Friends, a question.
One of my applications is asking me to discuss "something many people don't know about me." I'm sort of unclear how to approach this. At first, I thought maybe I should talk about my struggles growing up as a RAGING HOMOSEXUAL in a largely conservative family. But I worry that might actually be too "personal." This leads me to ask: how personal can we get here? The whole "tell us something people don't about you" seems like it gives us space to do so. I'm just worried it'll seem unprofessional to speak about such a personal experience.
@Jessica Booker do you know if this is something recruitment teams find off-putting?
@Jessica Booker knows where the boundaries lie for sure and always gives sound insights.
I would (as a 'friend', so addressed) suggest that you pick something you are comfortable to talk about with a complete stranger in a daunting situation. Think through whether this topic will present you in your best light. For instance, imagine that you were sent to chat with one of the school governors, or with the headteacher of a sixth form you wanted to get into. 16 yo you has to talk without getting angry, in a really analytical way, about what this has taught you about human nature. And (obv) it's wiser to stay away from 'raging'. If you are complete with that, and you can write movingly and enticingly, without it being an actual drama, then great. If you love writing and feel you could present your 'case' clearly, so a compelling story well told, great. But I think it would take some doing.
Your sexuality is part of you and always will be, and as such isn't unprofessional. But I suspect it would be difficult to use that particular part of yourself to showcase your skills as a future trainee on an application, unless you can naturally link it to something you need as a lawyer - an understanding of cultural expectations, or human rights, or development of the LGBTQ+ rights movement, for example. These are in no way meant to be comprehensive thoughts; more ideas to help you with something that must have been very painful and from which you have taken some really deep learning.
I wonder if you could approach it from the point of view of how it's helped you not to judge others, or how it's motivated you to get involved with pro bono support for some related issue? You could always draft a version, see how it feels and move on if you can't make it work. It might be really therapeutic and you could always use it at an interview.
I have to say I have literally no idea what I would put for that question! But there must be something...
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