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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Abbie Whitlock" data-source="post: 221670" data-attributes="member: 42112">Hello!Great question - if they've set a 1000-word limit, it usually means they're open to something fairly substantial, not just a short cover letter. I'd aim for around 800-900 words, but the key thing is to make sure you've covered all the essential points and that it's written in a concise and clear way. It's always better to be slightly shorter and well-structured than to hit the word count just for the sake of it.In terms of structure, I would follow something along the lines of:<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Introduction (100-150 words): Briefly introduce yourself, what you're applying for, and a summary of your motivation or background.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Why this firm (250-300 words): This is where you should show off your research of the firm - mention specific aspects of the firm's culture, clients, or practice areas that genuinely interest you. Make sure to tie this back to your skills and past experiences to demonstrate why these unique aspects motivate you to train there - for example, if you are discussing their room sharing policy, it would be great to discuss previous instances where you have worked closely in teams and enjoyed it, etc.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Why commercial law (200-250 words): Explain your motivation for pursuing commercial law, ideally linking it to your experiences or academic background. It's really important to link this to your previous experiences - it's fine to say that you are interested in commercial law as it is intellectually stimulating, but you need to expand on that and say why you enjoy that and how you have discovered this.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Why you (200-250 words): Linking to the above, highlight the skills and experiences that make you a strong fit - both for the firm and the career itself. Think about the skills required of a trainee, and the skills valued at Travers Smith, and discuss how you have developed these in past experiences. It might be useful to link these to how they will make you a good trainee (i.e. if you have good organisational skills, discuss how you are well-equipped to handle competing deadlines from multiple supervisors).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Conclusion (50-100 words): End by reaffirming your enthusiasm for the firm and the vacation scheme, and what you hope to gain from it.</li> </ol>In conclusion, yes, I would aim to be close to the word count - but it's more important to ensure that your writing is coherent, purposeful, and tailored. Quality over quantity always reads better! <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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