27/09/2023
A day in the life of a locum
The first day at a new assignment is always slightly surreal, even for someone as experienced as I am, with over 150 different assignments over a 32 year period under my belt.
When I first started, HR didn't exist, it was a quick circuit around the office to meet the staff, and then face to face with the files, all paper, of course at that time, to get up to speed with what was going on and then get down to business.
Nowadays, there's still the meet and greet, but after that it's a session with HR, which can last anything from an hour to the best part of a day, in between tea breaks and lunch. Don't expect to do too much actual work on the first day although after a prolonged exposure to all the stuff that goes with modern office working, you'll certainly feel that you've earned your money.
File work usually starts on day 2, unless there are any particularly urgent matters that cant wait . One thing you'll need to get used to if you decide on a locum life is being thrown in at the deep end.
Its not as scary as it sounds and it can be quite exhilarating. If there is mess, or an urgent situation that needs to be resolved quickly, its not of your making. I often feel a strange sense of calm detachment when I'm looking through such a file, trying to get to grips with it and decide on the appropriate action to get it back to where it should be, which actually helps me to remain focused on what I need to do.
And it can be very satisfying getting it there. It's a great opportunity to show the Firm what you to can, to prove your worth, and its one of the things that I personally like about being a locum Its also a good and quick way to feel part of your new team, even if the team is just one person in the form of your PA or secretary. Establishing a good working relationship with the people that you'll be directly working with while you're there is absolutely essential.
Always avail yourself of the knowledge of the files that your departmental colleagues will often have, as well as their familiarity with office procedures, they will in the majority of cases be only too happy to help you, especially if they've been left holding the fort pending your arrival even for a short while, it can be very stressful for them.
So be prepared for the first few days being a bit traumatic. Even now, I still sometimes go home in the first few days of a new assignment feeling like I've been in a boxing ring, but I always tell myself to stick it out, and I always have, and it always improves. Each day you go in, you'll be that much more familiar with the cases, your colleagues, your office and the Firm, and by the end of the first week, almost certainly by the second, you'll feel as though you've been there for much longer. Usually in a good way.
That, aftercall, is what the Firm is paying you for, to do the work, yes, but more than that, to think and act quickly when you need to, to be able to fit in with your new colleagues and gain the confidence of your temporary clients.
I enjoy it, and I hope you do to .
