Charlotte is a Principal Lecturer in Law and the Director of Employability at Portsmouth Law School (University of Portsmouth), following a first career as a solicitor. Charlotte has a significant and sustained record of research-informed curriculum development and innovation to support graduate employability. She brings a wealth of experience in supporting students to develop career management skills and career confidence through one-to-one support, extra-curricular interventions, and embedded programmes. Recent publications include an evaluation of an embedded activity to increase employability-related self-confidence, and papers on diversity in the legal academy and legal profession. Charlotte is also author of From Student to Solicitor (Sweet & Maxwell), a career guide for aspiring solicitors (3rd edition to be published later this year).
The Value Me Framework: Increasing Self-awareness and Career Confidence in Law Graduates’
Abstract:
There is a heavy expectation on Universities and Law Schools to ensure the career readiness and confidence of their graduates. At the same time, today’s graduates face the challenge of differentiating themselves in a competitive labour market. In discussions around employability, much emphasis is placed on the mechanics of gaining experience, engaging with employers, and navigating the recruitment process. However, many students lack the self-awareness and confidence to present themselves convincingly, or to capitalise fully on experiences that are presented to them, whilst others avoid them altogether. These challenges are compounded for students where capital is at its lowest and structural barriers exist.
This presentation will introduce the Value Me framework (previously called Brand Me) as an approach to increasing employability-related self-confidence (Tymon et al, 2020) and ‘identity capital’ (Holmes, 2015; Tomlinson, 2017). The framework centres around a repeated Value Me presentation, underpinned by practical workshops and facilitated self-reflection, which acts as a device to harness students’ reflection around their personal brand and value to a future employer. It empowers students to decide what story they want to tell about themselves, and to project that in a confident, authentic and relatable way. The framework is informed by the CareerEdge model of employability (Dacre Pool & Sewell, 2007) and underpinned by experiential learning and career development theory.
Delegates will leave the session with a clear understanding of the Value Me framework, its theoretical underpinnings, and suggestions for practical implementation.