Hi everyone,
Hope you are all well. This is my first time writing so openly on this forum but lately I have been feeling really low and wanted to share my experience, and hopefully get some direction about where to go from here.
My background
I am a law graduate from RG Uni (with 1st) with masters in law. I have not completed LPC or SQE because for me it is too expensive to self-fund. It has been a while since I graduated - I am now 26 - and I have a full time job too. This is my 6th (!!!) application cycle and while some of the previous cycles might not feel as well prepared as some later ones, I am starting to lose hope on getting a TC.
My TC approach is very strategic. I have utilised TCLA for the past 5 years, I have completed almost ALL the courses (some of them 2 or 3 times), I have used the application review service and the mock interviews many times. For some of the OGs, I have been mock interviewed by Arun who has also completed the PE course. Now you can tell what type of dinosaur I am in this platform. I only apply to firms that are very special to me and match my interest, work experience and my masters. I have a very extensive CV with legal and non-legal experience and I speak 9 languages (not fluent in all of them but surely that is a bit impressive right?).
My journey
I want to share mostly the past 3 cycles of applications I have done and maybe get some insights and recommendations. For these cycles I focus on firms that are smaller, with a small trainee intake and without tests. I have taken SJTs and WG tests and honestly, despite the preparation, I have received inconsistent results from firms at the same cycle. So I narrowed down my aim to law firms that are smaller and have a straightforward app process. Some of these law firms I have applied 2 or 3 times so they can probably see my previous applications and notice improvements in my writing and in my experience as I progress. Yet, and despite using TCLA's app review service multiple times for the same application, 90% of my applications get rejected.
Don't get me wrong, I have had applications pass before - usually I do 10-15 applications per cycle and only 1-2 applications pass. It might be a numbers game but I think it is a low rate considering the effort I have put in. I have been to two assessment centres before, one was interview only and the other was an 8-hour all in assessment centre with interviews, debates etc. I did not manage to progress further than these, the feedback I received was that in my interview I sounded too rehearsed and in the assessment centre I was not very good at the written exercise. I am working towards improving both of these, but my applications still do not make it past that stage for me to even consider proving my worth.
This year I have applied to direct TCs only. I made this decision consciously because I am much older than the average candidate. So far I have applied to 6 firms and I have another 4 lined up to do, while 4 are pending. The un-success rate is about 40% so far, which is very demotivating.
In comparison to many brilliant people in this platform, I have not applied to 30 firms in one cycle, I have not done 10 ACs, I have not done ANY VSs. I have a lot of internships and work experience (legal and non legal) which I hope compensates for the lack of ACs or big law names in my CV. I know my applications are good because a) TCLA reviews them and I get feedback on where I lack and b) some have actually made it before. However, this cycle I feel very demotivated and the fact that I am older than lots of candidates is really playing in my head.
It has been really hard to see these rejections coming through considering that I do not have many options left. I have been wanted to become a lawyer since I was 12 years old and the past year is making me feel like I need to completely give up. I know that maybe my approach is not correct seeing as less applications means definitely less success rate but I have little motivation to pursue this when none of my applications go through.
If any of you are able to offer insights on how to continue or what you felt works for you when you apply, I would be really interested to hear. You are all big motivations for me but it's honestly really hard to not feel down and sorry when there is no positive news for months and months.
Hope you are all well. This is my first time writing so openly on this forum but lately I have been feeling really low and wanted to share my experience, and hopefully get some direction about where to go from here.
My background
I am a law graduate from RG Uni (with 1st) with masters in law. I have not completed LPC or SQE because for me it is too expensive to self-fund. It has been a while since I graduated - I am now 26 - and I have a full time job too. This is my 6th (!!!) application cycle and while some of the previous cycles might not feel as well prepared as some later ones, I am starting to lose hope on getting a TC.
My TC approach is very strategic. I have utilised TCLA for the past 5 years, I have completed almost ALL the courses (some of them 2 or 3 times), I have used the application review service and the mock interviews many times. For some of the OGs, I have been mock interviewed by Arun who has also completed the PE course. Now you can tell what type of dinosaur I am in this platform. I only apply to firms that are very special to me and match my interest, work experience and my masters. I have a very extensive CV with legal and non-legal experience and I speak 9 languages (not fluent in all of them but surely that is a bit impressive right?).
My journey
I want to share mostly the past 3 cycles of applications I have done and maybe get some insights and recommendations. For these cycles I focus on firms that are smaller, with a small trainee intake and without tests. I have taken SJTs and WG tests and honestly, despite the preparation, I have received inconsistent results from firms at the same cycle. So I narrowed down my aim to law firms that are smaller and have a straightforward app process. Some of these law firms I have applied 2 or 3 times so they can probably see my previous applications and notice improvements in my writing and in my experience as I progress. Yet, and despite using TCLA's app review service multiple times for the same application, 90% of my applications get rejected.
Don't get me wrong, I have had applications pass before - usually I do 10-15 applications per cycle and only 1-2 applications pass. It might be a numbers game but I think it is a low rate considering the effort I have put in. I have been to two assessment centres before, one was interview only and the other was an 8-hour all in assessment centre with interviews, debates etc. I did not manage to progress further than these, the feedback I received was that in my interview I sounded too rehearsed and in the assessment centre I was not very good at the written exercise. I am working towards improving both of these, but my applications still do not make it past that stage for me to even consider proving my worth.
This year I have applied to direct TCs only. I made this decision consciously because I am much older than the average candidate. So far I have applied to 6 firms and I have another 4 lined up to do, while 4 are pending. The un-success rate is about 40% so far, which is very demotivating.
In comparison to many brilliant people in this platform, I have not applied to 30 firms in one cycle, I have not done 10 ACs, I have not done ANY VSs. I have a lot of internships and work experience (legal and non legal) which I hope compensates for the lack of ACs or big law names in my CV. I know my applications are good because a) TCLA reviews them and I get feedback on where I lack and b) some have actually made it before. However, this cycle I feel very demotivated and the fact that I am older than lots of candidates is really playing in my head.
It has been really hard to see these rejections coming through considering that I do not have many options left. I have been wanted to become a lawyer since I was 12 years old and the past year is making me feel like I need to completely give up. I know that maybe my approach is not correct seeing as less applications means definitely less success rate but I have little motivation to pursue this when none of my applications go through.
If any of you are able to offer insights on how to continue or what you felt works for you when you apply, I would be really interested to hear. You are all big motivations for me but it's honestly really hard to not feel down and sorry when there is no positive news for months and months.
