.
Job-hunting for graduates can be intimidating, but I’ve learnt some key steps to maximising your opportunities and making the whole process more enjoyable:
- Asking questions is a great way to not only find out more but let an employer know you are proactive and interested.
- Try to put yourself in the position of the employer and ask yourself what you would be looking for.
- Confident, professional candidates who are sincerely willing to learn and contribute are ideal – so make sure to reflect this as best you can.
Come and say hello!
I will be attending the Get Hired event along with several of my colleagues, I look forward to meeting you on Wednesday 3 May!
Make sure you come to see us, there will be lots of prizes on offer including the chance to win a 2-week internship.