Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

How do you suggest structuring or going about answering "Why do you want to become a solicitor?".

Thanks!

This is difficult to know without knowing the context of your answer.

If it was me, I’d probably explain what got me to think about the career (this can be the particularly sketchy part of most people’s answers though).

Then explain why I’d like the day job.

The explain why I’d like the longer term career.

 

[S87]

Hi Jessica,

I am going to an event where I will interact with a number of graduate recruiters.
Networking is not my best skill but I am putting myself out to improve it. What kind of questions should I ask? How should I approach the graduate teams?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

I am going to an event where I will interact with a number of graduate recruiters.
Networking is not my best skill but I am putting myself out to improve it. What kind of questions should I ask? How should I approach the graduate teams?

Genuine questions
Ones that are not easily answered in their graduate recruitment brochure or website

Just go up to them and start talking - stop thinking of it as networking and just chat to them like you want to find out more from them (in the same way you might ask questions and listen intently if you were buying an expensive laptop in a shop or a new mobile phone deal). Their job is to talk to you.

 

[S87]

Genuine questions
Ones that are not easily answered in their graduate recruitment brochure or website

Just go up to them and start talking - stop thinking of it as networking and just chat to them like you want to find out more from them (in the same way you might ask questions and listen intently if you were buying an expensive laptop in a shop or a new mobile phone deal). Their job is to talk to you.

Thank you very much for your response.

 

[James Michael]

Hi Jessica,

I have been invited to an open day with a MC firm that are recruiting on a rolling basis.

I am currently in the process of applying for a TC with them, however, would like to hold back until I have had attended the event.

My worry is that as they recruit rolling and the event is not until mid November, that I am leaving this application later than I would initially.

From a graduate recruiter’s perspective, would the fact I’m waiting to hold for the event put me at any form of disadvantage having not applying sooner? Or would it be better to hold back and apply after the event. (Going back to the rolling basis point).

Thanks,

James.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

I have been invited to an open day with a MC firm that are recruiting on a rolling basis.

I am currently in the process of applying for a TC with them, however, would like to hold back until I have had attended the event.

My worry is that as they recruit rolling and the event is not until mid November, that I am leaving this application later than I would initially.

From a graduate recruiter’s perspective, would the fact I’m waiting to hold for the event put me at any form of disadvantage having not applying sooner? Or would it be better to hold back and apply after the event. (Going back to the rolling basis point).

Thanks,

James.

When is the deadline for applying for a TC and when did applications open?

 

[James Michael]

When is the deadline for applying for a TC and when did applications open?

The application window opened 1st August, closes 22nd December - I'm in a position where I can apply soon, but now am not sure as to the best approach to take after being invited to the open day.

 

[Jessica Booker]

The application window opened 1st August, closes 22nd December - I'm in a position where I can apply soon, but now am not sure as to the best approach to take after being invited to the open day.

I’d personally wait - but speak to the firm in question to see what they advise.

If you applied a couple of days after the open day, you’d still have many weeks before applications closed. Firms will get the majority of their applications the last few weeks of an application window

 

[Paralegal178]

Hi Jessica

If a cover letter forms part of an online application form, i.e. there’s just a box to paste the letter into, would you expect to see formalities such as addresses? There’s a tight word limit so I don’t want to waste valuable words on addresses but equally don’t want to deviate from the correct format if that’s what’s expected?

My gut feeling is telling me not to bother and just to start the letter by addressing it to the correct person, but I’d be really interested in hearing your thoughts.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica

If a cover letter forms part of an online application form, i.e. there’s just a box to paste the letter into, would you expect to see formalities such as addresses? There’s a tight word limit so I don’t want to waste valuable words on addresses but equally don’t want to deviate from the correct format if that’s what’s expected?

My gut feeling is telling me not to bother and just to start the letter by addressing it to the correct person, but I’d be really interested in hearing your thoughts.

Thanks for your help!

No address or date needed.

I think your approach seems the most sensible one to take.

 

[AgentNilPois]

I don’t think packing in paralegal work is necessarily the answer either though.

With the SQE, you could easily gain the QWE but not pass the assessments. If you end up working for 5 years in SQE purgatory where you are doing the job of a Trainee but never qualify because you don’t pass SQE2, people are going to wonder why. But the same goes for if you pass SQE2 and don’t have any work experience.

This is what happens in accountancy A LOT - I can see law going the same way.

From your experience what have you seen people do to avoid this. I am stuck a the moment in terms of qualification, I have no way of funding living costs of doing the LPC full-time and doing it part-time seems redundant now if the SQE is going to begin in future, it would seem a waste of money to start the LPC now on a part-time basis only to find I could have saved several thousand by waiting a few years to do the SQE.

 

[Jessica Booker]

From your experience what have you seen people do to avoid this. I am stuck a the moment in terms of qualification, I have no way of funding living costs of doing the LPC full-time and doing it part-time seems redundant now if the SQE is going to begin in future, it would seem a waste of money to start the LPC now on a part-time basis only to find I could have saved several thousand by waiting a few years to do the SQE.

I don’t think I have an answer to that question about avoiding it - it’s difficult to answer because there is no precedent while we wait for the SQE to come in.

It is tricky if you are someone who could take either route. If you have got a lot of experience as a paralegal, you could look into qualifying by equivalent means as another option. But you would need the LPC for that.

 

[Camilla]

Hi Jessica

As a bit of background, I have a 2:1 but poor BTEC results (merit, pass, pass) equivalent to C,E,E. I have good work experience (I am a career changer) and I was able to pass the application stage for 3/5 top 40 firms in the last round despite not meeting the A-level criteria, making it to assessment centre for one firm.

My question relates to open days. When allocating open day spaces to applicants, are grades taken into consideration? If I am given a space on an open day, does this mean that I wont be rejected due to my grades alone? I understand that most firms have scoring systems and that grades only make up one part, but I am just curious to know how much thought is given to applicants grades when allocating spaces.

I recently attended Clyde & Co's open day despite not having AAB and I have now applied to Clifford Chance's open day and passed the WG test. I have been reluctant to apply to Magic Circle firms as I thought that my grades would never make the cut, but having experienced some success in the last round, I am now feeling braver!

Your insight would be much appreciated.

Camilla

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica

As a bit of background, I have a 2:1 but poor BTEC results (merit, pass, pass) equivalent to C,E,E. I have good work experience (I am a career changer) and I was able to pass the application stage for 3/5 top 40 firms in the last round despite not meeting the A-level criteria, making it to assessment centre for one firm.

My question relates to open days. When allocating open day spaces to applicants, are grades taken into consideration? If I am given a space on an open day, does this mean that I wont be rejected due to my grades alone? I understand that most firms have scoring systems and that grades only make up one part, but I am just curious to know how much thought is given to applicants grades when allocating spaces.

I recently attended Clyde & Co's open day despite not having AAB and I have now applied to Clifford Chance's open day and passed the WG test. I have been reluctant to apply to Magic Circle firms as I thought that my grades would never make the cut, but having experienced some success in the last round, I am now feeling braver!

Your insight would be much appreciated.

Camilla

The recruitment criteria for open days works on a similar basis as the recruitment for vacation schemes or training contracts. The same criteria is applied.

Typically you don’t have to go through online testing/video interviews for open days, so it’s not like the whole recruitment process is the same, but you are looking for the same qualities in a candidate.

A firm isn’t going to bring through a whole load of people on an open day who would then have no chance at getting an interview - that’s in no one’s interests.

You’ve got an atypical profile. A-Level grades are looked at more closely when that’s a significant part of someone’s application (usually the case if you are applying for vac schemes with only your first year degree results). It’s a very different attitude when you have significant work/life experience that looks interesting and suggests you have the capability of someone who achieved straight A’s at A-level

 

[Jessica Booker]

Do resits in the LPC disadvantage an applicant heavily?

Unfortunately any resit will be looked upon with some concern.

It’s going to depend on the extent of your resits, the specific subjects and the relative strength of the rest of your application.

 

[123454321]

Hi Jessica,
I applied to a top firm for a vacation scheme but was unsuccessful due to lack of structure of my answers in one of my interviews, but the feedback from my interviewers was largely positive. I'm planning on re-applying for the direct training contract at the same firm having completed a vacation scheme at another firm which cemented my career choice. Some of the questions this year are the same as they were last year about future of the legal industry, etc. I am quite happy with my answers from last year and, given that I got to interview first time round, would you say it's okay to keep the same answers to the questions that are the same? Or do you think it's better to start again from scratch.
Thanks

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,
I applied to a top firm for a vacation scheme but was unsuccessful due to lack of structure of my answers in one of my interviews, but the feedback from my interviewers was largely positive. I'm planning on re-applying for the direct training contract at the same firm having completed a vacation scheme at another firm which cemented my career choice. Some of the questions this year are the same as they were last year about future of the legal industry, etc. I am quite happy with my answers from last year and, given that I got to interview first time round, would you say it's okay to keep the same answers to the questions that are the same? Or do you think it's better to start again from scratch.
Thanks

It’s not that you have to start from scratch completely but I’d be wondering what has changed since your last application to make me consider interviewing you again if the application form was pretty much identical. It doesn’t really show growth/development, and that can be concerning

For instance, is there something “new” about the future of the legal industry that would suggest you are keeping up to date with market trends?

 

[Paralegal178]

Hi Jessica

I’m in same position as some of the others on here in that I self funded my LPC and I’m currently working as a paralegal. Having read your responses about grad rec’s question as to why we’re willing to wait two years to start a TC when we could qualify via alternative means in that time... if we’re offered a TC in a niche boutique firm that starts much sooner, would it be really difficult to scale up to a bigger firm as an NQ/associate?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica

I’m in same position as some of the others on here in that I self funded my LPC and I’m currently working as a paralegal. Having read your responses about grad rec’s question as to why we’re willing to wait two years to start a TC when we could qualify via alternative means in that time... if we’re offered a TC in a niche boutique firm that starts much sooner, would it be really difficult to scale up to a bigger firm as an NQ/associate?

Thanks for your help!

Depends what the niche is and the type of clients you at working with at the firm you trained with.

It’s not straight forward, but it’s not impossible.

 

[hashneevvora]

Hello Jess, I have a quick question there is a question on adaptability and how I can demonstrate it? I have suffered an undiagnosed case of dyslexia until I came to UK for my high school I got diagnosed, I used this to show my adaptability. Is this good way to go about it.