- Sep 9, 2024
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Depending on the question and the time you have to respond to it, sometimes linking it to your own experiences will not be a strict requirement. For instance, if the question was "What are three essential skills for a successful commercial solicitor and why?" and the response time was one minute, it would probably be impossible to adequately address the core aspects of the questions and also add connections to concrete examples in your life. That said, I think in some cases it is basically an unwritten expectation (for instance, for a 'what relevant skills do you have' questions); and also that in most cases, even if it is not a strict requirement, it does make your answer a lot more convincing.
As such, while of course you will have to make a judgement call based on the exact framing of the question and the time limit, my advice would be to try to illustrate points about skills with concrete examples wherever possible. You do not need to go on a full STAR-structured description of each experience. Simply state in one or two sentences the essence of what the experience was about and the way in which it demonstrates the relevant skill or quality. To illustrate my point, your answer could look something like this and should not take you more than 10-15 seconds: 'Whilst completing a legal internship at X firm, I had the opportunity to review and write a brief on a due diligence report. I was commended by my supervisor for my drafting skills, a core ability of a successful trainee'.
