The last thing I mentioned about a job, was way back in October, when I mentioned that I was interning with a Shipping Arbitrator in London (Chiswick). Then I mentioned that my internship was coming to an end, and there was a possibility of getting a job with them afterwards. Not sure I even mentioned how I got the internship in the first place, but I'll do so now.
So I finished my LLM (Maritime law) in September 2009, or technically in January 2010, which was when we got our final results, with graduation happening summer 2010. And with the bloody recession and all, I struggled to find a job. Not for want of trying, I must say! But given that at this stage, I had next to no experience, none as far as shipping law was concerned, getting a job was even more tricky.
Anyways, I resorted to calling random companies up, asking for internships or what-not. I did manage to keep myself busy somewhat, as one of my lecturers from Uni, who is the editor of a shipping journal, got me to write articles for publication, to help boost my cv. I only managed to do two, which wasn't bad, given how much research one needs to do. It is somewhat funny that this whole opportunity came about through a simple "I'm bored" facebook status update! But I digress.
So this my lecturer friend, Johanna, who keeps sending me jobs to apply for, tells me about this chap who did the LLM with me, Edward, and how he met this shipping arbitrator, Colin Sheppard, at some event, and he there and then offered him the chance to intern with him for a month, which he did, and she suggests I give him a call. I'd been doing that recently anyways, so it wasn't a problem. You only live once, eh?
So I call him up randomly one morning, and I tell him I'm interested in interning with him, if that was a possibility. He obviously is surprised, as I'd called him up out of the blue, but he's like I should send him my cv, and he'll discuss it with his wife, ,who's away in Greece. Odd, I thought. Why on earth does he need to discuss it with his wife!? But at least I got a somewhat positive response, so a good thing, I thought.
Few days later, probably Sunday, I see a missed call on my phone, and a voicemail too, and turns out it's Colin's wife. I call the number back and she suggests I come for an interview sometime in the week. Can't remember what day it was. (See, I should have just watched episode 5 when it aired, as I can't really remember what happened in the other epiosdes! Oh well...)
Anyways, I go down to Chiswick for the interview. It was a pretty informal interview, and they just asked me what I'd been up to since Uni, etc, but not proper interview questions that you have to think hard about. I think the fact that I did my Masters at Southampton University made them interested in me (thank you, Chris Kirkbride- me Equity & Trusts lecturer at Hertforshire for telling me not to go anywhere other than Southampton for my maritime law masters, even though UH had a similar course. I'm forever indebted to you! See, that's what happens when you are an "over-sabi". I digress again, but the only reason why I was having this conversation with Chris in the first place, was because after I'd gotten my final year grades, I actually went to my teachers for a review of my exam papers, just so I knew where I had gone wrong. Like seriously, who does that after final year?! I did so, and I got good (unrelated) advice, and as far as I'm concerned, that's the only reason why I'm where I am. Where, you say? I'll get to it soon! ;))
ANYWAYS! The interview was a brief one, pretty much them trying to get to know me and stuff. I remember his wife asking me if I could do admin stuff, and I had to blag my way into that somewhat, as I had no admin-related experience. Long story short, they asked if I could start the next day! Definitely wasn't expecting that! I said that was a bit short-notice, so we agreed I'd start the next Monday- 25th October. (See, I haven't forgotten it all!)
I was literally over the moon! I wasn't going to get paid much- £100 a week to cover my expenses- but when you've been searching for a job after Uni, and you've been turned down mainly for lack of experience, you'd be ecstatic if you got something literally out of the blue which was related to the area of interest. It's like "Finally! Someone wants to give me the experience I badly need!" The day even got better, because as I was finding my way home, I got a phone call from one of the numerous jobs I'd applied for, asking me to attend an interview that week. It was a six-month contract, an administrative role, but in Miller, an insurance company that I was interested in working with. I went for the interview anyways, even though I wasn't totally interested in working in admin. I didn't get the job, which was no surprise! This time around, it was a proper interview, and what did I say when they asked me what type of role I was interested in? I pretty much said I didn't want an admin-type role. Muppet! Not that I'd have accepted the job anyways, but it was good (future) interview prep. I swear the Chiswick interview was my first real job interview, and it wasn't even a proper one! But I guess it only takes that one interview...
So that's how the Chiswick internship started. Oh, did I mention I was a muppet? Remember me wondering why Colin had to discuss things with his wife? If I'd done my research properly before making the phone-call, I'd have realised (or maybe not), who his wife was. After the interview, I remembered Colin mentioned her name- Aleka. It sort of rang a bell, so I did my (belated) research, and turns out she's Aleka Mandaraka-Sheppard, who's famous in maritime law circles, and beyond, probably. She even wrote one of the books I studied during my Masters, which was why her name rang a bell. I totally had no clue who she was during the interview! In hindsight, maybe that was a good thing...
The internship was meant to last four weeks, and afterwards, we'd discuss what was to happen next, whether I'd stay on in a more permanent role. I did enjoy those four weeks (and a bit), and although it was a bit of a pain getting there and back home everyday- St Albans to Chiswick is not a joke: bus, train, tube, tube, train, walk. But it was worth it. I didn't know too much about Shipping Arbitration at the start, but at the end, I got to draft an "Awards and Reasons" for a real case! It was a Small Claims Proceedings (SCP), so not a lot of money or drama was involved, but that's one proud moment for me! Obviously I wrote it on behalf of Colin, but I was especially glad to see that none of the parties had any complaints afterwards, and accepted MY ruling! Sweeeeeeet!
But yeah, the internship was coming to and end, so it was sort of make or break time. Was I going to stay or leave? (Actually I was wrong! The internship started last Monday in September, not October! *facepalm*) Anyways, I spoke to Aleka towards the end of October, informally, and we agreed I'd stay on, so it was just a matter of how long for, and on one terms. Colin's self-employed, so he works from home (and Aleka sometimes). He's such a very dedicated man, because he's turning 80 next year, if I remember correctly, and he works flat out everyday, just so he can afford to see his son- their only child- all throughout Uni. He's a bright boy, sha. Did his first degree in Oxford in History and Music, I think, now he's doing a second degree in Law, this time in Cambridge (or did he go to Cambridge first?) Anyways, there is a lot of money to be made in arbitration, and although Colin is hardly a poor man, he just prefers to continue working until he no longer needs to support his kid. He takes care of his health, though, so I'm not too worried for him! Colin is also computer-illiterate- he can only manage as far as a Blackberry! Meaning all his emails, Awards, Reasons, all need to be typed up by someone else. He's got a Secretary for this, as well as other admin reuquirements- Natalie. She's brilliant!
I totally didn't mind staying longer, and to be honest, I'd have stayed even if I wasn't getting paid! After Aleka changing her mind a million times, we finally agreed that I'd stay on a monthly rolling contract, 3 days a week, £10 per hour, 8 hours a day (10am-6pm), with the possibility of over-time. Not a bad deal, really. Except tax and NI were to be my responsibility, meaning I was self-employed! That was scary initially, but Natalie assured me that it wasn't a problem really, and Aleka was nice enough to get her tax accountant to email me about what I needed to do, afterall, Colin and Aleka are both self-employed.
Gosh, this is one seriously long post! And we're still in November/December! Gulp. I have missed this, though. I'll end this post here now, but I'll start on the continuation in a separate post, which I'll post at some point tomorrow.
It's good to be back! :D
No comments:
Post a Comment