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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Abbie Whitlock" data-source="post: 241234" data-attributes="member: 42112">Hello!Congratulations on receiving an AC invite! It's totally normal to feel nervous - assessment centres can feel stressful, no matter how many you complete <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> In general, firms are more interested in how you think and interact than in you having a perfectly polished answer for everything. Whilst I haven't completed an AC at Burges Salmon before, I can share some tips on how I'd approach each element. I've also quoted some more general AC posts that I have previously made, as they might be helpful to refer to as well! For the scenario discussion and group exercise, there is rarely a single right answer. What the graduate recruitment team are assessing is how you analyse information, weigh up pros and cons, and communicate your reasoning and thought process to others. I would say that you should try to appear collaborative, rather than dominant - for example, summarising where the group has got to, asking quieter people for their views, or calmly raising risks or alternative perspectives that haven't been considered.The written exercise is usually about structure and clarity. I would say that a strong written exercise will be well-structured, client-focused, and identify the key issues, risks, and next steps. This is often more important than trying to show off lots of technical knowledge, as this isn't necessarily well-suited to the aim of the task. In terms of structure, I always found it helpful to use a mix of prose / bullet points / headings / subtitles - this can help make your answer easier to read.In the interview, the questions are likely to be motivational / commercial awareness / competency based. This could include your motivations for law, teamwork, dealing with pressure or mistakes, and how you approach decision-making. For commercial questions, I would try not to panic about needing to be a 'technical expert' with your answers - as long as you can explain why the commercial issues matter in practice, both for the firm and its clients, this matters much more than being to explain financial concepts in detail. For example, if asked about a recent news story that interested you, I would explain the story and then discuss: (1) the opportunities it brings for law firms and their clients (e.g. how this might bring in new work, and what departments that might involve), and (2) the challenges it brings (e.g. what might clients need help mitigating, and what kind of work can firms do to help them with that) - I've always viewed it as being able to explain how law firms add value to their clients!In terms of preparation, one thing that really helped me was to become comfortable with uncertainty. I used to have a tendency to want to memorise answers for every potential question, and this is definitely not a sustainable way of preparing! Instead, it might be more useful to have a few solid examples in your mind around the main competencies that you can refer to if prompted - things such as teamwork, handling pressure, making decisions, etc. It also helps to practice out loud and get used to explaining your thought process to others.My biggest tip is not to panic if you feel unsure at any point, or don't think you know the answer. The best thing to do is to explain your thinking clearly and sensibly, and this can sometimes be as valuable as getting to a final answer. Everyone at the AC with you will be nervous, so I would encourage you to lean on each other and root for each other (even if it feels like they are the competition!).Overall, if you focus on being calm, engaged, and show a clear interest in the firm, you'll already be doing a lot of the things that the graduate recruitment team will be looking for.Wishing you the best of luck!! <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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