Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[Lawyerwithadream]

yes - where you have completed modules, I would list them.

Thank you Jessica

 

[Jessica Booker]

Having graduate recruitment experience, I was wondering if you regard candidates having nerves during an interview as a strong negative?

I had an interview at yesterday, and although I wasn't shaking the table/obviously jittery, I think an internal nervousness definitely made my answers less coherent than I wanted them to be. The interview didn't feel bad, but I know the standard for these interviews is very high. Obviously it will depend on who you interview with (my interviewers were a member of HR, and senior associate), but I was wondering what you stance is as to nerves.

Your perception of nerves is very different to what the interview will think/see. It’s likely you are over thinking it and overly scrutinising yourself (pretty standard behaviour post interview).

Also standards in interview are not typically “very high” to be honest - it just a case that many people come into interviews and do an “okay” job and then recruiters give fairly unhelpful feedback to say people did a “good job” but there were stronger candidates on the day.

Any decent interviewer will understand nerves will play a part and that under other circumstances those nerves may not be present. But at the same time interviewers need to be confident that you can be the type of person who can manage a client conversation with confidence and if the nerves seem to have got the better of you, this can be of concern as to whether the same behaviours would be seen in the work place. So there is a fine line and where that line sits will be with the individual bias of the interviewer(s) - if they are someone who gets more nervous they are probably more accepting, if they have recently had a bad situation with a trainee screwing up from nerves they are likely to be less accepting.

If your answers were incoherent that is a worry, and it won’t be obvious that is down to nerves. An interviewer may assume that your can’t just articulate your points clearly and concisely.

 

[S321]

Hi Jessica

Thank you for this thread and all the information available. I had some serious mitigating circumstances while I was at university which resulted in a 2:2 overall and I have one final online module to submit. I’m not sure how to explain this, I had decided that I would not apply to as many of the larger city firms this year too as I mostly received rejections last year, so this year I’ve done more research on each company I have applied to. Is the 2:2 going to be a big problem in me securing a vac scheme?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica

Thank you for this thread and all the information available. I had some serious mitigating circumstances while I was at university which resulted in a 2:2 overall and I have one final online module to submit. I’m not sure how to explain this, I had decided that I would not apply to as many of the larger city firms this year too as I mostly received rejections last year, so this year I’ve done more research on each company I have applied to. Is the 2:2 going to be a big problem in me securing a vac scheme?

You shouldn’t close yourself off to applying to firms that require a 2.1 - you have Ext Circs

 

[S321]

You shouldn’t close yourself off to applying to firms that require a 2.1 - you have Ext Circs

Thank you for the response. One of my applications to Withers involves answering a few questions in 60 words. There is a list of multiple questions with the same title “a specific situation in which you have demonstrated excellence in...” “1.Commercial awareness”
I’m unsure as to whether I’d relate the commercial awareness around the company itself. Or around my experience, such as things that have happened that have affected business in my part time work.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you for the response. One of my applications to Withers involves answering a few questions in 60 words. There is a list of multiple questions with the same title “a specific situation in which you have demonstrated excellence in...” “1.Commercial awareness”
I’m unsure as to whether I’d relate the commercial awareness around the company itself. Or around my experience, such as things that have happened that have affected business in my part time work.

no you don’t link it to the firm - you just demonstrate your commercial awareness - that could be any example.

 

[KatieCCM]

Hi Jessica,

Just a quick question about the extra-curricular section of the application form.

For context, I graduated from university just over two years ago. My approach is typically to touch on the voluntary work I did throughout university and then discuss how I've continued this into working life as well as an interest at the end (training for a race).

Is this fine from a GR perspective that I'm not only discussing hobbies that I've taken part in the past year or two? It's otherwise difficult to cover this as someone who works full-time! I would assume additional interests of mine such as cooking etc would not be helpful additions as they don't really show transferrable skills in the same way as e.g. training for a race?

 

[S321]

no you don’t link it to the firm - you just demonstrate your commercial awareness - that could be any example.

Thank you for the feedback!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

Just a quick question about the extra-curricular section of the application form.

For context, I graduated from university just over two years ago. My approach is typically to touch on the voluntary work I did throughout university and then discuss how I've continued this into working life as well as an interest at the end (training for a race).

Is this fine from a GR perspective that I'm not only discussing hobbies that I've taken part in the past year or two? It's otherwise difficult to cover this as someone who works full-time! I would assume additional interests of mine such as cooking etc would not be helpful additions as they don't really show transferrable skills in the same way as e.g. training for a race?

yes of course a it’s not a problem at all. People sometimes use things from 5+ years ago with no issue

 

[Jessica Booker]

Re the Gibson Dunn question:

Please write a cover letter. You should include some of the following areas: what attracts you to Gibson Dunn; why you want to become a solicitor; an outstanding personal achievement which added value to either your academic or working environment; details of any prizes, scholarships, positions of responsibility and any other noteworthy achievements that will support your application.

Do I need to directly address it to the graduate recruiter and then end with yours sincrely or not from the context of the question?

If you are uploading a document, include all the appropriate formalities. If it is just a free text box in an application form (with no ability to format the text), don’t.

 

[J Wu]

Re the Gibson Dunn question:

Please write a cover letter. You should include some of the following areas: what attracts you to Gibson Dunn; why you want to become a solicitor; an outstanding personal achievement which added value to either your academic or working environment; details of any prizes, scholarships, positions of responsibility and any other noteworthy achievements that will support your application.

Do I need to directly address it to the graduate recruiter and then end with yours sincrely or not from the context of the question?

If you are uploading a document, include all the appropriate formalities. If it is just a free text box in an application form (with no ability to format the text), don’t.

Just to build on this, I went straight into the cover letter in my application in the year I did Gibson Dunn's vac scheme (No Dear X or Yours sincerely etc.)

 

[Changes]

Hi Jessica,

Do you have any advice about how to approach the following question:

What do you think it means to deliver legal advice in a commercial way?

My thinking was to cover 3-4 main points, including an example of a case relevant to the firm (if one works in this context) and an explanation of how those points might benefit a client. Is this along the right lines or am I missing something? Should I be relating my own experiences to this in some way?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

Do you have any advice about how to approach the following question:

What do you think it means to deliver legal advice in a commercial way?

My thinking was to cover 3-4 main points, including an example of a case relevant to the firm (if one works in this context) and an explanation of how those points might benefit a client. Is this along the right lines or am I missing something? Should I be relating my own experiences to this in some way?

It’s hard to say as it depends what your points are. You should only cite a case if you can link that to your points, otherwise it comes across as just a bit thrown in there/forced.

I am not sure about your point about relating points back to how it may benefit the client.

You can relate your experience if appropriate but make sure it is appropriate, related to your point and once again not forced into the answer.

I think you may be trying to squeeze too much into this question and trying to answer things the question isn’t asking.

@Jaysen - any thoughts on this one?

 

[Changes]

It’s hard to say as it depends what your points are. You should only cite a case if you can link that to your points, otherwise it comes across as just a bit thrown in there/forced.

I am not sure about your point about relating points back to how it may benefit the client.

You can relate your experience if appropriate but make sure it is appropriate, related to your point and once again not forced into the answer.

I think you may be trying to squeeze too much into this question and trying to answer things the question isn’t asking.

@Jaysen - any thoughts on this one?

Thanks - I am wondering if I am overthinking it.

Do you think they just want a description of what I think that means? It’s only a 200 word question.

I suppose one example might be if there is a case where they advised a client to settle, even though they would’ve likely won, due to other risks to their business e.g. damage to reputation.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thanks - I am wondering if I am overthinking it.

Do you think they just want a description of what I think that means? It’s only a 200 word question.

I suppose one example might be if there is a case where they advised a client to settle, even though they would’ve likely won, due to other risks to their business e.g. damage to reputation.

yes - that’s exactly what they want. I think you are focusing too much on examples. I think you need to talk more about what commercial means in terms of how you operate as a lawyer

 

[christmastree123]

Hey Jessica, I am filling out an application for Vinson & Elkins and two of the questions are " Please outline your extra-curricular activities and interests" and "Please give details of any prizes, scholarships, positions of responsibility and any other noteworthy achievements that will support your application". My answer to both question overlap because I don't have any prizes or scholarship to mention and all of my positions of responsibility is related to my extra-curriculars. Any tips on how I can differentiate my answers between the two?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hey Jessica, I am filling out an application for Vinson & Elkins and two of the questions are " Please outline your extra-curricular activities and interests" and "Please give details of any prizes, scholarships, positions of responsibility and any other noteworthy achievements that will support your application". My answer to both question overlap because I don't have any prizes or scholarship to mention and all of my positions of responsibility is related to my extra-curriculars. Any tips on how I can differentiate my answers between the two?

just avoid any repetition. If they can be put in either section, just choose which one is most suitable

 

[EvaK]

Hi Jessica, do you have any advice on how to approach a "what are your personal and career goals" type of question in a vac scheme application form? I'm assuming it would make sense to focus on the foreseeable future (e.g. the next 5 years) and aim to come across as ambitious but not delusional. However, I'm not sure if and how I should make reference to the specific firm (e.g. I'm hoping to be an associate at X firm) or if I should keep it more generic (I'm hoping to be an associate at a mid-size, US firm which has X and Z attributes)?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica, do you have any advice on how to approach a "what are your personal and career goals" type of question in a vac scheme application form? I'm assuming it would make sense to focus on the foreseeable future (e.g. the next 5 years) and aim to come across as ambitious but not delusional. However, I'm not sure if and how I should make reference to the specific firm (e.g. I'm hoping to be an associate at X firm) or if I should keep it more generic (I'm hoping to be an associate at a mid-size, US firm which has X and Z attributes)?

either approaches would be fine - you can also do both “I am aiming to be an associate at a mid-size, US firm which has X and Y attributes, such as Joes Bloggs LLP”

If you are going to saw a mid size US law firm though, you need to be specific - why a US mid size law firm?!

 

[Isaac]

Does anyone know who the grad recruitment manager at NRF is?