As you embarked on the long and winding road to a career in the law, you
probably pictured yourself in a suit barking orders at your minions in a
board room overlooking the London skyline. In reality, you're probably
working your way through endless application forms, worrying about where you
will end up.
The quest for the training contract - the end goal of years of studying until
it hurts and spending tens of thousands of pounds for the pleasure - can be
an arduous one. It may feel like all of your peers have great jobs lined up,
their GDL and LPC fees paid for and a maintenance grant to boot, when all
you have is an interview at the bank for a graduate loan and a massive
headache.
For many people the training contract market is a tough one to break into. The
standards are high and competition is fierce. Graham White, trainee
recruitment partner at Slaughter and May, says: "We get around 2000
applicants for 85 places every year, it's horribly competitive."
Lawyers themselves cannot believe how tough it is to get a foot in the door
now, and many recruiters admitting you may not get a look in without the
right A-level grades, a good 2:1 and a gleaming résumé stuffed with relevant
work experience.
The only piece of advice at this point, and one you will have heard numerous
times, is: don’t give up. Here is some advice from the experts on how to
improve your chances of getting a training contract that is right for you:
Starting line
What do you really want from a legal career? Some people thrive on stress and
long hours but to others even the thought is a complete nightmare. Bear this
in mind when you’re choosing which firms to apply to. Do you want to
practice family law in a small regional firm or handle billion pound mergers
and acquisitions? If you’re not cut out for the corporate world, be
realistic and don’t apply to corporate firms.
Think about the culture of the firm and whether you would fit into it; don’t
just get sucked in by the glossy brochure. The best way to find out what is
right for you is, of course, work experience. Deborah Dalgleish, head of UK
graduate recruitment at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, emphasises the
benefits of work experience: "It is really important to get vacation
experience. It’s not a prerequisite to work at the firm you’re applying to
but you will get a practical insight and learn what’s right for you by
working at different types of firm."
Recruiters are well aware of how competitive it is to get a vacation placement
- in fact it can be more difficult than getting an actual training contract,
with thousands of applications for less than a hundred places. For this
reason firms are very open when it comes to work experience. Anything you do
that is supplementary to studying shows that you are willing to learn new
things and put yourself out. It may also show team work, organisational
skills and that you are a worthwhile person to have on board. So if you ran
a marathon for charity, set up a break-dancing group or volunteer at the
local Citizen’s Advice Bureau, use this to your advantage when applying for
a job.
It is also important to know what is happening within the firm you’re applying
to. A firm in a phase of expansion is likely to be a more dynamic and
exciting place to work than one which is downsizing and losing clients.
Search for press coverage to see if there is anything significant to note
when you are thinking about your applications.
Apply here
Application forms are the window to your soul. They determine whether or not
you will make it to the interview stage and are, therefore, very important.
They also cause a lot of avoidable anxiety when it really isn’t too
difficult to make your application shine rather than end up in the recycling
bin.
"I cannot emphasise enough how important correct spelling, structure and
clear expression are in an application form," Dalgleish says. "A
large number of forms fail on this. If people can’t express themselves at
this point it implies that they don’t check their work which is vital to a
successful career as a lawyer."
Recruiters get rather bored with the same old, generic responses lifted from
form to form so it is important to make yourself standout. At the same time
you need to get the balance right: coming across as too "zany" may
land you in the "extra special" pile, such as the applicant at one
firm who submitted his form in rhyming couplets.
If you won an award for mooting at university or achieved the highest A-Level
marks in the country, put it on your application. What about your summer
spent as a children’s entertainer at a holiday camp? White suggests you let
the firm know: "I’m always impressed by people who have done really
ghastly holiday jobs. It shows determination, grit and that you get on with
people."
Before you let your form leave your sight, have someone read it over for you.
They may be able to spot mistakes you missed or advise you on how to phrase
something better. Ask your tutor, careers advisor or even your mum for
advice.
Finally, never lie on your application form. It will come back to haunt you.
The next level
If you have been asked to an interview, it is because the firm is interested
to find out more about you, so well done.
Your body language is incredibly important. When you walk into the room you
need to make a good impression so smile, be confident and make eye contact.
If you’re dressed smartly, are punctual and well prepared, this shouldn’t be
too hard.
Bear in my mind that firms are after recruits with good business skills who
can represent them in the legal market. You could be the best potential
Islamic finance lawyer in the world but if you are "socially awkward"
you will not be able to hold meetings with important clients, thus making
you a less desirable candidate.
Research the firm. Has it acquired any big name clients, won awards or done
anything else newsworthy recently? A bit of background information will show
a keen interest in the firm and the field you want to work in. It’s also
good to know if the firm has had any recent setbacks so as not to make any
faux-pas. Read the legal press in the weeks leading up to your interview.
Predict questions. You can almost guarantee you will be asked what has
motivated you to become a lawyer. Why do you want to work at this firm? What
do you have to offer that others don’t? If you’re prepared for these
questions it will give you more confidence for anything unexpected. Firms
are looking for evidence that you are ambitious, driven and have not just "fallen"
into law.
Candidates at Slaughter and May are asked questions about current affairs
during their interview. "We look for people who can give a view on a
topic and can defend his or her opinion in a coherent and concise way
without rambling," White says, "and we’re really not worried
whether or not they eat the biscuits!"
After the interview it might be an idea to send a brief e-mail thanking the
interviewer. It is polite and will remind the interviewer of you when it
comes to decision making time.
Assess this
Find out what is expected of you at the interview beforehand. If it’s not
clear from the invitation, phone the recruitment department and ask them to
clarify. Many firms supply this information on their website and will even
provide practice copies of exams to help you. At Freshfields Bruckhaus
Deringer you will be asked to complete a written exercise followed by a case
study and interview with two partners. "I’m obsessed with good written
skills," Dalgleish says.
What to do if you didn’t get the required grades?
"If you get a 2:2 when the firm requires a 2:1 then get in touch with the
recruitment department, explain your circumstances and get your tutor to
confirm your situation," White suggests. "We would certainly
interview someone who has decent mitigating circumstances." On the
other hand it might be an idea to adjust your sights and apply outside the
magic circle and national firms. White says: "To keep hammering on the
door of a major City firm is demoralising."
And finally . . .
Being a lawyer is not all champagne, closing parties and foreign travel. There
will be photocopying; cancelling plans mid-event to go back to work; long,
long, long hours and even extreme boredom if the department you’re working
in is quiet. Then there are the snide comments from staff and clients
treating you as an incompetent and expecting you to be available 24 hours a
day. One trainee even mentioned a well-known firm employing style
consultants so as to ensure a certain look amongst the lawyers. Not that you
should be put off by any of this.
