How to incorporate love of reading into application question?

[lawyerinzootopia]

Hello!

I'm currently applying for a vacation scheme, and for the "tell us about yourself" section, I'm unsure whether or not to include that I love reading. I'm going into my final year of an English Literature degree, so it's all related of course. But I'm just a bit unsure as to if it's relevant to talk about my passion of books, and if it is, how to talk about it in a way that would make my application stronger.

I would really appreciate any feedback!!

 

[I’m_Batman]

I personally see the 'Tell us about yourself' section as an opportunity to present yourself as a more well-rounded candidate so I would be wary of linking it too heavily to your why law/why firm material. I think if you try to show that it is a genuine passion of yours, for example, by giving a favourite author/series/genre or mentioning how many books you've made it through as part of a reading challenge it could show personality. It shows you're curious and can demonstrate you're disciplined because it's more challenging to read things than listen or watch them. But if you are also keen you could try to mention how it has improved your analytical and critical thinking skills. Reading a long novel like war and peace [cliché, sorry] shows a lot of ability. I think hobbies like reading are really relevant because you'll be doing it a lot on the job, for example:
1. "I really like challenging myself through reading increasingly complex texts, [example]. This has helped me understand nuances and details when reading more generally, which is crucial in legal work where every word counts."
2. "When reading [example], I was challenged by the complex ethical and moral dilemmas the protagonists faced; I have found this has sharpened my critical thinking through [example], a valuable asset in law."
3. "I enjoyed exploring [example] because it involved reading a lot about diverse cultures, historical periods, and honing in on individual experiences. This will be useful in a legal setting because it has given me a deeper sense of empathy and understanding which is useful in client relationships.".
Personally, though, when I have mentioned my reading/writing, I have just mentioned what I really like about it and the recruiter can infer how this is helpful.

 

[lawyerinzootopia]

I personally see the 'Tell us about yourself' section as an opportunity to present yourself as a more well-rounded candidate so I would be wary of linking it too heavily to your why law/why firm material. I think if you try to show that it is a genuine passion of yours, for example, by giving a favourite author/series/genre or mentioning how many books you've made it through as part of a reading challenge it could show personality. It shows you're curious and can demonstrate you're disciplined because it's more challenging to read things than listen or watch them. But if you are also keen you could try to mention how it has improved your analytical and critical thinking skills. Reading a long novel like war and peace [cliché, sorry] shows a lot of ability. I think hobbies like reading are really relevant because you'll be doing it a lot on the job, for example:
1. "I really like challenging myself through reading increasingly complex texts, [example]. This has helped me understand nuances and details when reading more generally, which is crucial in legal work where every word counts."
2. "When reading [example], I was challenged by the complex ethical and moral dilemmas the protagonists faced; I have found this has sharpened my critical thinking through [example], a valuable asset in law."
3. "I enjoyed exploring [example] because it involved reading a lot about diverse cultures, historical periods, and honing in on individual experiences. This will be useful in a legal setting because it has given me a deeper sense of empathy and understanding which is useful in client relationships.".
Personally, though, when I have mentioned my reading/writing, I have just mentioned what I really like about it and the recruiter can infer how this is helpful.

This is so incredibly helpful, thank you!!!!