Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jess,

I wanted to ask whether you think it’s a good idea to pick up an additional A level to get my grades to meet the requirements. I got ABD in my a-levels. The reason for the D grade was because I was placed at a college which my sixth form partnered with to undertake the course. My teacher were constantly being swapped and the last one taught the wrong syllabus which resulted in everyone securing a D grade or below. I was thinking to undertake AS/A2 religious studies as a distant learner and sit the exams next year in May 2020.
Please kindly confirm whether this is a good idea and whether you recommend it ?

Thank you

You could do, but you have mitigating circumstances. To me I’d just get documentation from the school/college to say you were taught the wrong syllabus and that everyone is the class got a D or below.

that’s going to be far more powerful than doing one A-level on its own. Many firms when they ask for A-level grades are looking for three sat in the same year.

 

[R203]

Hi Jessica!

Do you have any advice for tackling strength-based written application questions?

For example, "When have you worked towards an ambitious goal? As part of your answer, please describe how you tackled this goal, what set-backs you faced and what energised you about the situation. (500)"

I am wondering if within my paragraphs, applying the STAR/CAR method would be useful - with a slight tweak, in the sense that I should also reflect on what made me enjoy the task.

However, I am unsure about what the firm means by "energised". Is there a recommended format for strength-based questions, specifically in answering the "enjoy" and "energised" portions.

Thank you so much!

 

[gricole]

How much detail about open days should I provide in my work experience section? I've been to quite a few so I just put Various Law firms as employer and then mention which firm and what I did during the open day. Is this approach good? I can expand but when I write a full section it just sounds very repetitive i.e. I learnt about the PE practice are. I found out more about the diversity committee organisation. I spoke to trainees about... An example of how I approach the section is:

At Clifford Chance, I participated in a workshop on finance and capital markets. I learnt about the deal structures in asset finance, acquisition finance, and project finance. I became familiar with basic financial terminology covering bonds, equity, and debt.

Is this enough?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica!

Do you have any advice for tackling strength-based written application questions?

For example, "When have you worked towards an ambitious goal? As part of your answer, please describe how you tackled this goal, what set-backs you faced and what energised you about the situation. (500)"

I am wondering if within my paragraphs, applying the STAR/CAR method would be useful - with a slight tweak, in the sense that I should also reflect on what made me enjoy the task.

However, I am unsure about what the firm means by "energised". Is there a recommended format for strength-based questions, specifically in answering the "enjoy" and "energised" portions.

Thank you so much!

Weird as that is in no way a strengths based question (apart from the energise bit).

I’d stick to STAR format as this is asking you to pull on a past example. For the R part you should include the energised bit. What that is basically asking you to identify is what part of the task did you get your energy from. For one person that might be working as a group, for the next person it may actually be getting the result. Talk about how you emotionally benefited from the experience

 

[Jessica Booker]

How much detail about open days should I provide in my work experience section? I've been to quite a few so I just put Various Law firms as employer and then mention which firm and what I did during the open day. Is this approach good? I can expand but when I write a full section it just sounds very repetitive i.e. I learnt about the PE practice are. I found out more about the diversity committee organisation. I spoke to trainees about... An example of how I approach the section is:

At Clifford Chance, I participated in a workshop on finance and capital markets. I learnt about the deal structures in asset finance, acquisition finance, and project finance. I became familiar with basic financial terminology covering bonds, equity, and debt.

Is this enough?

As little detail as possible. You are referencing one day. I’d even suggest the above is too descriptive (for instance, not convinced the last sentence really adds anything).

 

[Elisa]

Hi Jessica! It's great to have you here to help.

Here's my query:

When sending CVs to law firms, do they expect/want you to provide full module breakdowns for your university subjects? In my case, I study in Switzerland and we take many more subjects than in the UK (different credit system). If I include all my module breakdowns and their respective grades, my degree section becomes very text-heavy and takes up a lot of space. I guess my question is, what's more important: including module breakdowns even if it'll occupy a big section (with a lot of text!), or ensuring your CV isn't too crowded? I'd hate to put recruiters off at first sight.

Thank you for your insight!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica! It's great to have you here to help.

Here's my query:

When sending CVs to law firms, do they expect/want you to provide full module breakdowns for your university subjects? In my case, I study in Switzerland and we take many more subjects than in the UK (different credit system). If I include all my module breakdowns and their respective grades, my degree section becomes very text-heavy and takes up a lot of space. I guess my question is, what's more important: including module breakdowns even if it'll occupy a big section (with a lot of text!), or ensuring your CV isn't too crowded? I'd hate to put recruiters off at first sight.

Thank you for your insight!

Typically yes, but the system is built for the UK system where it’s unlikely you will be doing more than 8 modules a year.

If you have lots of modules, then I would put a years average on your CV but also attach a copy of my transcript in the application, or use the “any further information section” to detail out my module results

 

[haylaw]

Hi Jessica,
I am currently studying the LPC and was wondering if you had any advice on what elective modules to choose if I am yet to secure a training contract with a firm? Would you go for a corporate backing or a corporate and commercial backing to keep options open? Are there any modules, in particular, you would highly advise on choosing?

Thank you!

 

[Tintin06]

I wanted to ask how to handle sub-par academics in application forms. I got 1 A, 3 Bs and 4 Cs at GCSE, 3 As at A Level and 62.5 in Finals. Any advice on how to stand up despite not having top grades would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,
I am currently studying the LPC and was wondering if you had any advice on what elective modules to choose if I am yet to secure a training contract with a firm? Would you go for a corporate backing or a corporate and commercial backing to keep options open? Are there any modules, in particular, you would highly advise on choosing?

Thank you!

do the ones you are most interested in. Most firms won’t really care if it was commercial vs corporate as they are very similar. If they were concerned it would be more if you were choosing options like “personal injury” and “immigration” and they didn’t cover those services. But even then, I have seen people take very specific law modules in their LPC and law degree that contrast significantly to the type of work that specific law firm does, and it isn’t an issue.

Firms that don’t sponsor the LPC and are more niche might be more picky though.

 

[Jessica Booker]

I wanted to ask how to handle sub-par academics in application forms. I got 1 A, 3 Bs and 4 Cs at GCSE, 3 As at A Level and 62.5 in Finals. Any advice on how to stand up despite not having top grades would be greatly appreciated!

the first mistake is to assume that these are in anyway sub-par.

 

[JS19]

Hi Jessica,

Thanks so much for your time.

I read from an earlier reply you made on this thread that you tend to interview 2.5-3.5 candidates per place. If, for example, there were 80 training contracts available, did you tend to make significantly more offers than there were places available, in anticipation that certain candidates would decline in favour of other firms? If so, I would be interested in finding out the kind of ratio of offers to places that is typical among law firms, specifically from your experience in Freshfields and A&O if possible (although I'm sure the number would vary substantially from year to year), just to gauge the odds of being made an offer having been invited to interview.

Alternatively, did you simply rank the top 80 candidates and incrementally make offers to the 81st, 82nd etc. in the event of declined offers?

Thanks again,

J

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

Thanks so much for your time.

I read from an earlier reply you made on this thread that you tend to interview 2.5-3.5 candidates per place. If, for example, there were 80 training contracts available, did you tend to make significantly more offers than there were places available, in anticipation that certain candidates would decline in favour of other firms? If so, I would be interested in finding out the kind of ratio of offers to places that is typical among law firms, specifically from your experience in Freshfields and A&O if possible (although I'm sure the number would vary substantially from year to year), just to gauge the odds of being made an offer having been invited to interview.

Alternatively, did you simply rank the top 80 candidates and incrementally make offers to the 81st, 82nd etc. in the event of declined offers?

Thanks again,

J

That estimated figure is factoring in decline rates. Firms will have a fairly good gauge of what their decline rate will be.

It does not work on the basis of “your chances of getting an offer”. Candidates at interview stage are not equal. If you got a particularly bad bunch, you just invite more people to interview, if you have a particularly good bunch you stop interviewing and may even choose to cancel interviews you have scheduled in the future.

Depends on the firms way of offering. If it is rolling they will typically just offer as they go, possibly putting some candidates on hold if they are borderline candidates. Some firms wait until all the interviews are completed and then will offer the strongest candidates.

These processes are incredibly fluid. Also if you under offer, you can typically always top up if needed at a later date. You don’t always have to rely on your immediate talent pool, and it’s not always a disaster if you slightly under hit your recruitment target (especially with larger intakes).

Remember if you are talking about TCs, most law firms would have converted a number of their vacation scheme students, so it’s not like you have to do 2.5-3.5 interviews for each vacancy, as the firm has probably already filled anywhere between 50-100% of those vacancies with previous hires.

 

[JS19]

That estimated figure is factoring in decline rates. Firms will have a fairly good gauge of what their decline rate will be.

It does not work on the basis of “your chances of getting an offer”. Candidates at interview stage are not equal. If you got a particularly bad bunch, you just invite more people to interview, if you have a particularly good bunch you stop interviewing and may even choose to cancel interviews you have scheduled in the future.

Depends on the firms way of offering. If it is rolling they will typically just offer as they go, possibly putting some candidates on hold if they are borderline candidates. Some firms wait until all the interviews are completed and then will offer the strongest candidates.

These processes are incredibly fluid. Also if you under offer, you can typically always top up if needed at a later date. You don’t always have to rely on your immediate talent pool, and it’s not always a disaster if you slightly under hit your recruitment target (especially with larger intakes).

Remember if you are talking about TCs, most law firms would have converted a number of their vacation scheme students, so it’s not like you have to do 2.5-3.5 interviews for each vacancy, as the firm has probably already filled anywhere between 50-100% of those vacancies with previous hires.

Thanks Jessica, this is really helpful.

Also how does the post-interview process work? Do partners play a primary role in selecting candidates or do they simply relay their interview notes to the graduate recruitment team to consider applications more holistically?

I’ve also heard that some firms score candidates in ACs out of a certain number in each component (interview, written exercise, case study interview etc) and if one particular component of the AC doesn’t meet the threshold then the candidate does not receive an offer. From your experience is this compartmentalised approach true, or do firms take a more discretionary approach considering the application as a whole?

Apologies for the trivial questions but I’ve always been interested in the ‘behind the scenes’ of candidate selection.

Thanks again,

J

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thanks Jessica, this is really helpful.

Also how does the post-interview process work? Do partners play a primary role in selecting candidates or do they simply relay their interview notes to the graduate recruitment team to consider applications more holistically?

I’ve also heard that some firms score candidates in ACs out of a certain number in each component (interview, written exercise, case study interview etc) and if one particular component of the AC doesn’t meet the threshold then the candidate does not receive an offer. From your experience is this compartmentalised approach true, or do firms take a more discretionary approach considering the application as a whole?

Apologies for the trivial questions but I’ve always been interested in the ‘behind the scenes’ of candidate selection.

Thanks again,

J

Your worrying about the wrong things...

There isn’t a set answer here, even within the same firm. There are different ways in which you are assessed, not just exercises but also competencies/strengths/values across exercises.

You could have the strongest score overall in an AC and still not get an offer. You could not meet the benchmark in one exercise and have a fairly average score and get an offer.

It’s going to depend on how well you score and where. It’s going to depend on the relative strength of other candidates.

Firms don’t tend to let one person overly influence the process. It’s typically why you are assessed by multiple people or have multiple assessments. It’s not impossible in some firms for partners to overly influence the decision, but vast majority won’t for a number of very legitimate and common sense reasons.

 

[R203]

Hi Jessica!

If I have reached out to person X over social media to seek insights into a firm and would like to quote person X in an application, how should I go about it?
Could I say something along the lines of "Firm Z's training appeals to me because ABC. This is evidenced by Person X, where he explained that ...." Would I need to perhaps state that I reached out over social media and state the name of the social media? Or would just including the name and position be fine?

Thank you so much!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica!

If I have reached out to person X over social media to seek insights into a firm and would like to quote person X in an application, how should I go about it?
Could I say something along the lines of "Firm Z's training appeals to me because ABC. This is evidenced by Person X, where he explained that ...." Would I need to perhaps state that I reached out over social media and state the name of the social media? Or would just including the name and position be fine?

Thank you so much!

I’m not really convinced naming the person does anything in the above example, nor does providing more depth of the detail.

Its far more powerful to say “having contacted employees via social media, I have learnt” or

“These motivations have been consolidated by networking with current employees online”

more than “Joe Bloggs told me”

Leading with specific names just often come across as name dropping. You’ve got to lead with you and your motivations, not what someone else has told you.

 

[R203]

Thank you so much Jessica.

With regards this question;

Why are you interested in pursuing a career at the firm and what skills, qualities and attributes would you bring to the role? (Up to 300 words)

If I apportion 150 words per half question - in tackling the second half, would you advice covering more skills with less depth or cover less skills but in greater depth? And when talking about a particular skill, would you suggest using the STAR method?

Also, since the firm did not have an "extra-curricular" section in the application form and only have a work experience section, I suppose this question should be focused on extra-curriculars to avoid any overlaps with work experience and to cover more ground with university activities?

Thank you!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you so much Jessica.

With regards this question;

Why are you interested in pursuing a career at the firm and what skills, qualities and attributes would you bring to the role? (Up to 300 words)

If I apportion 150 words per half question - in tackling the second half, would you advice covering more skills with less depth or cover less skills but in greater depth? And when talking about a particular skill, would you suggest using the STAR method?

Also, since the firm did not have an "extra-curricular" section in the application form and only have a work experience section, I suppose this question should be focused on extra-curriculars to avoid any overlaps with work experience and to cover more ground with university activities?

Thank you!

I wouldn’t think so rigidly. Someone with lots of legal work experience probably will need to use less word count saying why they want to be a lawyer, vs the person who has no legal work experience may need more than 150 words. You need to write what works for you, and think about your application as a whole rather than individual questions.

i doubt STAR is necessary though given the word count and also how it fits in with other sections.

But I wouldn’t focus purely on your extra curriculars - that is not what the question is asking you. It is about you about the attributes that would make you a good lawyer. Focus on answering the question only.

 

[Ayah]

Hi Jessica,

I have two questions.

1. When answering questions such as “why commercial law” would it be acceptable to discuss events/open days attended at other law firms and if so would you advise for or against naming those firms
2. Answering “in your view which personal qualities make a successful lawyer” on the Sidley Austin application form, do you think we are expected to link all our points back to ourselves and how we meet that benchmark or to solely answer this in the abstract?

Thank you!