2020-21 Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion

[S30]

I asked this the other day. However, I'm really struggling to flesh it out as a genuine answer to reach (or be close to) the 500 word limit. However, the question specifies the achievement has to be in the past 2 years and well...I've had a horrible past two years so there's no other achievements I can think of.

Anyway, if mentioning the flying I was thinking about explaining the methods that failed when trying to get over this fear. Moving onto what I did that worked. Affter this, I was going to talk about how the skills learned have made me into a more confident person. And how this mas made me tackle my fears and anxieties better.

This is all true to me. However, I feel like this answer just seems really weak by comparison to someone that has done extensive charity work etc.

Am I structuring it right? Is there anything I should include? Or should I just pick another example altogether?

Sorry for the ramble

I personally think the example you have chosen is great. Is this for Ashurst by any chance?

I have been successful in getting to the AC stage, and used a similar personal example where I fell off my horse during a competition and how that made me become more confident and resilient as a person - all skills they look for in a trainee solicitor. So do make sure you refer back to the skills they look for in your answer.

I do not think your answer is a boring one, the question is there to showcase your “character” and the more personal the better from my experience.

I would focus more on what you did to overcome this fear, and walk the recruiter through this journey. I would really try and go into detail and be specific on HOW this is a achievement e.g. as a result, I travelled by myself on a 8-hour flight to X, something I would not have achieved a year ago etc... or since then, I have travelled to two countries ....

Good luck, I’m sure you will smash it

 

[M777]

BM anyone?

 

[CAL_LPC]

Has anyone heard back from Hill Dickinson post VI?

I'm still waiting... it's been 3 weeks now, so starting to think that it's a no. Have you heard back yet?

 

[Abbie4329]

BM anyone?

Nothing yet but I did notice on my portal that the ‘anonymity’ status changed to ‘not anonymous’ it said ‘details locked’ yesterday. Don’t know what that means though!

 

[em311]

Nothing yet but I did notice on my portal that the ‘anonymity’ status changed to ‘not anonymous’ it said ‘details locked’ yesterday. Don’t know what that means though!

cvmail seems to be down for me!

 

[Law2022]

Had my feedback report from BLCP and my top three strengths are - Pride, active collaborator and credibility. Anybody else had the same as me?

 

[Jacob Miller]

Hi all,

I'm currently working on an application and I'm struggling with a specific part of the question. I need to explain the transferable skills I have, how I demonstrated them and how I will apply them as a trainee solicitor. I am fine with the first two parts but I'm not sure how to do regarding the last one.

Any ideas?

Many thanks

If this were me I would work on the basis that there are certain skills we all know a trainee has to have to complete their job to a high standard, and utilise one of them.

Take, for example, drafting skills and the ability to write to different audiences. I've built drafting skills over numerous platforms from working as a staff writer for a large magazine, to academic writing in University, to writing here in the forum, to consulting-based educational writing I do on the side.

I will apply those skills as a trainee because I will need to vary my writing style depending on the content, nature, and audience of the communication I'm making. E.g., if I am drafting a letter of advice which is to ultimately end up with a client, I need to explain things very differently to how I would need to write that same substantive content in a memo for a partner going into a meeting. Similarly, if I was drafting an update article for my practice area's section on the firm website, my writing style would be different again.

This question is asking you, in the simplest terms, to show that you have an understanding of the skills you need to become a solicitor and that you're capable of exercising them.

 

[Jacob Miller]

I asked this the other day. However, I'm really struggling to flesh it out as a genuine answer to reach (or be close to) the 500 word limit. However, the question specifies the achievement has to be in the past 2 years and well...I've had a horrible past two years so there's no other achievements I can think of.

Anyway, if mentioning the flying I was thinking about explaining the methods that failed when trying to get over this fear. Moving onto what I did that worked. Affter this, I was going to talk about how the skills learned have made me into a more confident person. And how this mas made me tackle my fears and anxieties better.

This is all true to me. However, I feel like this answer just seems really weak by comparison to someone that has done extensive charity work etc.

Am I structuring it right? Is there anything I should include? Or should I just pick another example altogether?

Sorry for the ramble

I think this sounds like the absolute correct path to go down and a good structure.

In terms of things to add/ otherwise consider: did you do research into different methods? Why did you arrive at the conclusion that you needed to fix this fear in the first place? If you were trying to fix the same fear again, would you do it the same or differently? What skills do you feel you've learned from this experience which could be transferable (for example, in learning how to tackle new, daunting experiences)?

 

[John Travoni]

Has anyone emailed BM and asked for an update? I’ve emailed but could other ppl also email too so that they’re aware that they’re really lagging behind.

 

[E.A]

Has anyone emailed BM and asked for an update? I’ve emailed but could other ppl also email too so that they’re aware that they’re really lagging behind.

I think this is still within normal waiting time to be fair. Last year I got my WG invite 2 weeks after I submitted which was deadline day.

 

[Abbie4329]

I think this is still within normal waiting time to be fair. Last year I got my WG invite 2 weeks after I submitted which was deadline day.

I think they are running behind a bit. Their original auto reply email said they’d be sending out video interviews in March. But I expect like every other law firm they’ve received loads of extra apps this year!

 

[Veep9]

Has anyone emailed BM and asked for an update? I’ve emailed but could other ppl also email too so that they’re aware that they’re really lagging behind.

I agree two weeks is not crazy late. I also think they’ll meet their May AC dates. They say only 40% of applicants move forward from application stage. Watson Glaser is an easy automatic culling mechanism (you either meet or don’t meet the benchmark) so they just need to review the VI. So they should be fine.

I think we should give them another week. Don’t get me wrong I’m also going slowly crazy. Just hanging onto the idea that no news, in this case, definitely seems like good news.

 

[E.A]

I think they are running behind a bit. Their original auto reply email said they’d be sending out video interviews in March. But I expect like every other law firm they’ve received loads of extra apps this year!

Oh really? When I applied on 1st April I did not receive that info! But yes, they are probably super busy..

 

[Abbie4329]

Oh really? When I applied on 1st April I did not receive that info! But yes, they are probably super busy..

Yeah I guess they realised as the weeks went by they were getting more apps than normal so have changed it.

 

[m.aspiring.lawyer]

I'm still waiting... it's been 3 weeks now, so starting to think that it's a no. Have you heard back yet?

Me too, I've still not heard back either!

 

[Amy_22]

Had my feedback report from BLCP and my top three strengths are - Pride, active collaborator and credibility. Anybody else had the same as me?

I got efficiency, pride and critical reasoning.

 

[Sam55]

Has Macfarlanes started giving out ACs for the TC? I've seen a few rejections on here but no ACs

 

[Law2022]

I got efficiency, pride and critical reasoning.

Sounds like good ones to have! Good luck. I hope we hear back soon!

 

[syw]

Sounds like good ones to have! Good luck. I hope we hear back soon!

Did you get your score for the watson glaser part of the test? I'm just wondering how they assess us on the test, and whether they take into account the application also

 

[Law2022]

Did you get your score for the watson glaser part of the test? I'm just wondering how they assess us on the test, and whether they take into account the application also

No, I didn't receive a score for the WG part. Yes, I'm really not sure how much weight they put on the test. Or if your application is great, but your test score is slighter lower, if they still progress you for example. Good luck to you anyway