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2020-21 Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion
- Thread starter Jaysen
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How do you guys get over post AC rejection? Literally, this AC went so well (in my opinion), did well in the case study, associate interview etc and at this point I feel like this is just impossible. I don't understand what wasn't good enough and I've asked for feedback but my god this is so sad and so frustrating. At this point this feels more like luck than anything. Could have not done anything better on the day!
- Feb 17, 2018
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I also need to figure this out! Just had my third final stage rejection today and I am reaaally struggling to not want to give up.
I think it’s harder to not be critical of yourself! Just know you have done so well to get here and I support you!!
Jessica Booker
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The rejection will feel very raw soon after you find out. That will subside with time and once you have had time to reflect on things more, particularly after getting the feedback.
I would wait for the feedback from the firm in question though. They will hopefully be able to provide more context on what could have been stronger. However, it isn’t unusual for these to be relatively minor points that seem very insignificant or unimportant. Ultimately the quality of applicants reaching the assessment centre stage tends to be pretty high and it means firms end up turning down good candidates.
Remember you did exceptionally well to that stage. For you to get to that stage, I suspect somewhere between 20-100 people didn’t. You have to try and take some positives from that.
Hi there @E.A
I am really sorry to hear about your rejection. I appreciate and empathise that when you get to the AC and get a rejection following that, it can, in my opinion, be even more difficult because you do begin to pin your hopes and it does feel that much more personal.
Just for context and for anyone reading this who is not familiar with my journey, in my second cycle, I had 3 post AC rejections before securing my TC with my dream firm. Following that 3rd post-AC rejection, I felt so demoralised and as though it was virtually impossible for me to get a TC. I got my invite for my firm about two weeks or so after my 3rd rejection and instead of feeling complete elation, there was a part of me that panicked and thought perhaps I was interviewing at the wrong time as clearly, to my mind, there was something innately wrong with me as a candidate and I had some more self development to do. But believe me when I say, I am the biggest believer in the notion that we all get the TC at the firm we are really destined for. Additionally, because I felt so down on my luck, I decided I would go to my firm's AC and just try to get out of it as much as I could and enjoy it. I think taking a bit of pressure off myself and going with that mindset really helped me to be more myself and to feel more relaxed and comfortable.
I share everything I just have in the hope that it reassures you that, firstly, you are not alone in feeling the way you do, but also, if you keeping pushing and going, I guarantee you will get a TC and most likely at the firm which truly suits you best.
I was lucky in the sense that all my rejections were followed by feedback. Will you get feedback? One thing I have realised is our judgement of an AC can be quite different to a firm's. I distinctly remember being asked how I found an AC and what I thought went well/didn't. Myself and the lovely lady delivering my feedback genuinely laughed about how off my perception had been - it turned out the assessment I thought I did well had been my weakest and vice versa.
What I can safely and soundly tell you now is, whilst the rejections I did get really did knock my confidence a bit at the time, I am genuinely so grateful for them. The feedback and learning more about law firm processes has really helped me to address areas where I wasn't as strong and it has meant I am now much more personally and professionally developed to get stuck into my TC and to hopefully start on an even better foot than I would have, being much more self-aware as well.
I know this is a lot to take in in just one post but I sincerely hope it offers you some solace today. It is totally normal to grieve an opportunity lost because, despite ourselves, we cannot help but hope and envisage succeeding. Take this time to feel what you are feeling, it is totally valid. Then, when you feel ready and when you hopefully have some feedback, try to consider what it is you can do to action your feedback. It might be that you need to be more concise in your competencies - I certainly have a technique I can share to help with that. It could be a confidence issue, in which case, we can certainly try to offer our tips and advice and it might be worth speaking to a mentor/seeking a mentor to help you. What I am trying to say is, everything has a solution or something which can be done to make you even more of an outstanding candidate and to be truly the best version of yourself.
We are all here to support you and we are rooting for you. If you have any questions at all, you know where we are, and please do let us know if we can support you with your feedback.
Dheepa
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- Jan 20, 2019
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My own post-AC rejection strategy has always been to lie in bed, order takeout, feel incredibly upset, rant to friends and family, and watch some Netflix. The "down in the dumps" feeling always lasted at least two or three days for me, and I think that's normal. I always also took some time out from apps after hard rejections - reminding myself that there is a world that exists outside of commercial law always did wonders for my mental state.
I've always personally believed some part of this process does come down to luck. It takes an incredible amount of hard work (application writing skills, developing commercial awareness, etc.) to get to the AC stage (and this is truly a testament to what an outstanding candidate you are) but once there the difference between you and another candidate may not even necessarily be one of skill, but could literally be that the associates/partners thought they were a better fit for the firm or other minor things that can seem quite arbitrary. This is also because of how competitive these roles are, and as Jess has said, the caliber of candidates (including yourself!) that do make it to interview. This is an incredibly hard pill to swallow but it does somewhat validate something I think we have all felt - that we did deserve that positive outcome. The rejection doesn't mean that you aren't deserving or that you aren't a strong candidate - to have made it so far you probably are TC material. The feedback is just going to help you become an even stronger candidate and push you ahead of the competition at your next AC.
It's ridiculously hard to just pick yourself up and keep going, but the most successful candidates in this process are truly the ones that keep going until that teeny bit of luck they need is on your side.
There's this bit Jaysen wrote for the TCLA newsletter from some months back that I think is incredibly true:
Equally, if you fail to secure a training contract, it’s not necessarily true that you are not 'good enough'.
Luck influences:
- whether the partner in your interview likes you
- whether you are asked questions that best show your strengths
- whether your interview followed 12 exceptionally strong interviews that day
Absolutely.
You can't control the odds on your day. What you can control is whether you’re exceptionally prepared, whether you persist, whether you know how to sell yourself, and whether you know your worth.
Do that and you'll impress, even when luck isn't on your side. And the more you keep going, the more likely it is that you’ll find a firm that appreciates you for you.
Like Alice said, I hope this offers you some support despite how cliche some of it sounds haha.
That was fast wasn’t it? Didn’t you have your interview today as well ?👍
Looks like you really smashed it.
This is huge! Major congratulations, I am so happy for you 😃 You are such a deserving candidate - wishing you all the luck in the world for the AC!
I'm so sorry to hear about this. I was waiting to see some good news from you. Keep going! Don't give up! it can only get better from here!
Jessica Booker
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- Aug 1, 2019
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You must have nailed that telephone interview if you got the AC so quickly
Thank you!! And thank you for always building me up when I feel down or hard on myself <3
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