AC feedback - lack of understanding the trainee's role

[hope&faith]

Hi all and @Jessica Booker

This year I got through to three final interviews for direct TC, but I sadly got rejected. My feedback for all was generally positive - very strong commercial awareness and strong motivation for a career in law, and my written experience was good.

One common feedback was my lack of understanding the firm and the role of trainees. I was confused. seriously.. pretty devastated. no idea where the interviewers got the impressions despite my strong motivation and successful written applications which put me through to the ACs. Wondering if it is related to the fact that I haven't had any VS experience - as a career changer, still working full time in finance. Instead I have lots of experience with open days, workshops, and legal advice centres.

I do want to improve and fix this to move forward. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi all and @Jessica Booker

This year I got through to three final interviews for direct TC, but I sadly got rejected. My feedback for all was generally positive - very strong commercial awareness and strong motivation for a career in law, and my written experience was good.

One common feedback was my lack of understanding the firm and the role of trainees. I was confused. seriously.. pretty devastated. no idea where the interviewers got the impressions despite my strong motivation and successful written applications which put me through to the ACs. Wondering if it is related to the fact that I haven't had any VS experience - as a career changer, still working full time in finance. Instead I have lots of experience with open days, workshops, and legal advice centres.

I do want to improve and fix this to move forward. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance!

I don’t think work experience will be the reason here.

It’s probably more related to the answers around your career motivations, what you will enjoy, how you will utilise your strengths etc if related to the role of a trainee, and more about how your interests align with the firm (if it’s about knowing what the firm does).

You can have strong motivations, but that does not necessarily mean they align with the firm and what they can specifically offer you.

 

[hope&faith]

I don’t think work experience will be the reason here.

It’s probably more related to the answers around your career motivations, what you will enjoy, how you will utilise your strengths etc if related to the role of a trainee, and more about how your interests align with the firm (if it’s about knowing what the firm does).

You can have strong motivations, but that does not necessarily mean they align with the firm and what they can specifically offer you.

Thank you so much Jessica! (didn't expect the reply during the weekend)

Re the understanding the role of trainee, I've attended the firm's open days or practice workshops etc. Do you have any suggestions to improve my understanding of it? I was confident about the competency interview, but now it let me down.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you so much Jessica! (didn't expect the reply during the weekend)

Re the understanding the role of trainee, I've attended the firm's open days or practice workshops etc. Do you have any suggestions to improve my understanding of it? I was confident about the competency interview, but now it let me down.

It’s not just necessarily knowing about a trainee’s role generally, it’s also about applying it to the firm you are interviewing with - what responsibilities they give trainees can vary, whether that because of the practice areas they work in or because of the firm’s method of delegating work out.

With these type of motivational questions that are focused on why a trainee, you have to really focus on why the job (rather than the career) appeals? Think much more immediate and short term, rather than long term benefits the career brings. For instance, what are you going to enjoy day to day? Which responsibilities appeal to you most? What aspects of the role will you enjoy day to day as a trainee and is there enough of that to deal with the downsides (eg boring work, tedious tasks, long hours etc).

And be careful to ensure this is a true reflection of the job. Sometimes people really focus on the client management aspects of a career as a commercial solicitor, but you won’t have a lot of client contact until much later in your career (for most firms anyway). Therefore you have to make sure your motivations are reflective of the trainee’s role rather than a qualified or experienced lawyer’s.

 

[hope&faith]

It’s not just necessarily knowing about a trainee’s role generally, it’s also about applying it to the firm you are interviewing with - what responsibilities they give trainees can vary, whether that because of the practice areas they work in or because of the firm’s method of delegating work out.

With these type of motivational questions that are focused on why a trainee, you have to really focus on why the job (rather than the career) appeals? Think much more immediate and short term, rather than long term benefits the career brings. For instance, what are you going to enjoy day to day? Which responsibilities appeal to you most? What aspects of the role will you enjoy day to day as a trainee and is there enough of that to deal with the downsides (eg boring work, tedious tasks, long hours etc).

And be careful to ensure this is a true reflection of the job. Sometimes people really focus on the client management aspects of a career as a commercial solicitor, but you won’t have a lot of client contact until much later in your career (for most firms anyway). Therefore you have to make sure your motivations are reflective of the trainee’s role rather than a qualified or experienced lawyer’s.

Thanks a lot for reply Jessica! This is really helpful! 👍
Now I can see where I went wrong. I focused on the long-term goal given the trainee is the first/mandatory step to become a solicitor at the end of the day. Wish I had known this earlier. 😓