Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

I'm a second year Oxford law student, and my only exams are in 1st and 3rd year. In between, I only receive grades for collections (unofficial exams for modules set by college tutors). I have yet to receive my grades for the latest collection, but when should I be including these in my application? Should I always include them, only include them if they are beneficial, or not include them at all? If they should be included, should they be listed alongside my official 1st year results in the Modules section, or elsewhere in the application?
Thanks

you’ll need to include them. Everyone knows they are not formal assessments but they want to see what you are on track for, so they are important.

Some people put them in extra information sections on their applications rather than in module sections where they are not formal grades

 

[Lastseasonwonder]

Unless it’s covered in other sections of the application, then why the firm, why the opportunity, why you (those three things can be in any order though).

Law careers.net says the following (attached)

I think you have sent the wrong attachment, it just quotes the social media pages of NRF.

 

[Lastseasonwonder]

In the work experience section in applications, should I bullet point or write in full details? Any firms that prefer either way?

 

[gricole]

Hi @Jessica Booker! I was recently hired as an external consultant to a law firm to help with a corporate investigation for corruption allegations. Due to the confidential nature of the job I feel like I can't share anything specific about my task apart from it being document review using Relativity. All my other work experience entries are 250 words. Should I be concerned that this latest section will only be 70-80 words?

 

[Jessica Booker]

I think you have sent the wrong attachment, it just quotes the social media pages of NRF.

Look again, it says “Applications to” and someone’s name

 

[Jessica Booker]

In the work experience section in applications, should I bullet point or write in full details? Any firms that prefer either way?

Have a look at this post

Formatting 1

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker! I was recently hired as an external consultant to a law firm to help with a corporate investigation for corruption allegations. Due to the confidential nature of the job I feel like I can't share anything specific about my task apart from it being document review using Relativity. All my other work experience entries are 250 words. Should I be concerned that this latest section will only be 70-80 words?

That is fine.

 

[Imababysolicitor]

Hi @Jessica Booker i had two questions if you could help?
I submitted an application on Saturday and was told I should receive a confirmation email that they’ve received my application. I still haven’t received this email, and the application is not on a portal where I can check correspondence from the firm - do you think it’s worth emailing the firm to ask if they received my application?
Also, I checked my application and realised I had made a mistake on my work experience section - I gave the details of my employment but not the name of the company or my role, what do you think I should do?
Thank you!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker i had two questions if you could help?
I submitted an application on Saturday and was told I should receive a confirmation email that they’ve received my application. I still haven’t received this email, and the application is not on a portal where I can check correspondence from the firm - do you think it’s worth emailing the firm to ask if they received my application?
Also, I checked my application and realised I had made a mistake on my work experience section - I gave the details of my employment but not the name of the company or my role, what do you think I should do?
Thank you!

If it’s not on the portal, then you haven’t applied, so you will be able to change the mistake too.

 

[Imababysolicitor]

If it’s not on the portal, then you haven’t applied, so you will be able to change the mistake too.

Sorry, I meant the firm doesn’t use a portal like apply4law where you can track correspondence. I can’t login, I just submitted my application and was returned to the homepage.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Yes you can email to check then. Unfortunately the mistake is the mistake if they have received it and if they haven’t then you can update your application and resend

 

[Imababysolicitor]

Yes you can email to check then. Unfortunately the mistake is the mistake if they have received it and if they haven’t then you can update your application and resend

Okay, I will do & that makes sense, I’ll see what they say. Thank you!

 

[IntrepidL]

Hi @Jessica Booker,

I was wondering if you might have any thoughts on what would be the best way to answer the following the situational questions?

1. Imagine that you are completing a piece of work for a partner but you are falling behind schedule. It’s not an urgent piece of work but you promised that you’d submit it before the end of the day. You don’t think you’ll finish it on time. What do you do?

2. A senior partner at your law firm comes into your office to give you some work. You are trying to keep up, but he leaves before you get a chance to clarify the details. You have a fair idea of what to do but you are a little confused by one of the parts of the task. What do you do?

- Firstly, I think it is important to gain clarity on the task before I start on it. Thus, I will make notes of the information provided by the partner.
- I will then send the information to the partner and reconfirm with the partner if I have the details correct before I begin working on the task.
- However, if the partner appears too busy, I will clarify the details with another individual on my team who might be able to help or who have experience with this type of work.

The above is an outline of my thought process. However, I am not so sure if I am walking along the right trajectory

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker,

I was wondering if you might have any thoughts on what would be the best way to answer the following the situational questions?

1. Imagine that you are completing a piece of work for a partner but you are falling behind schedule. It’s not an urgent piece of work but you promised that you’d submit it before the end of the day. You don’t think you’ll finish it on time. What do you do?

2. A senior partner at your law firm comes into your office to give you some work. You are trying to keep up, but he leaves before you get a chance to clarify the details. You have a fair idea of what to do but you are a little confused by one of the parts of the task. What do you do?

- Firstly, I think it is important to gain clarity on the task before I start on it. Thus, I will make notes of the information provided by the partner.
- I will then send the information to the partner and reconfirm with the partner if I have the details correct before I begin working on the task.
- However, if the partner appears too busy, I will clarify the details with another individual on my team who might be able to help or who have experience with this type of work.

The above is an outline of my thought process. However, I am not so sure if I am walking along the right trajectory

Yes - right kind of thinking but think about what is the most efficient way of dealing with such a task. Remember there are parts of the task you are confident you know what to do, it is only one part that is the issue.

 

[IntrepidL]

Thank you, @Jessica Booker!

For the first question, would it be appropriate to answer along the following lines:
- As I am falling behind with this piece of work, which is of particular urgency, I will need to allocate more time to complete this task.
- Thus, I will look at my to-do list and see if there are any tasks I can complete tomorrow so I can dedicate more time to complete the work that is due at the end of today.
- I will have to re-assess my priorities and shuffle my workload accordingly.
- However, if there is completely no way for me to complete the work on time, I will explain the situation to the partner immediately and ask whether I can share the workload with another trainee.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you, @Jessica Booker!

For the first question, would it be appropriate to answer along the following lines:
- As I am falling behind with this piece of work, which is of particular urgency, I will need to allocate more time to complete this task.
- Thus, I will look at my to-do list and see if there are any tasks I can complete tomorrow so I can dedicate more time to complete the work that is due at the end of today.
- I will have to re-assess my priorities and shuffle my workload accordingly.
- However, if there is completely no way for me to complete the work on time, I will explain the situation to the partner immediately and ask whether I can share the workload with another trainee.

Read carefully - the situation says it is not urgent. The situation also already tells you that you think you won’t be able to complete it today.

 

[orange32]

Hi @Jessica Booker, I wanted to ask about the question "Give an example of an outstanding personal achievement which added value to either your academic or working environment"

Does the reference to "academic or working environment" exclude extracurricular activities / achievements (eg winning a Case Competition) as they are unrelated to academics or work?

Moreover does "added value... to your... environment" have any special / particular meaning here (esp. the word "environment") or does it just generally refer to a positive impact you made on the situation?

Thanks!

 

[Szerena]

Hi Jessica,

I am applying for vacation schemes at the moment and I have a question regarding the work experience part. I was wondering whether I should mention the following: Towards the end of my last internship, I was told by HR to apply for an upcoming permanent position and all the associates I worked with were also encouraging me to do so. I had an interview that went very well, but just a few days later lockdown was announced and all the hiring was frozen within the firm.

I think it would show that the firm appreciated my work there, but I'm just not sure if it's appropriate to be included at the work experience part. Unfortunately there is no 'additional information' part of the form where I could put this.

Thank you!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker, I wanted to ask about the question "Give an example of an outstanding personal achievement which added value to either your academic or working environment"

Does the reference to "academic or working environment" exclude extracurricular activities / achievements (eg winning a Case Competition) as they are unrelated to academics or work?

Moreover does "added value... to your... environment" have any special / particular meaning here (esp. the word "environment") or does it just generally refer to a positive impact you made on the situation?

Thanks!

I would try to focus on either an academic (non extra curricular) or work experience example, but you can use your discretion - something like a moot could be seen as academic if you are studying law.

The add value is the key part here - there is no real meaning to environment in this question.

 

[orange32]

I would try to focus on either an academic (non extra curricular) or work experience example, but you can use your discretion - something like a moot could be seen as academic if you are studying law.

The add value is the key part here - there is no real meaning to environment in this question.

Thanks Jessica, that's very helpful!