Firstly, thank you all for all your replies. I was having a low day and all of these messages really touched me. I really do appreciate this community. You guys are honestly the best <3
Thank you! I have gone to events and my anxiety acts up. I try and force myself to talk, even if I do overthink everything I say afterward hahanetwooooorrrkkkkk, go to every event online and participate and force yourself to be on camera and talk, join societies in uni. just practice public speaking more, it would be hard at the beginning but then you will enjoy it a lot
Thanks for this! It's sometimes so hard to calm myself down and think of the interview as a conversation. I really need to try and think of it as talking to a bunch of friends rather than as the be all, end all to my futureIt's not the most dazzling insight, but practice goes a long way. I also, if the formatting permits, like to get interviewers to tell me about stuff and then kind of springboard off of that.
It might be helpful to practice a bit with friends, family, or mentors, really anyone you're a bit more comfortable with. You can then kind of translate that energy into interview ('it's just a conversation') making any appropriate adjustments to tone, formality level, what have you.
Thank you so much for this message and for understanding. I appreciate all your kind words and this gives me so much hope that I will secure something. It's nice to know that other people do get it. This honestly made my dayHi @commercialhoe-yer, it is great to hear from you - you sound like a very thoughtful person and I am sure that you absolutely have what it takes to get a TC! I definitely know shy/introverted people who have received TC offers and they are often the smartest and kindest of the bunch! Remember that the people interviewing you may have lacked confidence themselves at one point; that could subconsciously warm them to someone more like themselves. There is definitely an element of the luck of the draw when it comes to who your interviewers are.
I had the same idea in mind as you when I attended interviews and vac schemes. I remember identifying a whole range of charming, well-presented individuals at the beginning of the day or week, whom I was certain would be a shoo-in! This did not come from a place of annoyance, as they were often lovely people who seemed very knowledgeable - it simply made me feel like I was competing for one of the 'remaining' spots 🤣
Often I was completely surprised when I found out who ended up getting the offers - not because I think that those who did receive an offer didn't deserve it, but because I had formulated an image of the perfect lawyer in my mind and the individuals who fit this description did not always end up getting offers.
The point here is that everyone on your interview (including you) will be exceptionally well qualified. Ultimately, it will come down to how well prepared you are for your interview and whether you are a good fit with the firm. Many practice areas have significantly less client contact than others and being a 'people' person does not necessarily mean being able to work the room; it just means that you are kind, respectful and reliable to those who are entrusting you with their work. As long as you show up to your interviews with a lot of knowledge about the firm and genuine interest in its work, then you will have put yourself in the best position possible to get a TC. I really would not try to be someone who you are not.
Nevertheless, it is definitely possible to prepare answers to the 'casual' questions so that you do not feel caught out in your interview. You can find a list of some such questions which may arise here.
There are also some ways to work on building rapport, which I have written about here. Do let me know if this is all helpful and whether you have any other questions about it
Thank you so much! Haha what you're saying is gold. I literally am reading the advice and realising that I neither smile nor am I ever relaxed. I really need to work on not looking at interviews as an interrogation and appearing too formal and rigid.I may not be the best person to answer this (I'm quite outgoing and a people-person) but here's a few things I did at my AC:
1) stayed relaxed and smiled - small step but the most important
2) talked about my personal *non-polished* experiences - so be authentic. Interviewers asked me to talk about a mistake, I said I applied for biochemistry initially and "absolutely hated" the lab job during an internship so it was a bad decision, they had a good laugh. I usually polish up 90% of my experiences and leave like 1-2 examples non-polished, so that my polished answers sound authentic too.
3) appropriate jokes - a bit more difficult, depends on the personality of your interviewer. If they're the poker-face type of person, or if you're not sure about your sense of humour, I'd be careful with this.
4) listened to what they said and show that I was interested in them - their work, experiences, hobbies. Engage with what they're saying. My interviewer mentioned that he's specialised in ESG, I brought up a recent case in ESG, and we joked about making the world a whole lot better (LOL).
5) advice: don't script your answers or deliberately make yourself sound like a politician or diplomat. Talk normally and use normal conversational language. And if you're an introvert, no need to pretend that you're not one - just communicate clearly, show good respect and friendliness.
Just my two cents!