What has been your greatest success?

[hi2768]

I always struggle with this questions. What are law firms looking for?

 

[FM302989]

look at what the firm's 'key competencies are', and if not, consider generally for trainees.

Find ANY achievement, team success, something where you get a job done and there's been obstacles. Examples can depend on what stage you're at (studying or in work). When I was studying I talked about part-time work achievements/promotion; when I was a uni sports captain and boosted membership and won the league. When I was a Paralegal I talked about deals I'd worked on, what I spotted, getting transaction done in the timescale so they could make the most commercial benefit from the acquisition etc.

Talk about what you did, not what the rest of the team did, skills/competencies employed, how you overcame challenges.

what was the result and what was achieved

Go through the STAR technique when preparing

 

[laurabeaumont]

I always believe the most important thing in answering any of these competency questions is quantifying your success - pick a success, as @FM302989 said, apply the STAR technique (https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/careers-advice/interview-advice/the-star-method) and then add numbers to demonstrate you have reflected on WHY it was a success.

For example:

• How many people were involved in this success - i.e. your team?
• How many people benefitted from your success?
• Quantify anything needed to obtain success i.e. the number of days, the equipment, money or lack thereof?

Let me know if you have anymore questions in applying this method of reflection!

Laura

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

I always struggle with this questions. What are law firms looking for?

Ultimately what they are looking for is the evidence of what drives you to succeed and how you define success - it isn't really about what the success is, more so why you define it as such and why it is important to you.