How to Explain Rejections in Interviews?

sandralai

Standard Member
Oct 14, 2021
7
3
Hi all, would appreciate some insights in the matter.

I have previously completed some vacation schemes at international law firms, but did not convert them into any training contract. I am quite sure in the coming HR and/or graduate recruitment panel interviews, the interviewers will be quite interested in why.

What do you think is the best way to approach the issue? I have been thinking about putting the focus on how I have improved and how I am as a candidate today (with experiences to support), but does it sound like I'm not answering the question of "why did you get rejected"?

Also, wouldn't a full discussion of the negative feedback show that I am an unsuitable candidate for the upcoming firms instead?

Thank you all and I'd love to hear what you think!
 
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Jessica Booker

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Aug 1, 2019
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Hi all, would appreciate some insights in the matter.

I have previously completed some vacation schemes at international law firms, but did not convert them into any training contract. I am quite sure in the coming HR and/or graduate recruitment panel interviews, the interviewers will be quite interested in why.

What do you think is the best way to approach the issue? I have been thinking about putting the focus on how I have improved and how I am as a candidate today (with experiences to support), but does it sound like I'm not answering the question of "why did you get rejected"?

Also, wouldn't a full discussion of the negative feedback show that I am an unsuitable candidate for the upcoming firms instead?

Thank you all and I'd love to hear what you think!
You can start the answer with “my feedback was X, but since then I have done…..”

This means you are answering the question very briefly but that you are focusing more of the positive aspects rather than dwelling on the negative.

Sometimes it isn’t just your feedback though - sometimes it is that the firm isn’t right for you, whether it’s culturally or opportunity wise, so don’t be afraid to highlight that too if it is the case (just be mindful of any similarities between the firm you were unsuccessful with and the one you are interviewing with).
 
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sandralai

Standard Member
Oct 14, 2021
7
3
You can start the answer with “my feedback was X, but since then I have done…..”

This means you are answering the question very briefly but that you are focusing more of the positive aspects rather than dwelling on the negative.

Sometimes it isn’t just your feedback though - sometimes it is that the firm isn’t right for you, whether it’s culturally or opportunity wise, so don’t be afraid to highlight that too if it is the case (just be mindful of any similarities between the firm you were unsuccessful with and the one you are interviewing with).
Thanks so much for your kind advice!
 

James Carrabino

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Oct 12, 2021
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Hi all, would appreciate some insights in the matter.

I have previously completed some vacation schemes at international law firms, but did not convert them into any training contract. I am quite sure in the coming HR and/or graduate recruitment panel interviews, the interviewers will be quite interested in why.

What do you think is the best way to approach the issue? I have been thinking about putting the focus on how I have improved and how I am as a candidate today (with experiences to support), but does it sound like I'm not answering the question of "why did you get rejected"?

Also, wouldn't a full discussion of the negative feedback show that I am an unsuitable candidate for the upcoming firms instead?

Thank you all and I'd love to hear what you think!
Just to add to what @Jessica Booker has said - first of all, don't worry at all about this! I have two questions and answers for you:

Q1. Is someone who has done vacation schemes in previous cycles a better or worse candidate than someone without any legal work experience?
A: They're undoubtedly a better candidate, provided they can write and talk coherently about what they enjoyed and learnt from their vacation schemes.

Q2. Is someone who has done vacation schemes and converted them going to be in the application pool competing against you?
A: For the most part, no - they will have accepted their TC and stopped applying to more firms.

So, on the whole, it is certainly a positive thing that you have done vac schemes and the firm is going to know that people get rejected post-VS all the time, so I wouldn't shy away from talking about your vac schemes in an interview. It's really no big deal AS LONG AS you have grown and improved since then and have an answer prepared for when they ask (they may not even ask - they will know that you could have been rejected for any number of random reasons and so there's no need to really discuss it).


Regardless, let's now think about what you could say if you are asked:

You have probably grown and improved as an applicant simply by doing those schemes, and honestly you could start by saying that you think the firms were looking for a candidate with more legal work experience, who consequently knew for certain that commercial law was right for them. No firm wants to hire someone who might leave directly post-TC. This is a nice answer because you are being open about a short-coming you had at the time of the vac scheme but you are also clearly demonstrating that by virtue of having completed the vac scheme, you no longer have this short-coming to the same extent. The more vac schemes you have done (the fact they were unsuccessful doesn't matter), the easier it is for you to convince the interviewers that you know commercial law is right for you and that you now have the requisite experience to excel as a trainee.

It is also worth having something to mention that you worked on outside of the schemes, be it commercial awareness, teamwork, writing or any other skill that could have been tested on a vac scheme. If you could give a compelling explanation for how you enhanced one of those skills then I am sure that would impress the interviewers.

Additionally, if the firms you did vac schemes at are quite different from the firm you are interviewing with, you could explain why the firms were not a good fit and how you have now become a more knowledgeable applicant with regard to the kinds of firms that suit you. The one thing I would be careful of here is to appear to be ragging on the firms that rejected you - this doesn't look very professional and may make the interviewers question whether the fault is really with the internationally reputed firm or with you...

I hope all of this helps - let me know if you'd like me to clarify anything :)
 

sandralai

Standard Member
Oct 14, 2021
7
3
Just to add to what @Jessica Booker has said - first of all, don't worry at all about this! I have two questions and answers for you:

Q1. Is someone who has done vacation schemes in previous cycles a better or worse candidate than someone without any legal work experience?
A: They're undoubtedly a better candidate, provided they can write and talk coherently about what they enjoyed and learnt from their vacation schemes.

Q2. Is someone who has done vacation schemes and converted them going to be in the application pool competing against you?
A: For the most part, no - they will have accepted their TC and stopped applying to more firms.

So, on the whole, it is certainly a positive thing that you have done vac schemes and the firm is going to know that people get rejected post-VS all the time, so I wouldn't shy away from talking about your vac schemes in an interview. It's really no big deal AS LONG AS you have grown and improved since then and have an answer prepared for when they ask (they may not even ask - they will know that you could have been rejected for any number of random reasons and so there's no need to really discuss it).


Regardless, let's now think about what you could say if you are asked:

You have probably grown and improved as an applicant simply by doing those schemes, and honestly you could start by saying that you think the firms were looking for a candidate with more legal work experience, who consequently knew for certain that commercial law was right for them. No firm wants to hire someone who might leave directly post-TC. This is a nice answer because you are being open about a short-coming you had at the time of the vac scheme but you are also clearly demonstrating that by virtue of having completed the vac scheme, you no longer have this short-coming to the same extent. The more vac schemes you have done (the fact they were unsuccessful doesn't matter), the easier it is for you to convince the interviewers that you know commercial law is right for you and that you now have the requisite experience to excel as a trainee.

It is also worth having something to mention that you worked on outside of the schemes, be it commercial awareness, teamwork, writing or any other skill that could have been tested on a vac scheme. If you could give a compelling explanation for how you enhanced one of those skills then I am sure that would impress the interviewers.

Additionally, if the firms you did vac schemes at are quite different from the firm you are interviewing with, you could explain why the firms were not a good fit and how you have now become a more knowledgeable applicant with regard to the kinds of firms that suit you. The one thing I would be careful of here is to appear to be ragging on the firms that rejected you - this doesn't look very professional and may make the interviewers question whether the fault is really with the internationally reputed firm or with you...

I hope all of this helps - let me know if you'd like me to clarify anything :)
Thank you so much!

Would add that I have been thinking if a track record of commercial firm vacation scheme, while reflecting my continued interest in commercial law, would at the same time show I am consistently considered "a bad candidate" by other firms...

I totally agree with your point on that other people who already have a TC would likely move on already; only that I am thinking if law firms would prefer "a clean slate" of fresh penultimate year students who have not shown a history of rejections?

Nonetheless, in the interview, I felt I could focus on my improvement instead - so I hope it turns out well!
 
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James Carrabino

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Oct 12, 2021
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Thank you so much!

Would add that I have been thinking if a track record of commercial firm vacation scheme, while reflecting my continued interest in commercial law, would at the same time show I am consistently considered "a bad candidate" by other firms...

I totally agree with your point on that other people who already have a TC would likely move on already; only that I am thinking if law firms would prefer "a clean slate" of fresh penultimate year students who have not shown a history of rejections?

Nonetheless, in the interview, I felt I could focus on my improvement instead - so I hope it turns out well!
No worries, glad to be of help!

From my experience, a lot of firms (US in particular) like candidates who are not part of the clean slate of penultimate-year students you are referring to. In my PGDL class the average age is around 24 and most have prior work experience. I think work experience (vac schemes especially) are only ever a positive. They are clearly not a necessity, but they can show that you've come really close with comparable firms - remember that it is incredibly impressive to get accepted onto vac schemes in the first place!

The only applicants who may theoretically be in a better position than you are those who have legal work experience other than vac schemes (simply because it would not demonstrate rejection as you are concerned about) but honestly there are not that many of these candidates and I think that vac schemes actually gain more recognition from graduate recruitment teams (because they know how competitive the recruitment processes are). Sure, they could still ask why you got rejected - but as long as you have a compelling answer (judging by your preparation you will have one) then I do not think it will count against you. If unsuccessful vac schemes bothered them, why would they bother bringing you to interview in the first place?

I hope that is useful :)
 

Jessica Booker

Legendary Member
TCLA Moderator
Gold Member
Graduate Recruitment
Premium Member
Forum Team
Aug 1, 2019
13,342
19,158
Thank you so much!

Would add that I have been thinking if a track record of commercial firm vacation scheme, while reflecting my continued interest in commercial law, would at the same time show I am consistently considered "a bad candidate" by other firms...

I totally agree with your point on that other people who already have a TC would likely move on already; only that I am thinking if law firms would prefer "a clean slate" of fresh penultimate year students who have not shown a history of rejections?

Nonetheless, in the interview, I felt I could focus on my improvement instead - so I hope it turns out well!
Learning how to deal with failure is an exceptionally important skill for a lawyer. It’s less likely that someone who has never experienced rejection is going to be successful.
 

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