Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

I'm waiting on news post AC for both Linklaters and Clifford Chance.

However, I was told by Clifford Chance I would find out the latest by last Friday. Do you think it is ok for me to email their Graduate Recruitment Team or is it best to wait?

Thanks!

I'd wait until Wednesday and them give then a call rather than email.

 

[Aminata]

Hi Jessica, hope you're well?
How would you advise I incorporate my mitigating circumstances into a 1-page cover letter? I have never had to do this before so I am a bit puzzled about the best way to structure the cover letter to include this.

Thank you

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica, hope you're well?
How would you advise I incorporate my mitigating circumstances into a 1-page cover letter? I have never had to do this before so I am a bit puzzled about the best way to structure the cover letter to include this.

Thank you

If you are applying via email (and attaching the cover letter in an email), I would put them in the email rather than the letter.

For any that you are uploading as part of an online application tracking system/database, I would do one of the following.

1) Put a ** in the "why you" paragraph in a particular sentence that says you have Ext Circs. Then below where you have signed off the letter put the ** again with the details of the extenuating circumstances.

2) Before you get to the "why you" paragraph, have a separate short paragraph on your Ext Circs. Then focus on all the positive why you bits to leave the cover letter on a positive note, rather than a negative one.

Key thing with Ext Circs is to keep it as brief as possible. Where people go wrong is getting far too descriptive of what happened. You need to focus on how the Ext Circs impacted your ability to build out your CV, not to really explain the Ext Circs themselves. For instance, something like the following is sufficient (in terms of detail):

Due to a death in the family a week before, I was unable to focus on my contract exam in first year.

OR

Due to on-going health issues from December 2018 to May 2019, I was frequently absent from lectures and seminars, which in turn impacted my performance in end of year exams

What you can supplement the above with is something like.

If you require further information on this, my academic tutor can provide a reference.

OR

If you require further information on this, I'd be happy to discuss further or provide medical records.

 

[Claire]

Hi Jessica

I was hoping you'd be able to give me any insight into whether I have any hope of securing a training contract given my circumstances.

I'm a mature applicant (42) from overseas (my undergraduate degree is from Canada from a not well known university, with a good GPA). I worked overseas in Japan and China for close to a decade (unskilled work at first, like bar work, and then in a sales position).
I did the graduate LLB in London at City University and got a 2.2 with mitigating circumstances due to a close death in the family. I then got a distinction on the LPC in September 2014.

I currently work for a North American tech start up in London in a good position and am hesitant to find paralegal roles as when I've spoken with partners in law firms they've said it would look odd on a CV and like a 'step back' from my current position.

I've been applying for TCs and vac schemes since 2014 without much luck and not sure where I'm going wrong. I've had recruiters look at my applications and they've given them the thumbs up. I've had HR feedback tell me that the mitigating circumstances for my 2.2 were accepted. So I'm not really sure what else I can do or whether it's due to my age/etc that I don't get to interview stage.

Any advice? I'm targeting big international firms as this is the kind of law I want to practice and I don't think I'd be that interested in smaller/high street firms. But I'm at a loss.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica

I was hoping you'd be able to give me any insight into whether I have any hope of securing a training contract given my circumstances.

I'm a mature applicant (42) from overseas (my undergraduate degree is from Canada from a not well known university, with a good GPA). I worked overseas in Japan and China for close to a decade (unskilled work at first, like bar work, and then in a sales position).
I did the graduate LLB in London at City University and got a 2.2 with mitigating circumstances due to a close death in the family. I then got a distinction on the LPC in September 2014.

I currently work for a North American tech start up in London in a good position and am hesitant to find paralegal roles as when I've spoken with partners in law firms they've said it would look odd on a CV and like a 'step back' from my current position.

I've been applying for TCs and vac schemes since 2014 without much luck and not sure where I'm going wrong. I've had recruiters look at my applications and they've given them the thumbs up. I've had HR feedback tell me that the mitigating circumstances for my 2.2 were accepted. So I'm not really sure what else I can do or whether it's due to my age/etc that I don't get to interview stage.

Any advice? I'm targeting big international firms as this is the kind of law I want to practice and I don't think I'd be that interested in smaller/high street firms. But I'm at a loss.

Your age is not an issue - plenty of firms have recruited (and will continue to recruit) people in their 40s, or older. Every firm I have worked with has recruited people who came to law later on in life.

Its really difficult for me to say what is stopping you getting through to interview stage. Have you got any feedback on the recruitment processes you have encountered? Could it be down to other assessments, like online assessments/video interviews?

Also what are your college grades like? If these aren't comparable to a firm's A-level requirements, then this could also be an obstacle.

If you require a work permit, this could also be an issue, especially if a RLMT is required (which is pretty impossible for law firms to prove).

Feel free to PM me if you want to talk about your Ex Circs in more detail. Sometimes recruiters will see a candidate with Ext Circs, but their grades are not strong in places where the ext circs do not exist. This might not be the case for you, especially if you have got a distinction in the LPC.

 

[Claire]

Your age is not an issue - plenty of firms have recruited (and will continue to recruit) people in their 40s, or older. Every firm I have worked with has recruited people who came to law later on in life.

Its really difficult for me to say what is stopping you getting through to interview stage. Have you got any feedback on the recruitment processes you have encountered? Could it be down to other assessments, like online assessments/video interviews?

Also what are your college grades like? If these aren't comparable to a firm's A-level requirements, then this could also be an obstacle.

If you require a work permit, this could also be an issue, especially if a RLMT is required (which is pretty impossible for law firms to prove).

Feel free to PM me if you want to talk about your Ex Circs in more detail. Sometimes recruiters will see a candidate with Ext Circs, but their grades are not strong in places where the ext circs do not exist. This might not be the case for you, especially if you have got a distinction in the LPC.

Thanks for your reply!

That's a relief to hear about the age not being a barrier.

I haven't had any feedback other than one of the Big Four accountancy firms saying they would've put me through to the next stage had I not done the LPC (which I found surprising!). I've only gotten through to the video assessment once, so for the majority it seems to be a rejection on the paper application alone.

My GPA is 3.5 so I'm not sure if recruiters just look at that and figure it's easier to choose someone with straight As from a university they've heard of rather than the more complicated GPA from a university they have no idea about!

I don't require a work permit - I've got an EU passport - so that shouldn't be an issue.

What are your thoughts on quitting my current position and pursuing a paralegal role?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thanks for your reply!

That's a relief to hear about the age not being a barrier.

I haven't had any feedback other than one of the Big Four accountancy firms saying they would've put me through to the next stage had I not done the LPC (which I found surprising!). I've only gotten through to the video assessment once, so for the majority it seems to be a rejection on the paper application alone.

My GPA is 3.5 so I'm not sure if recruiters just look at that and figure it's easier to choose someone with straight As from a university they've heard of rather than the more complicated GPA from a university they have no idea about!

I don't require a work permit - I've got an EU passport - so that shouldn't be an issue.

What are your thoughts on quitting my current position and pursuing a paralegal role?

I meant your pre-university grades (As) rather than what you achieved at uni. GPAs at uni are fairly common on applications, so I would expect most recruiters to be able to decipher them. It’s more whether your pre uni grades equate to the A-level system here in the U.K.

It wouldn’t have been an issue but it may be going forward - think all recruiters are being somewhat cautious with EU passport holders until it is clearer around expectations/ work requirements post Brexit. I am assuming you have applied for residency/settled status?

I wouldn’t quit your role for a paralegal role (unless it is something you want to do).

 

[Aminata]

If you are applying via email (and attaching the cover letter in an email), I would put them in the email rather than the letter.

For any that you are uploading as part of an online application tracking system/database, I would do one of the following.

1) Put a ** in the "why you" paragraph in a particular sentence that says you have Ext Circs. Then below where you have signed off the letter put the ** again with the details of the extenuating circumstances.

2) Before you get to the "why you" paragraph, have a separate short paragraph on your Ext Circs. Then focus on all the positive why you bits to leave the cover letter on a positive note, rather than a negative one.

Key thing with Ext Circs is to keep it as brief as possible. Where people go wrong is getting far too descriptive of what happened. You need to focus on how the Ext Circs impacted your ability to build out your CV, not to really explain the Ext Circs themselves. For instance, something like the following is sufficient (in terms of detail):

Due to a death in the family a week before, I was unable to focus on my contract exam in first year.

OR

Due to on-going health issues from December 2018 to May 2019, I was frequently absent from lectures and seminars, which in turn impacted my performance in end of year exams

What you can supplement the above with is something like.

If you require further information on this, my academic tutor can provide a reference.

OR

If you require further information on this, I'd be happy to discuss further or provide medical records.

That is what I ideally wanted to do, especially to save word count, but I called the firm up and a lady from grad rec advised I put it in my cover letter.
I see, I will definitely follow your examples.
Thank you Jessica. Have a lovely day

 

[Claire]

I meant your pre-university grades (As) rather than what you achieved at uni. GPAs at uni are fairly common on applications, so I would expect most recruiters to be able to decipher them. It’s more whether your pre uni grades equate to the A-level system here in the U.K.

It wouldn’t have been an issue but it may be going forward - think all recruiters are being somewhat cautious with EU passport holders until it is clearer around expectations/ work requirements post Brexit. I am assuming you have applied for residency/settled status?

I wouldn’t quit your role for a paralegal role (unless it is something you want to do).

Ah sorry for misunderstanding. My A Level equivalents are very different, as we don't pick just 3-4 subjects in our last two years of school. Instead we picked many different courses which count as credits and we required a number of credits to graduate from school. The courses have a range of difficulty levels which also determine how many credits that course is worth. Universities would then look at your top 6 scoring courses. I was amongst the top of my graduating class. I explain this all in the applications I make, though I appreciate it's quite complicated!

I've applied for pre-settled status and will be eligible for settled in December 2020.

Your stance on a paralegal role is very helpful - thank you!

 

[Jasmin1777]

Hi Jessica,

If I am submitting an application to a firm that I have previously applied to and made it to the AC - if I am re-applying this year, do I have to change the entire application if the questions are exactly the same? Or can I simply update and enhance it without rewriting the whole application? (the whole application is about 2000 words in total)

 

[Jessica Booker]

Ah sorry for misunderstanding. My A Level equivalents are very different, as we don't pick just 3-4 subjects in our last two years of school. Instead we picked many different courses which count as credits and we required a number of credits to graduate from school. The courses have a range of difficulty levels which also determine how many credits that course is worth. Universities would then look at your top 6 scoring courses. I was amongst the top of my graduating class. I explain this all in the applications I make, though I appreciate it's quite complicated!

I've applied for pre-settled status and will be eligible for settled in December 2020.

Your stance on a paralegal role is very helpful - thank you!

Its not complicated, I understand the system. It is just whether your grades are comparable or not.

this page might give you some indication of comparative grades:

https://www.brighton.ac.uk/international/study-with-us/your-country-info/canada.aspx

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

If I am submitting an application to a firm that I have previously applied to and made it to the AC - if I am re-applying this year, do I have to change the entire application if the questions are exactly the same? Or can I simply update and enhance it without rewriting the whole application? (the whole application is about 2000 words in total)

I wouldn’t expect the whole thing to change - that doesn’t make any sense. I would expect it to be updated, refined and where it can improved though.

 

[azbwcy]

Hi Jessica, thank you so much for this thread! I was wondering what your advice would be for this question: 'Describe a specific situation in which you have demonstrated excellence in the following skills: Commercial awareness (60)' - I'm really struggling to think of a situation where you might 'use' commercial awareness if that makes sense! The form also asks about scenarios re client focus, communication, teamwork & initiative, so I've already used the only answer I might have that vaguely relates...
I might just be seriously overthinking this one, but any help would be amazing, thank you!

 

[Matt_96]

Hi Jessica, I've recently been invited to a telephone interview with Skadden. It's supposed to focus on commercial awareness, my application, my skills and my motivations to join the firm.

I think I can talk about my motivations, skills and application form at length but what kind of questions do you think might be asked on commercial awareness? Is the most important thing to just research topics that specifically link back to the firm?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica, thank you so much for this thread! I was wondering what your advice would be for this question: 'Describe a specific situation in which you have demonstrated excellence in the following skills: Commercial awareness (60)' - I'm really struggling to think of a situation where you might 'use' commercial awareness if that makes sense! The form also asks about scenarios re client focus, communication, teamwork & initiative, so I've already used the only answer I might have that vaguely relates...
I might just be seriously overthinking this one, but any help would be amazing, thank you!

Think of it as the following:

Have you ever had to make something more marketable/more profitable/more popular?

Have you ever had to strike a form of commercial agreement with someone (eg a venue for a social event/sponsorship for a society)?

Have you ever had to find cost savings on something?

Have you ever been a savy consumer who has negotiated themselves a good deal?

Have you had to do anything similar to any of the above in a work environment?

 

[azbwcy]

Think of it as the following:

Have you ever had to make something more marketable/more profitable/more popular?

Have you ever had to strike a form of commercial agreement with someone (eg a venue for a social event/sponsorship for a society)?

Have you ever had to find cost savings on something?

Have you ever been a savy consumer who has negotiated themselves a good deal?

Have you had to do anything similar to any of the above in a work environment?

Thank you so much, this is so helpful!

 

[FutureCity]

Hey Jessica,

I wanted to ask.

I applied to a firm in November 27. They recruit on a rolling basis with their deadline on the January 19.

I haven't heard anything back from them and I know people who've been both rejected and invited to assessment centres.

Do you think it is worthwhile to email them and get in touch? Or should I just wait?

Thanks

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hey Jessica,

I wanted to ask.

I applied to a firm in November 27. They recruit on a rolling basis with their deadline on the January 19.

I haven't heard anything back from them and I know people who've been both rejected and invited to assessment centres.

Do you think it is worthwhile to email them and get in touch? Or should I just wait?

Thanks

I would contact them given the time lag.

 

[FutureCity]

I would contact them given the time lag.

Thank you.

 

[Blair.11]

Hi!

I was just wondering how do I phrase my work experiences? Do I just talk about what I've learnt from it and what were my responsibilities?