The Hunt for a Training Contract: Take Three

Aela_Nox

Active Member
Future Trainee
May 18, 2019
15
46
Hey everyone,

I thought maybe this would be a good place to get some initial thoughts down, perhaps ground myself a little as I prepare for what is sure to be quite a whirlwind of a journey.

A little bit about me. I graduated from a Russel Group university in 2015 with a 2:1, and to be quite honest I don't think I was too sure I knew what I was doing. I wanted a career in Law and shot off some poorly-written applications in a desperation to make it look like I knew what I was doing, since everyone else seemed to.. yeah, I know. The reality was that I had zero confidence and my individual grades weren't that great (plenty of 2:2s, couple of 3rds and even did a couple of resits...). I'd held a weekend job throughout uni and done some pro-bono at the legal advice centre but all I had drilled into my head was that my less-than-stellar grades would get me nowhere. That was cycle one down the drain.

I ended up taking a gap year for several reasons but during that time ended up doing a 9-month stint in the DWP. I gained a lot of skills, but felt I wanted to develop a career in Law further and took the leap in doing the LPC without a TC offer. I hadn't made applications because, well... my work experience wasn't fantastic and again it was the notion that my grades would lead me nowhere.

LPC done and dusted in 2017 (with a plethora of resits due to certain circumstances that I've been told probably will not count as mitigating circumstances) and I found myself working at a high street firm for a few months. I had attended a few open days and what is now lawcareers.netLIVE and decided that working at a high street firm most certainly was not for me. I made a few applications during this time, made it to the VI stage at one firm and interview at another, as well as an AC for an in-house TC (the furthest I've ever been!) but no light at the end of the tunnel that is the TC, unfortunately. I also started volunteering at my local library, undertaking projects and sessions for children - I still volunteer there most Saturdays. Unfortunately that was my second cycle without any luck.

All the while I remained on the job hunt, feeling that some paralegal work may boost me. It took me quite a few months, but I ended up as a legal assistant at a conveyancing firm where I've been for the past year.

So... why a TC now? Why am I doing this? Is there a point? Will I be a suitable candidate?

Yes, my grades aren't brilliant despite having the 2:1. My work experience may be classed as average and my extra-curriculars... meh? But I think that's the problem. I never had the confidence to push myself or go further. I had (and sometimes still have) this notion that my grades and experience means that any recruiter will just stop reading at that point and throw my application away. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it happens and I'm sure these are points for concern for recruiters. But how can I know without even trying?

I can't change my grades and I can't change the experiences I've had, and being in full-time employment can make attending events/gaining other experiences somewhat challenging. But what I can do is try to sell myself better. I mentioned above that I never had the confidence to push myself and now I feel like that really showed in my application. I've gained a lot of skills from various experiences and I've learnt a lot. I've learnt more about what I actually want and what kind of firm I want to work at. This time I want to make the effort to actually talk to people, work on myself and really improve the way I write applications. I want to give myself every opportunity and every edge I can gain in selling myself to recruiters. And if I fail to get a TC this cycle, no worries. Onwards and upwards. I'll learn from my experiences and keep pushing forward.

This is way longer than it should be already, but perhaps this is a way of keeping myself accountable as well. Maybe I'm trying to gain further confidence because I always worry too much of what others are thinking and whether it's really worth it. I want a TC, I really do, but without making a sincere effort I will go nowhere. It's up to me to give it a best shot and maybe this third cycle will be a bit more successful.

If you read this far... thanks, I very much appreciate it. If anyone has any tips in respect of confidence/speaking confidently that will be very much appreciated. I'll try to update going forward. I'm currently researching law firms and trying to prepare some questions to ask at the law fair I will be attending :)
 

Jaysen

Founder, TCLA
Staff member
TCLA Moderator
Gold Member
Premium Member
M&A Bootcamp
  • Feb 17, 2018
    4,692
    8,565
    I found this very inspirational Aela. Thank you for your honesty - it sounds like you have great determination. I'll be rooting for you!
     

    Abstruser

    Legendary Member
    Trainee
    Jul 19, 2018
    337
    775
    And if I fail to get a TC this cycle, no worries. Onwards and upwards. I'll learn from my experiences and keep pushing forward.

    From personal experience and also from talking to my peers, shifting into a 'growth' mindset really was pivotal in finally landing a training contract - I'll be rooting for you too!

    If anyone has any tips in respect of confidence/speaking confidently that will be very much appreciated.

    I joined a local Toastmasters club to improve my public speaking in the cycle I landed my training contract. You don't have to sign up to complete a course if you don't have the resources to commit to it - just showing up to watch other people speak or networking with people there can be really beneficial in terms of inspiration and gathering useful tips. As a personal tip - I find speaking in a slower, more measured pace helps me come off as more confident and collected when I speak. Speaking slowly (not too slow, though) can also help buy you precious seconds to collect your thoughts when you're answering a tricky question in an interview!
     

    Samar

    Valued Member
    Future Trainee
    Sep 28, 2019
    100
    243
    I really resonated with parts of this so will definitely be following your journey! I think so much of success comes from confidence (and preparation) so it is such a great moment when you reach that point where you realise that is what you need and really show your capabilities.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Alice G

    Daniel Boden

    Legendary Member
    Trainee
    Highest Rated Member
  • Sep 6, 2018
    1,537
    3,856
    Hey everyone,

    I thought maybe this would be a good place to get some initial thoughts down, perhaps ground myself a little as I prepare for what is sure to be quite a whirlwind of a journey.

    A little bit about me. I graduated from a Russel Group university in 2015 with a 2:1, and to be quite honest I don't think I was too sure I knew what I was doing. I wanted a career in Law and shot off some poorly-written applications in a desperation to make it look like I knew what I was doing, since everyone else seemed to.. yeah, I know. The reality was that I had zero confidence and my individual grades weren't that great (plenty of 2:2s, couple of 3rds and even did a couple of resits...). I'd held a weekend job throughout uni and done some pro-bono at the legal advice centre but all I had drilled into my head was that my less-than-stellar grades would get me nowhere. That was cycle one down the drain.

    I ended up taking a gap year for several reasons but during that time ended up doing a 9-month stint in the DWP. I gained a lot of skills, but felt I wanted to develop a career in Law further and took the leap in doing the LPC without a TC offer. I hadn't made applications because, well... my work experience wasn't fantastic and again it was the notion that my grades would lead me nowhere.

    LPC done and dusted in 2017 (with a plethora of resits due to certain circumstances that I've been told probably will not count as mitigating circumstances) and I found myself working at a high street firm for a few months. I had attended a few open days and what is now lawcareers.netLIVE and decided that working at a high street firm most certainly was not for me. I made a few applications during this time, made it to the VI stage at one firm and interview at another, as well as an AC for an in-house TC (the furthest I've ever been!) but no light at the end of the tunnel that is the TC, unfortunately. I also started volunteering at my local library, undertaking projects and sessions for children - I still volunteer there most Saturdays. Unfortunately that was my second cycle without any luck.

    All the while I remained on the job hunt, feeling that some paralegal work may boost me. It took me quite a few months, but I ended up as a legal assistant at a conveyancing firm where I've been for the past year.

    So... why a TC now? Why am I doing this? Is there a point? Will I be a suitable candidate?

    Yes, my grades aren't brilliant despite having the 2:1. My work experience may be classed as average and my extra-curriculars... meh? But I think that's the problem. I never had the confidence to push myself or go further. I had (and sometimes still have) this notion that my grades and experience means that any recruiter will just stop reading at that point and throw my application away. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it happens and I'm sure these are points for concern for recruiters. But how can I know without even trying?

    I can't change my grades and I can't change the experiences I've had, and being in full-time employment can make attending events/gaining other experiences somewhat challenging. But what I can do is try to sell myself better. I mentioned above that I never had the confidence to push myself and now I feel like that really showed in my application. I've gained a lot of skills from various experiences and I've learnt a lot. I've learnt more about what I actually want and what kind of firm I want to work at. This time I want to make the effort to actually talk to people, work on myself and really improve the way I write applications. I want to give myself every opportunity and every edge I can gain in selling myself to recruiters. And if I fail to get a TC this cycle, no worries. Onwards and upwards. I'll learn from my experiences and keep pushing forward.

    This is way longer than it should be already, but perhaps this is a way of keeping myself accountable as well. Maybe I'm trying to gain further confidence because I always worry too much of what others are thinking and whether it's really worth it. I want a TC, I really do, but without making a sincere effort I will go nowhere. It's up to me to give it a best shot and maybe this third cycle will be a bit more successful.

    If you read this far... thanks, I very much appreciate it. If anyone has any tips in respect of confidence/speaking confidently that will be very much appreciated. I'll try to update going forward. I'm currently researching law firms and trying to prepare some questions to ask at the law fair I will be attending :)
    Thank you so much for your honesty Aela! We're all rooting for you :)
     

    Alice G

    Legendary Member
    Future Trainee
    Forum Team
    M&A Bootcamp
    Nov 26, 2018
    1,731
    4,183
    Hi Aela! Confidence has also been an issue for me last cycle and I’m still trying to work on my public speaking/presentation skills. Half the battle is knowing where you need to focus more though and then you can start improving yourself and hopefully build that confidence! Really brave of you to share and I just know you’ll be such an asset and inspiration to this platform. A really warm welcome and all the best!
     

    Helena

    Legendary Member
    Premium Member
    Feb 28, 2018
    514
    791
    A truly inspirational post @Aela_Nox and thank you for sharing your journey thus far with us. Believe me, you are not alone. This is by far the most difficult process I have ever been involved in and undertaken and your post really struck a chord. I am certain that confidence and the ability to gel with assessors at interview is key to success and one day I am sure we will all reach this goal. It is refreshing to hear your thoughts. We are all in this together.
     

    Aela_Nox

    Active Member
    Future Trainee
    May 18, 2019
    15
    46
    I just wanted to thank everyone for being so kind and supportive to me :)

    It is so hard to be confident when I have fewer experiences to write of than the majority of people/lower grades. But I am starting to believe I may be able to do this if I keep trying :D I just need to keep working on my application technique and trying my hardest.
     

    wwood

    Distinguished Member
    Jan 19, 2019
    68
    99
    From personal experience and also from talking to my peers, shifting into a 'growth' mindset really was pivotal in finally landing a training contract - I'll be rooting for you too!



    I joined a local Toastmasters club to improve my public speaking in the cycle I landed my training contract. You don't have to sign up to complete a course if you don't have the resources to commit to it - just showing up to watch other people speak or networking with people there can be really beneficial in terms of inspiration and gathering useful tips. As a personal tip - I find speaking in a slower, more measured pace helps me come off as more confident and collected when I speak. Speaking slowly (not too slow, though) can also help buy you precious seconds to collect your thoughts when you're answering a tricky question in an interview!

    Thanks Abstruser for the tip! I googled the club and found there's one in my city! I'm looking for a confidence boost and this seems perfect. Could you share more about your experience? :) Thank you!
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Abstruser

    gricole

    Legendary Member
    Premium Member
    M&A Bootcamp
  • Jul 6, 2018
    210
    340
    Good luck @Aela_Nox! I enjoyed reading your post very much! It is a tough journey but I am forever grateful to @Jaysen and the TCLA team for providing us with their endless support. Honestly, I think the positive environment here is something unique that can't be matched by unis' career services and law clubs. If you have any queries or issues with applications, please feel free to drop me a message.
     

    Newborntrainee

    Active Member
    Junior Lawyer
  • Oct 10, 2019
    19
    41
    Hey everyone,

    I thought maybe this would be a good place to get some initial thoughts down, perhaps ground myself a little as I prepare for what is sure to be quite a whirlwind of a journey.

    A little bit about me. I graduated from a Russel Group university in 2015 with a 2:1, and to be quite honest I don't think I was too sure I knew what I was doing. I wanted a career in Law and shot off some poorly-written applications in a desperation to make it look like I knew what I was doing, since everyone else seemed to.. yeah, I know. The reality was that I had zero confidence and my individual grades weren't that great (plenty of 2:2s, couple of 3rds and even did a couple of resits...). I'd held a weekend job throughout uni and done some pro-bono at the legal advice centre but all I had drilled into my head was that my less-than-stellar grades would get me nowhere. That was cycle one down the drain.

    I ended up taking a gap year for several reasons but during that time ended up doing a 9-month stint in the DWP. I gained a lot of skills, but felt I wanted to develop a career in Law further and took the leap in doing the LPC without a TC offer. I hadn't made applications because, well... my work experience wasn't fantastic and again it was the notion that my grades would lead me nowhere.

    LPC done and dusted in 2017 (with a plethora of resits due to certain circumstances that I've been told probably will not count as mitigating circumstances) and I found myself working at a high street firm for a few months. I had attended a few open days and what is now lawcareers.netLIVE and decided that working at a high street firm most certainly was not for me. I made a few applications during this time, made it to the VI stage at one firm and interview at another, as well as an AC for an in-house TC (the furthest I've ever been!) but no light at the end of the tunnel that is the TC, unfortunately. I also started volunteering at my local library, undertaking projects and sessions for children - I still volunteer there most Saturdays. Unfortunately that was my second cycle without any luck.

    All the while I remained on the job hunt, feeling that some paralegal work may boost me. It took me quite a few months, but I ended up as a legal assistant at a conveyancing firm where I've been for the past year.

    So... why a TC now? Why am I doing this? Is there a point? Will I be a suitable candidate?

    Yes, my grades aren't brilliant despite having the 2:1. My work experience may be classed as average and my extra-curriculars... meh? But I think that's the problem. I never had the confidence to push myself or go further. I had (and sometimes still have) this notion that my grades and experience means that any recruiter will just stop reading at that point and throw my application away. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it happens and I'm sure these are points for concern for recruiters. But how can I know without even trying?

    I can't change my grades and I can't change the experiences I've had, and being in full-time employment can make attending events/gaining other experiences somewhat challenging. But what I can do is try to sell myself better. I mentioned above that I never had the confidence to push myself and now I feel like that really showed in my application. I've gained a lot of skills from various experiences and I've learnt a lot. I've learnt more about what I actually want and what kind of firm I want to work at. This time I want to make the effort to actually talk to people, work on myself and really improve the way I write applications. I want to give myself every opportunity and every edge I can gain in selling myself to recruiters. And if I fail to get a TC this cycle, no worries. Onwards and upwards. I'll learn from my experiences and keep pushing forward.

    This is way longer than it should be already, but perhaps this is a way of keeping myself accountable as well. Maybe I'm trying to gain further confidence because I always worry too much of what others are thinking and whether it's really worth it. I want a TC, I really do, but without making a sincere effort I will go nowhere. It's up to me to give it a best shot and maybe this third cycle will be a bit more successful.

    If you read this far... thanks, I very much appreciate it. If anyone has any tips in respect of confidence/speaking confidently that will be very much appreciated. I'll try to update going forward. I'm currently researching law firms and trying to prepare some questions to ask at the law fair I will be attending :)

    Hey Aela, this was very inspirational and I think very relatable for a lot of people. I a kind of at the same stage and it is nice to know I am not alone when in doubt... Good luck with everything! I will be following your journey and wish you the best!
     

    Abstruser

    Legendary Member
    Trainee
    Jul 19, 2018
    337
    775
    Thanks Abstruser for the tip! I googled the club and found there's one in my city! I'm looking for a confidence boost and this seems perfect. Could you share more about your experience? :) Thank you!

    No problem at all! So aside from the courses you can sign up for, a Toastmasters club usually holds 'Table Topics' where people volunteer to speak for two minutes about a random topic drawn from a ballot box. In my local club these were open to new members as well (so essentially free) and I used to volunteer myself for these Table Topics when I first started going to the club. It was really supportive as well because they have moderators that give you feedback, and I just found the community in general really empowering and supportive. I met loads of super inspirational people - like a blind immigration barrister, a nuclear physicist-turned-comedian - and I ended up signing up for a course after two or three weeks. I hope you enjoy your first session and feel free to PM me if you have any other questions! :)
     

    wwood

    Distinguished Member
    Jan 19, 2019
    68
    99
    No problem at all! So aside from the courses you can sign up for, a Toastmasters club usually holds 'Table Topics' where people volunteer to speak for two minutes about a random topic drawn from a ballot box. In my local club these were open to new members as well (so essentially free) and I used to volunteer myself for these Table Topics when I first started going to the club. It was really supportive as well because they have moderators that give you feedback, and I just found the community in general really empowering and supportive. I met loads of super inspirational people - like a blind immigration barrister, a nuclear physicist-turned-comedian - and I ended up signing up for a course after two or three weeks. I hope you enjoy your first session and feel free to PM me if you have any other questions! :)

    Thanks so much Abstruser (and Jaysen) for sharing your experience! It's wonderful to have a supportive community with feedback! I'm definitely gonna visit one of their meetings this October! :D
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Jaysen

    Karin

    Legendary Member
    Future Trainee
    Junior Lawyer
  • Aug 25, 2019
    167
    383
    From personal experience and also from talking to my peers, shifting into a 'growth' mindset really was pivotal in finally landing a training contract - I'll be rooting for you too!



    I joined a local Toastmasters club to improve my public speaking in the cycle I landed my training contract. You don't have to sign up to complete a course if you don't have the resources to commit to it - just showing up to watch other people speak or networking with people there can be really beneficial in terms of inspiration and gathering useful tips. As a personal tip - I find speaking in a slower, more measured pace helps me come off as more confident and collected when I speak. Speaking slowly (not too slow, though) can also help buy you precious seconds to collect your thoughts when you're answering a tricky question in an interview!

    Thank you for the tip! I looked up toastmasters and it looks like just the right thing to become more confident in public speaking. Just a question, I found quite a few organisations that offer it - Toastmasters International, for example. Do you have any tips on which organisation you would recommend?
     

    Abstruser

    Legendary Member
    Trainee
    Jul 19, 2018
    337
    775
    Thank you for the tip! I looked up toastmasters and it looks like just the right thing to become more confident in public speaking. Just a question, I found quite a few organisations that offer it - Toastmasters International, for example. Do you have any tips on which organisation you would recommend?

    I just chose the organisation closest to me for convenience. Perhaps you could attend a few meetings at different locations to see which organisation you'd prefer?
     

    Syafiqkay92

    Star Member
    Premium Member
    Aug 26, 2018
    35
    49
    Thank you for sharing your story and reading this motivates me to keep on going. You are not alone. There are so many things about my university experience that I wish I could do differently but the fact is, we can't turn back time. Your point that we need to sell ourselves better resonates with me because all the experiences we have gone through taught us something about ourselves and that is how we sell ourselves as the best candidate for the training contract position and beyond.

    Good luck to you!

    Best wishes,
    Syafiq.
     
    • 🤝
    Reactions: wwood, Abstruser and Jaysen

    Aela_Nox

    Active Member
    Future Trainee
    May 18, 2019
    15
    46
    Hello all,

    Just wanted to share a quick update - I am absolutely delighted to say I have now secured a TC at a firm here in the North West! I start in September and I am extremely excited :)

    Just goes to show - grades are important but they can only go so far. I completed my LPC in 2017 and my grades for both LPC and my degree are less than stellar - scraped a 2:1 at uni and scraped a pass on the LPC. I have had plenty of resits. I was so worried my grades would hold me back but they did not. I also gained a lot of experience following the LPC and I believe it is my legal experience and my voluntary experience that ultimately nailed it :)

    Growth mindset is also really important - I had a half day assessment centre and then a formal interview and whilst I have let nerves get the better of me in previous ACs/interviews, I literally decided I was going to go and enjoy this and use it as an opportunity to socialise and sell myself. And it worked :) I found myself becoming more relaxed and very much in my element. People want to know about *you* - and just grades will not do that. There is much more to that.
     

    Jaysen

    Founder, TCLA
    Staff member
    TCLA Moderator
    Gold Member
    Premium Member
    M&A Bootcamp
  • Feb 17, 2018
    4,692
    8,565
    Hello all,

    Just wanted to share a quick update - I am absolutely delighted to say I have now secured a TC at a firm here in the North West! I start in September and I am extremely excited :)

    Just goes to show - grades are important but they can only go so far. I completed my LPC in 2017 and my grades for both LPC and my degree are less than stellar - scraped a 2:1 at uni and scraped a pass on the LPC. I have had plenty of resits. I was so worried my grades would hold me back but they did not. I also gained a lot of experience following the LPC and I believe it is my legal experience and my voluntary experience that ultimately nailed it :)

    Growth mindset is also really important - I had a half day assessment centre and then a formal interview and whilst I have let nerves get the better of me in previous ACs/interviews, I literally decided I was going to go and enjoy this and use it as an opportunity to socialise and sell myself. And it worked :) I found myself becoming more relaxed and very much in my element. People want to know about *you* - and just grades will not do that. There is much more to that.

    That's incredible news, well done - you should be so proud of yourself. And thank you for coming back to update your journey!
     

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