Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Of course - there wouldn’t be any negative issues there.

Any large commercial law firm in India that is working on international matters will be good enough. It doesn’t have to be a partner firm. The importance is really the work they do, not the relationship.

The only way a “best friends” relationship would help is if a partner in the Indian firm put in a strong recommendation to a partner in the London office.

"Any large commercial law firm in India that is working on international matters will be good enough. It doesn’t have to be a partner firm. The importance is really the work they do, not the relationship."

Does this mean that internships at mid-tier or lower-rung law firms make your application weaker when compared to someone who has interned at the biggest Indian firms?

 

[Jessica Booker]

"Any large commercial law firm in India that is working on international matters will be good enough. It doesn’t have to be a partner firm. The importance is really the work they do, not the relationship."

Does this mean that internships at mid-tier or lower-rung law firms make your application weaker when compared to someone who has interned at the biggest Indian firms?

It isn’t as binary as that.

Any work experience will be good and better than nothing.

But if you are working on large, complex, international matters, you should have to opportunity be able to pick up more knowledge and understanding of the type of work a large international law firm in London is doing.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

It isn’t as binary as that.

Any work experience will be good and better than nothing.

But if you are working on large, complex, international matters, you should have to opportunity be able to pick up more knowledge and understanding of the type of work a large international law firm in London is doing.

Great. Just one last follow-up question, please. I still want to intern at the two existing best-friend firms in India to say in my applications that "this was the closest that I could have gotten to tasting the city law firm life". Would it be okay to make such a claim or is this a flawed argument given that working in any large Indian firm could get me pretty close to that level of understanding?

Thank you.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Great. Just one last follow-up question, please. I still want to intern at the two existing best-friend firms in India to say in my applications that "this was the closest that I could have gotten to tasting the city law firm life". Would it be okay to make such a claim or is this a flawed argument given that working in any large Indian firm could get me pretty close to that level of understanding?

Thank you.

I wouldn’t put it like that personally. I would just focus on what you learnt from the work. But obviously you could put that if you wanted to - there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just my personal view that it isn’t focusing on the most relevant information.

 

[PF'noooo!]

Hi @Jessica Booker

I've noticed that I have two module grades mixed up on an application form.
I have for module 'A' written 66% and for module 'B' written 79%. In fact, it should be 79% for module 'A' and 66% for module 'B'. This was an honest mistake and the result of submitting an application too late at night, the numbers are correct but they are just under the wrong modules.
The firm requires at 2:1 overall, and even with this mix up I have still achieved at high 2:1.

Should I rise this issue GR or wait until they ask for my transcripts if I happen to receive an offer?

Thanks

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker

I've noticed that I have two module grades mixed up on an application form.
I have for module 'A' written 66% and for module 'B' written 79%. In fact, it should be 79% for module 'A' and 66% for module 'B'. This was an honest mistake and the result of submitting an application too late at night, the numbers are correct but they are just under the wrong modules.
The firm requires at 2:1 overall, and even with this mix up I have still achieved at high 2:1.

Should I rise this issue GR or wait until they ask for my transcripts if I happen to receive an offer?

Thanks

Really wouldn’t worry about it. Could highlight it at the point transcripts are asked for but they won’t care - they will be able to see the mix up and it’s not like you are presenting wrong information as such, just mixed up.

 

[PF'noooo!]

Really wouldn’t worry about it.

Thank you Jessica

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica! I was wondering what percentage of candidates usually get invited to interview, from those that apply? In your experience is there a normal percentage range or can it depend?

There won’t be a percentage of applicants as that can vary. It is typically somewhere between 2.5 to 4 times the number of vacancies they are recruiting for though.

 

[j2134]

Hi Jessica,

I have couple of interviews coming up. Ive only done one interview so far, which was successful luckily. However id still like to know how I could improve, as they didn't give me any feed back other than telling me I got the VS.

Would it be weird if I asked them for my interview notes? (is that even a normal thing to do). Also, would it be a bit cheeky to ask for feedback given that my aim is to use that feedback to try and do well at an interview at a rival firm? (feels a bit wrong)

Thanks!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

I have couple of interviews coming up. Ive only done one interview so far, which was successful luckily. However id still like to know how I could improve, as they didn't give me any feed back other than telling me I got the VS.

Would it be weird if I asked them for my interview notes? (is that even a normal thing to do). Also, would it be a bit cheeky to ask for feedback given that my aim is to use that feedback to try and do well at an interview at a rival firm? (feels a bit wrong)

Thanks!

You are unlikely to get your interview notes unless you put a subject access request in. You could ask for feedback from your interview in a more informal manner though (eg feedback in an email or call). They are likely to not be able to give you anything substantial though because you were successful.

I have given feedback to successful candidates before though. It’s just whether the firm will have the time to give it to you/whether they feel they have anything of substance to give you.

 

[j2134]

You are unlikely to get your interview notes unless you put a subject access request in. You could ask for feedback from your interview in a more informal manner though (eg feedback in an email or call). They are likely to not be able to give you anything substantial though because you were successful.

I have given feedback to successful candidates before though. It’s just whether the firm will have the time to give it to you/whether they feel they have anything of substance to give you.

Ok thats great thanks.

When taking notes during a competency interview, what are partners taking notes about exactly? May sound like a vague question, but are they rating it out of 10 or something? Do they make a note about the specific example you give in order to discuss it at a later date together?

Intrigued to know what people are scribbling away so ferociously about!!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Ok thats great thanks.

When taking notes during a competency interview, what are partners taking notes about exactly? May sound like a vague question, but are they rating it out of 10 or something? Do they make a note about the specific example you give in order to discuss it at a later date together?

Intrigued to know what people are scribbling away so ferociously about!!

There isn’t any set answer to this.

Different employers will have different processes and different assessment methods.

Interview notes could just be to remind someone of what was said to make a yes or no decision. If there is a scoring system it could be anything from 1-3 to 1-20 but that might not be determined until after the interview and in a separate process to making notes in the interview itself.

The purpose of the notes could be just for the individual interviewer and their own purposes. It could be purposely written so that it is stored so that when people join the firm there is feedback and commentary to work from (know first seat allocations have been worked out partly from feedback forms at some firms).

 

[Daniel Boden]

Hi Jessica,

I have couple of interviews coming up. Ive only done one interview so far, which was successful luckily. However id still like to know how I could improve, as they didn't give me any feed back other than telling me I got the VS.

Would it be weird if I asked them for my interview notes? (is that even a normal thing to do). Also, would it be a bit cheeky to ask for feedback given that my aim is to use that feedback to try and do well at an interview at a rival firm? (feels a bit wrong)

Thanks!

I've had no issues with doing this previously and actually did it with both firms I got vacation schemes with so that I knew what they thought I could work on prior to going on the schemes. For me, it's much easier to organise a call with GradRec and then they can go through their feedback for you over the phone which tends to be much more convenient for both parties. I very much doubt they'd have any issues discussing this with you tbh - hope that helps!

 

[j2134]

I've had no issues with doing this previously and actually did it with both firms I got vacation schemes with so that I knew what they thought I could work on prior to going on the schemes. For me, it's much easier to organise a call with GradRec and then they can go through their feedback for you over the phone which tends to be much more convenient for both parties. I very much doubt they'd have any issues discussing this with you tbh - hope that helps!

Thanks Daniel, appreciate this!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Can I contact Administration?
I'ts important.
Regards.

Feel free to contact me via PM if it’s urgent. Happy to respond to questions here too though.

 

[Matt_96]

Morning Jessica,

What is the best way of expressing interest in a particular practice area if you don't have a lot of experience it? I'm applying to a firm that does a lot of financial crime and fraud work (pretty much their only work tbh).

My reasons for being interested are:

1. that I am fascinated by the high profile nature of the work and how it overlaps with commercial affairs.
2. the fact that this firm's financial crime/fraud practice is very international -> I come from an international background myself and spent 2 years during my university years living, studying and working abroad and like working with people from different backgrounds
3. because I want to build a career in disputes law, which I am drawn to because of my work experience in the area.

I am concerned that these reasons might be fairly weak.

For point 1, I want to convey my enthusiasm for financial crime but don't think I'm doing it well. I feel I lack a strong basis to back up why I enjoy its overlap with the business world. Other than doing criminal law during my law degree and observing a few money laundering/fraud trials, I haven't done anything extra that could show my interest.

Point 2 is one that I've mentioned on a number of applications that have been rejected recently. It might not be the only reason, but are there better things I could be pointing out?

Point 3 is probably alright as disputes are the firm's only offering. But is saying you enjoyed work experience in the area enough?

I'm curious to know your thoughts.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Morning Jessica,

What is the best way of expressing interest in a particular practice area if you don't have a lot of experience it? I'm applying to a firm that does a lot of financial crime and fraud work (pretty much their only work tbh).

My reasons for being interested are:

1. that I am fascinated by the high profile nature of the work and how it overlaps with commercial affairs.
2. the fact that this firm's financial crime/fraud practice is very international -> I come from an international background myself and spent 2 years during my university years living, studying and working abroad and like working with people from different backgrounds
3. because I want to build a career in disputes law, which I am drawn to because of my work experience in the area.

I am concerned that these reasons might be fairly weak.

For point 1, I want to convey my enthusiasm for financial crime but don't think I'm doing it well. I feel I lack a strong basis to back up why I enjoy its overlap with the business world. Other than doing criminal law during my law degree and observing a few money laundering/fraud trials, I haven't done anything extra that could show my interest.

Point 2 is one that I've mentioned on a number of applications that have been rejected recently. It might not be the only reason, but are there better things I could be pointing out?

Point 3 is probably alright as disputes are the firm's only offering. But is saying you enjoyed work experience in the area enough?

I'm curious to know your thoughts.

Sounds fine to me. I don’t see why this would be weak.

It is really difficult to give advice on motivation aspects, because it’s your motivation, not mine. What I think could be interesting points might not be your motivations.

 

[Matt_96]

Sounds fine to me. I don’t see why this would be weak.

I think I'm a little nervous because of the firm itself and just generally being a bit shellshocked by having so many rejections this cycle. It tends to take on trainees who have already been involved in the field in some way, and I just want to make my arguments come across as convincing as that's not my background.

 

[Jessica Booker]

I think I'm a little nervous because of the firm itself and just generally being a bit shellshocked by having so many rejections this cycle. It tends to take on trainees who have already been involved in the field in some way, and I just want to make my arguments come across as convincing as that's not my background.

Just make sure you drill down another level.

When you say you enjoyed the work, you’ll need to be specific as to why you enjoyed it.

When you say international is important to you, beyond you being international (which a lot of people could say) what is it about international work that appeals.

 

[Matt_96]

Just make sure you drill down another level.

When you say you enjoyed the work, you’ll need to be specific as to why you enjoyed it.

When you say international is important to you, beyond you being international (which a lot of people could say) what is it about international work that appeals.

Thanks for your tips!