"How much of the really boring work I'm asked to do as a trainee can I throw to the summer placement bloke who's just arrived? I'd welcome a break from bundling, but I'm not sure how far I can push it... "
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Vac schemes are both a recruitment tool and a PR exercise for firms. My experience here is that the vac scheme people like 'real' work... so pass on the real stuff. But also ensure that the vac scheme person gets some more interesting stuff as well - you don't want to scare them away! Everything in moderation!
Go for it. You've worked hard and deserve a break. In fact, get the summer vac dude to disguise himself as you and sit at your desk, whilst you're relaxing in a local hostelry drinking beer and eating crisps. Hope this helps.
Be a bit streetwise - your HR team want to recruit this guy, otherwise he wouldn't have a vac scheme. Vac schemers at most firms fill out de-brief forms. If your vac schemer fails to take a job offer because he has a bad experience and details how you gave him rubbish work you won't be doing yourself any favours with HR. If it is part of a mix of work then that's fine, but don't just pass on rubbish!
Vac scheme placements are of course a mighty drain on time and effort. As such it is perfectly appropriate to give them as much utter rubbish as possible. It also assists their career development to occasionally (i) beat them roundly and (ii) send them up chimneys. In my experience this admirably assists the development of a thick skin, hence aiding ability to deal with difficult clients.
He is presumably entitled to mutuality, trust and confidence, just as much as you are. If you give the vac student the dross and he does a really good job of it, it will reflect badly on you. The last poster suggestion that bad behaviour creates a thick skin - it will also be reflected in the vac student's discussion with his friends, family and colleagues who could potentially be clients in the future - treating people respectfully and decently with reciprocity and mutuality usually ensures a return of same. I wonder, if the last poster has clients and provides a service to clients or whether, unethically, s/he considers the client provides the service to him/her and subsequently has few clients/not the best clients in the world/is on the coat-tails of other client-pulling fee earners! Remember you are a trainee - at some career point you will be in discussion for associateship/partnership, and if you cannot do the dross and smile and ensure the client is serviced - you won't be client-pulling material later on when it really matters.
I do so wish that one could insert (i) quotes from other posters and (ii) those yellow smiley faces. In that way I could include the above comment from ANON, add in a few yellow smileys and conclude with the comment "Whooooshhhh".
Is it unethical to think clients provide a service? Never mind, it's Friday so I'm off to do some client-pulling.
To the original poster: please do not give me any horrible bundling. My father is a client of the firm, and I have a heart condition. Be nice to me, for I am gentle.
If you're horrid to me I will leave a nasty surprise for you in your top desk drawer. Clue: it won't be a bundle.
As much as possible. He might as well get used to it.
I think this puts me off doing a vac scheme, esp with the above comments, even though they are funny.
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