Hey everyone! Please bear with me for the very lengthy post...
I am delighted to announce that I have just been offered a TC! Needless to say it has been a real journey to get to this point, and I feel the need to share mine because I really wish someone had explained to me that:
1. things will only always happen when the timing is right for YOU;
2. you can have a goal, and plan out your whole life working towards that goal.... only to realise it's not what you wanted in the end... and that's okay.
I initially embarked on a career at the Bar. In the last two years, I made 18 pupillage applications. I received 16 flat out rejections. I had interviews with two sets', but didn't succeed in any. I could not for the life of me understand why things weren't working out. Every rejection felt like a bandage being ripped off from my chest, and every time I was about to start healing, it would happen again. The worst thing was I couldn't deal with my emotions and had to soldier on as I had continuous exams going on for the Bar. It took some time for me to pick myself up before I could decide what my next steps would be.
After I finished the BPTC, I moved to my home country. I spent some time recharging, recouping and reflecting. I then decided to take up a job and work with English qualified solicitors. I realised that my skill-set and personality traits were better suited for a career at a law firm... I had a hard time accepting this as choosing to switch career routes would mean I would have to start from scratch.. but then I realised that we are all on our own journeys, and we need to have faith in them.
So I spent the last three months focusing on applying to my dream firm using all the resources the Corporate Law Academy offered; engaging with the lovely members from this online community; and drawing on all the lessons I learnt from my previous applications.
Today, I was offered an opportunity with Clifford Chance.
Through this entire process and my pupillage applications, these are some of my reflections:
1. If you have attempted a TC application and don't succeed, try and reflect on how to make it better for the next stage. But if you have done everything you can in your power and still don't succeed - chances are the FIRM is not right for YOU, not that YOU aren't right for the FIRM. This is what I realised after my pupillage and interview experiences.
2. Take the time to understand your strengths, what makes you unique, and make sure you highlight them in your application. I would always talk about my communication skills, but I realised that everyone who is applying to become a barrister/solicitor probably has them. So this time round, I decided to use my diversity as my key strength. It worked.
3. You may not understand why things aren't going your way, but they always happen for a reason. I would have probably been miserable having to learn the bar wasn't right for me after obtaining pupillage; or if I didn't take up my new job, I probably wouldn't have gotten the necessary experience/confidence to apply for TC's.
4. Do not be afraid of change and embrace every experience that comes your way with an open mind.
5. Do not give up!
I hope this helps anyone who feels like things aren't going their way.
A huge huge thank you to everyone for their contributions on this forum, without which I couldn't have possibly gotten this opportunity.
how about you?
