Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you very much for your help!

On the point of duplicate applicant--could I ask if I apply to two offices of the same firm (provided their policy allows so) and the offices use completely different application systems, will I be flagged as a duplicate applicant? Thank you once again!

Two offices in the same country?

 

[33c]

Hi @Jessica Booker . I have an upcoming VI with a firm. I am preparing for standard competency/motivational qs such as why this firm etc. I have seen elsewhere that you would expect applicants to go into more depth than what was written on the application form. My question is how do I go about this if I only have a minute to speak? Should I focus on only one of my reasons for applying to the firm?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Sincere apologies for the confusion! I meant two offices in different countries.

Not impossible for it to be flagged that you are a duplicate applicant, but less likely if they have different systems and teams processing candidates.

I would quite regularly talk to my counterparts in Asia when we thought we might have applicants applying to both locations, so that’s why it could still be flagged.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker . I have an upcoming VI with a firm. I am preparing for standard competency/motivational qs such as why this firm etc. I have seen elsewhere that you would expect applicants to go into more depth than what was written on the application form. My question is how do I go about this if I only have a minute to speak? Should I focus on only one of my reasons for applying to the firm?

If you only have a minute to speak you may not be able to go into much more detail than what is in your cover letter. I wouldn’t focus on one aspect though.

 

[33c]

If you only have a minute to speak you may not be able to go into much more detail than what is in your cover letter. I wouldn’t focus on one aspect though.

Thanks Jessica!

 

[I.Like.UFOs.Not.PFOs]

Hi! I was wondering what firms usually use academic referees for? For example, do firms ask referees about the candidate’s character, or is it more that they just need someone to verify that a candidate didn’t lie about their first year exam marks etc.?
I have asked my academic adviser to be my referee (to which they agreed), however they don’t really know me on a personal level so I am worried that they may not be able to provide any information about my character/personality if a firm requested it.
(Thank you in advance!)

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi! I was wondering what firms usually use academic referees for? For example, do firms ask referees about the candidate’s character, or is it more that they just need someone to verify that a candidate didn’t lie about their first year exam marks etc.?
I have asked my academic adviser to be my referee (to which they agreed), however they don’t really know me on a personal level so I am worried that they may not be able to provide any information about my character/personality if a firm requested it.
(Thank you in advance!)

It depends on the firm.

Some firms just use it to verify your grades

Some firms want more of a character reference

Different universities (and even individual tutors) have their own policies for what they provide though. Like employers, universities increasingly are only providing verification of grades.

So even if a firm wants more detail, doesn’t mean they will necessarily get it.

 

[I.Like.UFOs.Not.PFOs]

It depends on the firm.

Some firms just use it to verify your grades

Some firms want more of a character reference

Different universities (and even individual tutors) have their own policies for what they provide though. Like employers, universities increasingly are only providing verification of grades.

So even if a firm wants more detail, doesn’t mean they will necessarily get it.

Thank you so much for your reply!

 

[Lawgirl123]

@Jessica Booker Hi Jessica, i am a bit stuck on what to do. I applied to Reed Smith in mid -December, took their test and then only got sent the research questions 4 days ago. I only have until tomorrow to complete ihem. As I have a full-time job and an AC coming up I don't really have time to fill in the questions. Do you think I could re-apply next month for their summer vac scheme instead since I haven't submitted my questions this time round?

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker Hi Jessica, i am a bit stuck on what to do. I applied to Reed Smith in mid -December, took their test and then only got sent the research questions 4 days ago. I only have until tomorrow to complete ihem. As I have a full-time job and an AC coming up I don't really have time to fill in the questions. Do you think I could re-apply next month for their summer vac scheme instead since I haven't submitted my questions this time round?

You are assuming your subsequent application would be successful. It’s up to you, but I would be asking in the forums if other people have managed to reapply on this basis with no issue

 

[Haz]

@Jessica Booker, for a question asking 'what current issues do you think have an impact on the legal profession?', am I okay to talk about how an issue might impact specific sectors at a firm, or do you think they are looking for something more general (i.e. the whole legal profession)? Thanks for the help!

 

[Jacob Miller]

@Jessica Booker, for a question asking 'what current issues do you think have an impact on the legal profession?', am I okay to talk about how an issue might impact specific sectors at a firm, or do you think they are looking for something more general (i.e. the whole legal profession)? Thanks for the help!

Personally I think it depends on the particular example.

For example, COVID might have negatively impacted the workload while positively impacting it for others; on the other hand, some issues will have more of an effect on the industry as a whole.

Generally speaking, I would consider having a number of different examples here, with some being sector-specific and some being more generally directed at the legal industry.

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker, for a question asking 'what current issues do you think have an impact on the legal profession?', am I okay to talk about how an issue might impact specific sectors at a firm, or do you think they are looking for something more general (i.e. the whole legal profession)? Thanks for the help!

As you have got to talk about multiple issues, I suspect this is fine.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

@Jessica Booker hope you are fine. During the interview stage, is it better to err on the side of giving long and detailed answers to the questions asked or is it better to keep them short? If we keep each answer long, then the Grad Rec member might have to ask us to stop midway during each question before she asks us the next one and maybe that will annoy her, but if we finish the answer quickly then maybe she will get the impression that we are under-prepared.

Thank You.

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker hope you are fine. During the interview stage, is it better to err on the side of giving long and detailed answers to the questions asked or is it better to keep them short? If we keep each answer long, then the Grad Rec member might have to ask us to stop midway during each question before she asks us the next one and maybe that will annoy her, but if we finish the answer quickly then maybe she will get the impression that we are under-prepared.

Thank You.

conciseness will always win out. But that doesn’t mean an answer should be short. You need to think about the key details of what the question is asking and ensure you provide structured detail and evidence to back up your answer. But only answer the question - where people tend to go wrong with long answers is that they are trying to provide a wider set of evidence that the answer isn’t asking for.

 

[NCLaw]

Hi Jessica

I am having trouble explaining why I am drawn to private client work with no previous experience in it. I know in my heart of hearts that I will enjoy advising and working for individuals who require advice about all aspects of their personal lives. I feel as though I will find it fascinating and care more because I will get to see the ways that lots of different live and plan their lives, and also be the person that helps to guide them through that. I just can't find a good enough reason to justify it, other than the fact that I have really enjoyed direct client contact during my paralegal (real estate) experience and found it interesting - but I seem to be using this example a lot, albeit in different ways.

Do you think it is enough sometimes to say that I am drawn to it if, from my previous answers, the reader can gather that I'm quite invested in the personal lives of others?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica

I am having trouble explaining why I am drawn to private client work with no previous experience in it. I know in my heart of hearts that I will enjoy advising and working for individuals who require advice about all aspects of their personal lives. I feel as though I will find it fascinating and care more because I will get to see the ways that lots of different live and plan their lives, and also be the person that helps to guide them through that. I just can't find a good enough reason to justify it, other than the fact that I have really enjoyed direct client contact during my paralegal (real estate) experience and found it interesting - but I seem to be using this example a lot, albeit in different ways.

Do you think it is enough sometimes to say that I am drawn to it if, from my previous answers, the reader can gather that I'm quite invested in the personal lives of others?

all sounds perfectly reasonable to me

 

[collie_121]

Hi Jessica!
I was just wondering whether my understanding of this question is correct.
'What will drive you to succeed at TW?'
Is this almost a why the firm question? Would I link why I want to work at/what draws me to the firm with how this would keep me motivated? Or how should I interpret it?

*I know you have previously commented on this question saying that it is asking for where your drive comes from and what makes you want to drive forward in this firm, and this is how I have interpreted your comment and the question. Just wanted to clarify I understand both.

Thank you in advance

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica!
I was just wondering whether my understanding of this question is correct.
'What will drive you to succeed at TW?'
Is this almost a why the firm question? Would I link why I want to work at/what draws me to the firm with how this would keep me motivated? Or how should I interpret it?

*I know you have previously commented on this question saying that it is asking for where your drive comes from and what makes you want to drive forward in this firm, and this is how I have interpreted your comment and the question. Just wanted to clarify I understand both.

Thank you in advance

It is more your motivations rather than “why this firm”. There will be some cross over, but this is more of a strengths based question asking you to focus on what is going to drive you to stay motivated and happy, specifically at that firm.

 

[collie_121]

It is more your motivations rather than “why this firm”. There will be some cross over, but this is more of a strengths based question asking you to focus on what is going to drive you to stay motivated and happy, specifically at that firm.

Thank you so much for your help!!