5 tips for Writing effective responses for Training contract and Vacation Scheme applications.
On average, each candidate has a 1-3% chance of securing a training contract with a city law firm. That means close to 100 people are vying for each training contract. Assuming you have secured the requisite grades, you need to convince the Graduate Recruitment team to pick up your application amongst scores of other equally competent candidates. Here’s how.
1. Your application is reader-friendly.
The importance of writing clearly, concisely, and grammatically is self-explanatory. This is not a high bar. The general rule is less is more: sentences should be less than 20 words, if possible. Each paragraph should be signposted and discuss a discrete point. Writing three main points to each prompt is a good gauge. Crucially, a good response does not simply state but explains and expounds on the “whys” of your main point.
2. You are interested in becoming a solicitor at a particular firm.
A common way applicants demonstrate their interest in becoming a solicitor at a particular firm is by citing deals that said firm has done. Most candidates stop at mentioning the transaction value and the awards such deals yield. An outstanding candidate explains: (a) what the deal suggests about the firm’s capabilities; (b) why is that deal significant in the industry or economy; and (c) why is the candidate personally interested in the deal.
Another way to demonstrate interest is by attending firm events or, if you are more advanced, partaking in vacation schemes. Applicants should emphasise not just what they have done, but also the impact of their work and their reflections and insights. When mentioning an employee of the firm that an applicant has interacted with, Graduate Recruitment would reasonably expect some special insights into the firm beyond general internet research. The golden rule is that the responses should be tailored to each firm to the extent that they are not directly applicable to a prompt by another firm.
3. You have the qualities to succeed as a solicitor.
Lawyering is hard work. It entails long hours, high stress, and sacrifice. A training contract is a hefty investment in an individual so firms need to be assured that their investment will yield dividends. Therefore, your application must highlight the activities that demonstrate the qualities of resilience, dedication, and reliability. This can be illustrated in a variety of ways: leadership positions in school, fervent pursuit of an interest, entrepreneurship, or even part-time work. Rather than the content of the activity, what matters more is the applicant manifests those hallmark traits of a successful solicitor in the activity.
4. You will fit in the firm.
Firm culture is nebulous. Every firm represents itself as having a unique culture. A quick perusal of the firm’s sites, however, suggests that firm culture is more similar than different: collegiate, friendly, and inclusive. That said, how firms manifest these traits in practice differs from firm to firm.
Applicants would fare well in specifying examples — if possible, through their interaction with members of the firm — that illustrate those values. Outstanding responses further explain why and how these values are important to them, allowing them to thrive at work. Fitting in with the firm and its members allows a solicitor to carry out his or her work because teamwork lies at the core of effective lawyering.
5. You are someone with whom the reader would be happy to sit on a 10-hour aeroplane ride.
Finally, whether an applicant passes the “airport test”. Most candidates possess the technical competency to excel in the job of a trainee solicitor. However, given the intense competition among highly competent students, competency is but a prerequisite. Assuming all things equal, it is natural for people to prefer a personable and interesting individual as his or her office mate.
The oft-mentioned response is holding a leadership position in their school. Of course, that could be the focus of your response if that is something you are genuinely passionate about. But consider differentiating your responses from the many other students with similar leadership experiences.
One way is to focus on standing out as a unique individual. Do not underestimate the importance of discussing your interests. It could be inspiring and refreshing to hear how a student pursued his hobby, for instance, boxing, swimming, or hiking at a higher level. What matters is describing how those activities contribute to your development as a person and the transferable skills to the workplace.
When it comes down to it, the ability of the applicant to get along with other members of the firm might be the key determinant of whether he or she is hired. There are no special formulas here. I would focus on mentioning the old-school values of being genuine, sincere, reliable, friendly, a team player, hard-working, open-minded, and curious. These are traits that would hold anyone in good stead in a corporate environment. A person with a genuine passion for life and work and who is likeable and friendly is a person whom anyone would be quite happy to share an office with.
The writer, Leon, is a First Class LLM graduate from King's College London and a future trainee solicitor at Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher UK LLP.
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