We recruit 26 Trainees each year
TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5
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Hi! Are you referring to the civil service interview or interviews in general? Because if you refer to the civil service, then strenght interviews would be questions that focus on your interpersonal abilities that you use all the time which make you the best person for the job, however in general, strenght questions would be something that show whether you are a fit for that place or not and they usually throw you off a bit, i.e. 'do you prefer planning in advance or do you thrive when preparing last minute?' or 'do you prefer collaborating or working alone?' or even 'How do you stay motivated?'; while competency based questions focus on your technical abilities and experience and you can usually prepare for them, such as: 'why are you applying for this role?' 'why this firm?' etc.
Anyone else hear from A&P, should we start marking it as PFO?
@ReedSmithBecca just as a bolt-on to this query, with this TC opening how many trainees are you looking to recruit for the 2026 window?We recruit 26 Trainees each year
To second this, when can candidates that applied closer to the deadline (20 June) expect to hear back?
That's amazing!! I was just rejected today..... (although I have passed the VI for other similar roles).
From what I remember, you do not have a set time to prepare (but this may be different now, so it could be around 1 minute), but you only have one attempt to start the video. You have a timer running, and around 2 min per question once the video starts. I believe there are around 4 to 5 questions. Questions are usually typical behavioural questions like: 'why do you want to work for the GLD?’ 'tell me a time when you had a problem and how you solved it', or 'what are your goals in joining the GLD'?
Some tips:
From what I remember, you do not have a set time to prepare (but this may be different now, so it could be around 1 minute), but you only have one attempt to start the video. You have a timer running, and around 2 min per question once the video starts. I believe there are around 4 to 5 questions. Questions are usually typical behavioural questions like: 'why do you want to work for the GLD?’ 'tell me a time when you had a problem and how you solved it', or 'what are your goals in joining the GLD'?
Some tips:
- Always use the STAR format
- Practice by yourself before doing the questions
- Look the camera in the eye
- It helps to divide your screen and have notes on one side and the VI on the other side
- You can also use Post-its to remind you of your strengths/abilities
- Always use the first person when answering and try to find compelling examples (not necessarily within a professional environment)
Hi there, I’m making a direct training contract application to Macfarlanes and would appreciate some thoughts on one of the application questions:
“Tell us about yourself
Please use this section to tell us anything else that you feel would support your application. Examples can include, but are not limited to, key achievements, successes, non-academic interests, your skills etc. (Max 300 words).”
This is one of the two longer questions—the other being “Please explain why you are applying to Macfarlanes.”
I know many people would answer by highlighting positions of responsibility, extracurriculars, volunteering, or insight events. However, I’ve already listed all of those in the Work Experience section.
I’m considering using this space to elaborate on some achievements at work that didn’t fit in the Work Experience entries due to word limits. For example, I might condense answers from competency questions I drafted (from other law firm applications) so that each achievement only takes around 100 words or so.
As for personal interests, I’m not sure whether they would add much value here.
How would you approach this question? Any insights would be really appreciated!
“Tell us about yourself
Please use this section to tell us anything else that you feel would support your application. Examples can include, but are not limited to, key achievements, successes, non-academic interests, your skills etc. (Max 300 words).”
This is one of the two longer questions—the other being “Please explain why you are applying to Macfarlanes.”
I know many people would answer by highlighting positions of responsibility, extracurriculars, volunteering, or insight events. However, I’ve already listed all of those in the Work Experience section.
I’m considering using this space to elaborate on some achievements at work that didn’t fit in the Work Experience entries due to word limits. For example, I might condense answers from competency questions I drafted (from other law firm applications) so that each achievement only takes around 100 words or so.
As for personal interests, I’m not sure whether they would add much value here.
How would you approach this question? Any insights would be really appreciated!
Mayer Brown - has anyone heard post initial test recently? Mine was delayed by 3 weeks due to problems on their end rearding adjustments, but I still havn't hear pass/fail or gotten a job sim yet. Is it worth popping an email as it seems most people have gotten a rejection oemail or a job app sim at least?
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Hey hey,
Well done on getting to that stage! Here’s a thread by Andrei to help - https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....de-for-competency-interview-preparation.9380/
- Sep 7, 2024
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So at first glance, strengths based and competency based interviews seem quite similar - they both often involve talking about past experiences, and both aim to assess whether you're a good fit for a role. However, the differences between them are there. They diverge in purpose, structure, and what they aim to uncover. Competency based interviews are designed to test whether you can do the job well based on past performance. The idea is that past behaviour is the best predictor of future success, so these questions are tightly focused on how you’ve demonstrated specific skills like teamwork, leadership, or resilience, often requiring structured responses using the STAR method. In contrast, strengths based interviews are less concerned with what you’ve done and more focused on what energises you. Rather than simply asking whether you can perform a task, they ask whether you genuinely enjoy doing it, with the belief that people excel when working in areas aligned with their natural interests and motivations. That’s why strengths questions tend to be faster paced, more open, and reflective, such as “What does a good day look like for you?” or “What kind of tasks do you enjoy most?”. Now while you might still draw on past experiences, the emphasis shifts from proving competence to revealing enthusiasm. And that’s a key distinction…in competency interviews, your evidence is scrutinised, in strengths based ones, your tone, spontaneity, and energy carry more weight. So although they might look alike on the surface, they are evaluated through very different lenses, and understanding that subtle shift is essential to performing well in both.
There are mixed views on this, but this is how I’ve always interpreted the difference. Generally speaking though, they’re quite similar.
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Unsure about Macfarlanes, but a mix of both is often encouraged. I have spoken to many graduate recruiters who often prefer prose though - just ensure to not make it long winded.
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Great question. Been in a similar situation myself. This may sound a bit obvious, but for the "tell us about yourself" question, focus on exactly what has been mentioned. They do say that you can go outside this scope, which is great, but I would personally start any answer by referencing one or more of those mentioned elements. There’s no need for an intro as it’s just 300 words and will eat up your word count, but starting with a thesis-like statement will help. So, for example, “I have taken part in many extracurriculars at university” – then you cover those in that little paragraph. Then move onto the next element and do the same in another paragraph. It’s not necessary to do this, but it helps with structure.
Another thing is that it is great you’ve listed some of these things in the work experience section, but remember that you may not have been able to touch on it in depth. In my opinion, the word count will never be fully enough to expand on these in the depth your application needs to bring it to life – and the additional question is giving you an extra green light to shed light on these even more. So, take your time with ensuring that you don't just “list”, but also expand and link to its relevance to the trainee role at Macfarlanes and their values. I remember once approaching a question like this by referencing skills, how I demonstrated them through past experiences, and then mentioning speaking to trainees at the firm who said XYZ, reinforcing my desire to train there. So, there are many ways to approach this question with whatever you choose to elaborate on. Just ask yourself: is it true to me, and does it sound convincing enough?
And yes, definitely worth highlighting those achievements!
Also, contrary to popular opinion, personal interests are actually really valued by law firms, but perhaps touch on those other main things at this point given the word limit, and shed more light on the personality-related point later down in the application stage if the needs of the situation demand it.
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When this is not clear, and you may not get a quick response from GR due to the short time notice, I usually try to submit a day early on, to forestall any situations where the deadline is midday or before midday. Often times, it tends to be 11:59PM, but I can’t always say this for certain as it differs based off the firm/ their needs at any given point in time!
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I completely understand the feeling of not hearing back and the anxiousness which flows from this. Not hearing back may not instantly mean a rejection - it could just mean they are still sifting through applications. This makes sense, especially at this point in time where vacation schemes are ongoing - so a very busy period for most firms!
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