Ropes & Gray: What do Private Equity Lawyers Actually Do? — Wed 14 Jan 2026, 5–6pm (UK), Zoom
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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Abbie Whitlock" data-source="post: 225187" data-attributes="member: 42112">Hey!Great question - it can feel tricky to personalise and tailor your VI responses, especially when you're thinking on the spot! However, there are a few ways to make your answer stand out - a strong video interview usually shows three things:<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Clear structure: using something such as STAR helps you stay focused and prevents rambling. This allows you to deliver your answers in a more clear and concise way, which allows the graduate recruitment team to follow along easier</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Personal insight: the graduate recruitment team want to understand why you made certain choices and what you learned. Adding reflection is what lifts a seemingly generic answer into something memorable and personal</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">A real sense of motivation: this is where your genuine enthusiasm and research can come in. Show that you understand the firm, the role of a trainee, and that you've thought about how your skills and ambitions make you a good fit.</li> </ol>As some more general tips in order to stand out in video interviews, I always used to try to:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Prepare a bank of examples for each competency: this meant that I was able to refer to them quickly if they were asked in a video interview, which made it easier to incorporate more of my own personal experiences when I didn't have loads of time</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Be specific, not vague: instead of simply saying "I worked well in a team", explain exactly what you did and what the impact was. This is where specificity is really key - using measurable results can really help hone this in!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Bring energy and presence: I always found that in my earlier video interviews, I came across as slightly robotic and 'stiff' due to not being used to the VI format. However, this isn't necessarily how you would act in a normal interview - things such as good posture, eye contact with the camera, and natural tone make a big difference and really let the graduate recruitment team see your personality. Remember, whilst you have to have the skills for the role, they are also looking to hire trainees they can imagine would be a good fit!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Link back to the role of a trainee: wherever you can, it's always useful to link how any skills or traits that you discuss will help you succeed as a trainee at their firm. Even a quick line such as "This is relevant to the role of a trainee at X because..." shows that you understand the role and the firm.</li> </ul>Overall, I think most successful answers will be structured, genuine, and reflective - I used to think of it as not being rehearsed, but clearly prepared!I hope that helps, and best of luck with any video interviews! <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></blockquote>

Verification: Our company is called, "The Corporate ___ Academy". What is the missing word here?

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