How to best answer the question 'why this firm' in a structured manner in an interview? Any insights would be appreciated
@Ram Sabaratnam @Amma Usman @Andrei Radu
Hi there,
This is a really good question. As you can imagine, there is no one exact answer to it. In my opinion, this is a good thing actually. There is no set formula one can use for any firm, to get an offer. This goes to show that firms appreciate individuality and want to really hear your individual stories to know why you want to work at their firm. There are certain factors to mention which fall higher up in the rank of good answers, than others. For example, people often start off with training points or pro bono to demonstrate this interest. This is not bad in itself, particularly if there is something the firm does within these streams, to stand out. However, it will often be largely the same among firms. I only applied to firms with relatively small trainee intakes as this, in my view, enables higher responsibility early on. However, this was not the first thing I mentioned in interviews - it complemented other, well-researched points. As you would have guessed by now, the best thing to focus on with questions like this is a firm’s work. Many firms will be full-service, or well-versed across multiple practices. However, they will be more often times than not, specialised within certain sectors. Why a firm with a core disputes practice? Why a firm with a strong life sciences and tech practice? Why a transactional-focused firm? These are all questions you need to ask yourself before said interview. It is not enough to mention highly generic points such as rankings on Chambers Partners or proficiency in these practices - many firms will be proficient. The starting point is relating this work to your experiences and why that matters. Further, why does it matter enough that you know it is what you want to do for the next two years of your life. Look back at your portfolio - what webinars, work experiences, coffee chats, have you had which made you realise this? Mention these in the interview - it is what will bring your application to life and convey genuinely
why this firm is for you and why you are the candidate for them.
Despite me brushing over the training points, you can still certainly mention those with specific examples on why that appeals and/or examples of how you thrived in that similar environment, to show a transferability of skills.
So in summary, always focus on the work first. At the end of the day, this is what you will be hired to do. Through more research, you will also find that firms are market leaders in certain niches within practices. If these niches appeal, mentioning them with specific examples from your experiences, will further strengthen your candidacy.
