Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica. I have completed the equivalent of a training contract in Italy (2 years) after LLB and LLM/LPC like a trainee solicitor in the UK, but I am not qualified to practice as a lawyer yet because we have a final state bar exam, which unfortunately I failed 2 years ago. I can try that again, but in the meantime, I am shaping my legal studies and profile into the UK system to be qualified in this country as a permanent resident.
There is anything you suggest to facilitate or being more focused on my apps? Could I consider myself within the career changers group of applicants? I haven't changed studies or career, but only the country where I am living.
Please let me know your thoughts, very appreciated.
Thanks
Marco

Hi Marco

The main challenge here is that many will be concerned that you won’t be happy with starting from scratch again as a junior/trainee when you have already built up legal experience elsewhere - that is typically the main problem firms will find with people who have worked as lawyers elsewhere, but wanting to come to the UK to qualify. Saying that, 2 years isn’t too bad but there will still be a lot of questions as to why you are taking this route, so making this clear in covering letters or motivational questions is key here.

You won’t be seen as a career changer though - you will be seen as someone who has decided to take a backwards step in the same career they have chosen and therefore explaining the rationale behind that is important.

 

[123454321]

Hi Jessica,

I have a TC interview at a top firm coming up. I interviewed for their vacation scheme in January: I was unsuccessful but was given generally good feedback so I decided to re-apply.

The interviews are the same this time round, a case-study and a situational / scenario interview. I was told last time that my answers for the situational interview were too brief and lacked structure. What kind of structure do you suggest for these interviews?

Also, is there anything that you specifically look for when interviewing for a second time aside from some sort of growth?

Thank you

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

I have a TC interview at a top firm coming up. I interviewed for their vacation scheme in January: I was unsuccessful but was given generally good feedback so I decided to re-apply.

The interviews are the same this time round, a case-study and a situational / scenario interview. I was told last time that my answers for the situational interview were too brief and lacked structure. What kind of structure do you suggest for these interviews?

Also, is there anything that you specifically look for when interviewing for a second time aside from some sort of growth?

Thank you

Your interviewer/assessor may not know you were interviewed previously, so it’s not necessarily a case that they are looking for anything “different” or more as such.

However, I’ve had a lot of candidates be upfront and say they came in before. Good candidates will typically weave in how they have worked on their development points since the unsuccessful application - how they have gone out of their way to improve their skill set/knowledge etc.

Too brief - that’s typically not using evidence to back up what you are saying, or explaining your rationale (how you came to your conclusions).

Structure is more difficult to define - especially if it also comes with the feedback that you’re answers were detailed enough. It could be that you were repetitive or rambled, but didn’t nail the detail down.

So for me a good guide to structure for these type of assessments is:

1) Short answer upfront
2) Explain how you got to that answer using evidence where you can’t to support your thinking
3) Briefly explain any assumptions made/or any further actions that would be needed

 

[Marco Mendola]

Hi Marco

The main challenge here is that many will be concerned that you won’t be happy with starting from scratch again as a junior/trainee when you have already built up legal experience elsewhere - that is typically the main problem firms will find with people who have worked as lawyers elsewhere, but wanting to come to the UK to qualify. Saying that, 2 years isn’t too bad but there will still be a lot of questions as to why you are taking this route, so making this clear in covering letters or motivational questions is key here.

You won’t be seen as a career changer though - you will be seen as someone who has decided to take a backwards step in the same career they have chosen and therefore explaining the rationale behind that is important.

Many thanks Jessica, your insights are really precious!

I am not backstepping a career or escaping from Italy, I have just moved here after getting married
However, I see your point so once I have passed my exam in Italy (coming up this December) and getting fully qualified, I will look forward to QLTS; SQE from 2021 or I follow the flow with coming opportunities to become a solicitor in England and Wales.

My final target is to become a double qualified lawyer, not choosing one over another, but I have to understand what's the best way of doing it.

To better rephrase my question, I am just trying to understand if (in my specific case) it is still worth spending energy, time and focus on regular TC applications.

If you think that explaining the reasons behind that it's the key, very good. I hope you are not referring to direct shortlisting when they receive my application.

Could you please come back to me with some comments to clarify? It would really help me with my strategy.
Have a nice weekend!

 

[123454321]

Your interviewer/assessor may not know you were interviewed previously, so it’s not necessarily a case that they are looking for anything “different” or more as such.

However, I’ve had a lot of candidates be upfront and say they came in before. Good candidates will typically weave in how they have worked on their development points since the unsuccessful application - how they have gone out of their way to improve their skill set/knowledge etc.

Too brief - that’s typically not using evidence to back up what you are saying, or explaining your rationale (how you came to your conclusions).

Structure is more difficult to define - especially if it also comes with the feedback that you’re answers were detailed enough. It could be that you were repetitive or rambled, but didn’t nail the detail down.

So for me a good guide to structure for these type of assessments is:

1) Short answer upfront
2) Explain how you got to that answer using evidence where you can’t to support your thinking
3) Briefly explain any assumptions made/or any further actions that would be needed

Thank you!

 

[A12345]

Hi Jessica,

Thank you for your wonderful insights!

Just a quick question regarding these new virtual internships some firms have introduced recently, is it worth putting these in the work experience section of applications?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

Thank you for your wonderful insights!

Just a quick question regarding these new virtual internships some firms have introduced recently, is it worth putting these in the work experience section of applications?

Yes - I would definitely include them. Be clear that they are a virtual internship though and you might have to explain (briefly) how this works in practice.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Many thanks Jessica, your insights are really precious!

I am not backstepping a career or escaping from Italy, I have just moved here after getting married
However, I see your point so once I have passed my exam in Italy (coming up this December) and getting fully qualified, I will look forward to QLTS; SQE from 2021 or I follow the flow with coming opportunities to become a solicitor in England and Wales.

My final target is to become a double qualified lawyer, not choosing one over another, but I have to understand what's the best way of doing it.

To better rephrase my question, I am just trying to understand if (in my specific case) it is still worth spending energy, time and focus on regular TC applications.

If you think that explaining the reasons behind that it's the key, very good. I hope you are not referring to direct shortlisting when they receive my application.

Could you please come back to me with some comments to clarify? It would really help me with my strategy.
Have a nice weekend!

Many will assume it is a backwards step though - you’ve gained 2 years experience in another country and people will wonder why you are willing to start from scratch in another, when there may be quicker routes than GDL>LPC>training contract. You need to show your explanation for choosing this route beyond just being qualified, and also show medium term commitment to the UK.

It’s impossible to answer your question on whether it is worth while investing the time. - this is very much a individual thing (your specific case isn’t specific enough in detail for me to answer). If it was me I’d seek out other Italian lawyers who have taken the route you have and get their advice though before committing to anything further.

 

[Matt_96]

Hi Jessica,

The app form I have been working on asks why you want to train as a solicitor, and your skills and achievements. On these big cover-letter style applications it is very tempting to just write everything rather than target the question more specifically. I have tried hard to keep everything tied to the question. Here is the structure I followed:

I did one line saying who I was essentially. Then, the second paragraph, which was fairly small, explains my interest in law and how shadowing lawyers led me to want to be a solicitor. In one line at the end of that I then link this to my skills/achievements by saying it would complement my existing experience.

In the following three paragraphs, which are a lot bigger (but well within the word count), I talk about one job/volunteering experience I have done in each, and the skill it has taught me, hopefully targeted to the law firm's recruitment criteria. At the end, I then have one to two lines saying why this skill would suit training as a solicitor to show that I at least know a little bit about what the job entails.

The problem, having written all that out, is that I have no idea how to finish it. I think that as a cover letter, it needs one or two lines to draw everything back together, before putting yours sincerely/faithfully etc., but I am not really sure what a good one-liner would be. I've thought about putting "I wish to train as a solicitor for these reasons." In the grand scheme of things one line won't matter tremendously, but I worry that this could be a little blunt.

What do you think about this? Is the structure I have followed also alright?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

The app form I have been working on asks why you want to train as a solicitor, and your skills and achievements. On these big cover-letter style applications it is very tempting to just write everything rather than target the question more specifically. I have tried hard to keep everything tied to the question. Here is the structure I followed:

I did one line saying who I was essentially. Then, the second paragraph, which was fairly small, explains my interest in law and how shadowing lawyers led me to want to be a solicitor. In one line at the end of that I then link this to my skills/achievements by saying it would complement my existing experience.

In the following three paragraphs, which are a lot bigger (but well within the word count), I talk about one job/volunteering experience I have done in each, and the skill it has taught me, hopefully targeted to the law firm's recruitment criteria. At the end, I then have one to two lines saying why this skill would suit training as a solicitor to show that I at least know a little bit about what the job entails.

The problem, having written all that out, is that I have no idea how to finish it. I think that as a cover letter, it needs one or two lines to draw everything back together, before putting yours sincerely/faithfully etc., but I am not really sure what a good one-liner would be. I've thought about putting "I wish to train as a solicitor for these reasons." In the grand scheme of things one line won't matter tremendously, but I worry that this could be a little blunt.

What do you think about this? Is the structure I have followed also alright?

It sounds a little too descriptive and possibly a little off what it is asking for you. Difficult to really give guidance on this though to be honest without seeing it.

I wouldn’t worry too much about having a conclusion to it. Applications are one of the few pieces of written documentation that don’t really need an intro or conclusion.

 

[Matt_96]

It sounds a little too descriptive and possibly a little off what it is asking for you. Difficult to really give guidance on this though to be honest without seeing it.

I wouldn’t worry too much about having a conclusion to it. Applications are one of the few pieces of written documentation that don’t really need an intro or conclusion.

Thanks for the heads up. I'm hesitant to be more specific given that I haven't submitted the application yet. Is the app a little off in the sense that I go into detail about why the skills I have learnt would be good as a trainee? It does not specifically ask for that in the question, just to talk about your skills and achievements in a more general sense.

Would it be better to restructure it and have paragraphs on 1) why train as a solicitor, 2) skills and 3) achievements and try not to mention the firm's recruitment criteria unless I can fit them in with skills?

 

[Jessica Booker]

It sounds a little too descriptive and possibly a little off what it is asking for you. Difficult to really give guidance on this though to be honest without seeing it.

Thanks for the heads up. I'm hesitant to be more specific given that I haven't submitted the application yet. Is the app a little off in the sense that I go into detail about why the skills I have learnt would be good as a trainee? It does not specifically ask for that in the question, just to talk about your skills and achievements in a more general sense.

Would it be better to restructure it and have paragraphs on 1) why train as a solicitor, 2) skills and 3) achievements and try not to mention the firm's recruitment criteria unless I can fit them in with skills?

I wouldn’t want you to post more detail.

It’s impossible for me to say - sorry. Just based on what you have said it sounds like you are going into too much detail about work experience etc rather than focusing on what it’s asked you to do (eg achievements).

Unless the firm asks you to link back to the recruitment requirements, I wouldn’t go into this detail. It’s typically evident from what you say anyway.

 

[Y]

How significantly are mitigating circumstances taken when determining who is successful in an application season? Understanding that vacation scheme/training contracts are very competitive - what would be your advice be (other than waiting a year for grades to be back on track) to make up for underperformance due to a personal circumstance affecting work?

 

[Jessica Booker]

How significantly are mitigating circumstances taken when determining who is successful in an application season? Understanding that vacation scheme/training contracts are very competitive - what would be your advice be (other than waiting a year for grades to be back on track) to make up for underperformance due to a personal circumstance affecting work?

It depends on the mitigating circumstances, if it’s obvious they had an impact, the relative strength of the rest of your application, and sometimes whether the MCs can be verified.

I’d just explain the circumstances and possibly get an academic reference or evidence to demonstrate the MCs. Apart from that, you don’t have to do anything differently than any other potential applicant - I don’t think you even have to wait though

 

[Tcapplicant]

Hi, in terms of applications if I wrote a successful first round app last year but was unsuccessful with the VI can I use a similar application this year? Obviously updating it to be more relevant but keeping the premise the same?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi, in terms of applications if I wrote a successful first round app last year but was unsuccessful with the VI can I use a similar application this year? Obviously updating it to be more relevant but keeping the premise the same?

Undoubtedly the majority of your application will be the same. But revisit certain sections and critically evaluate whether you have better examples to use since your last application and review any career motivational aspects as to what has changed or been solidified since your last application.

 

[PSM]

Undoubtedly the majority of your application will be the same. But revisit certain sections and critically evaluate whether you have better examples to use since your last application and review any career motivational aspects as to what has changed or been solidified since your last application.

Hi Jessica,

I am also in a similar situation where I am completing the application form for a firm that i was succesful in applying for last year (I did the vac scheme). The questions are exactly the same so I am reluctant to change too much as I believe I had quite strong answers. Do you think minor alterations should be ok?

The work experience section of the form has changed as I have gained more experience since my last application.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

I am also in a similar situation where I am completing the application form for a firm that i was succesful in applying for last year (I did the vac scheme). The questions are exactly the same so I am reluctant to change too much as I believe I had quite strong answers. Do you think minor alterations should be ok?

The work experience section of the form has changed as I have gained more experience since my last application.

With someone like you, I’d actually expect some changes. Your experience on the vac scheme alone will have given you greater insight into why the firm, you may have examples from that experience too that could possibly be better competency answers.

 

[D95]

Hi Jessica

As a non-RG graduate, I was advised to not waste my time on applications to certain law firms. From your experience, does my university put me in such a disadvantage that I should really not bother?
For the record, I had an equivalent of straight As on my A-levels and ended up at my university simply because by the virtue of being from EU I had no idea whatsoever of the importance of RG in the legal field and when I realised that it was perhaps too little too late. I actually enjoyed my time at uni and although so far I was not met with dismissive comments in person about my academic background, I did encounter less than encouraging posts online which, of course, severely impacted my self-confidence. Also, to my horror, quite recently my university took a deep dive in the league tables.
Theoretically, I meet all the basic criteria when I'm applying for TC/VS (good A-levels, 1st class degree, working experience) but sometimes I wonder how much emphasis the recruiters actually put on applicant's alma mater.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica

As a non-RG graduate, I was advised to not waste my time on applications to certain law firms. From your experience, does my university put me in such a disadvantage that I should really not bother?
For the record, I had an equivalent of straight As on my A-levels and ended up at my university simply because by the virtue of being from EU I had no idea whatsoever of the importance of RG in the legal field and when I realised that it was perhaps too little too late. I actually enjoyed my time at uni and although so far I was not met with dismissive comments in person about my academic background, I did encounter less than encouraging posts online which, of course, severely impacted my self-confidence. Also, to my horror, quite recently my university took a deep dive in the league tables.
Theoretically, I meet all the basic criteria when I'm applying for TC/VS (good A-levels, 1st class degree, working experience) but sometimes I wonder how much emphasis the recruiters actually put on applicant's alma mater.

Things like this really annoy me! Who on earth told you that not being at a RG uni would be an issue and that you should avoid certain firms? Please can you go and tell them to shut down their own dreams before trying to (wrongly) shut down others’.

If the comments have come from forums like TSR, you have to take them with a massive pinch of salt.

Here’s a list of non-RG unis I have recruited from at “top” firms.

Aberdeen
Aston
Bath
Brunel
East Anglia
Essex
Gloucestershire
Kent
Kingston
Lancaster
Leicester
Loughborough
Northampton
Nottingham Trent
The Open University
Reading
St Andrews
Staffordshire
Strathclyde
Surrey