How To Stand Out In Your Training Contract Application
The legal industry can be very competitive, in every sense. And this is especially true when it comes to applying for jobs.
Law as a career is fast-paced and highly competitive, so trying to get a training contract is no different. Some recruiters can deal with hundreds, possibly thousands of applications at a time, so it can be difficult to stand out.
Unfortunately, it isn’t enough to have the grades and work ethic alone – a great academic record and personal determination is a given. You have to display what makes you unique, and why the firm should employ you.
Show that you’re right for the firm, and that it’s right for you
It’s really important to do your research before applying. When applying for training contracts, you’ll read countless law firm websites. Whilst it’s tempting to think they’re all the same, it’s really important to take your time and read them thoroughly. Each firm will consider itself distinct and will want you to apply for a reason. Work out what the firm’s ethos is, and how that relates to you directly.
The firm’s values, reputation and the sort of cases they work with will give you an opportunity to showcase why and how you will fit in. They will give you an idea of what skills and attributes they look for in candidates, and you can link your experience to these skills. However, be careful not to directly recycle any phrases from their website or be too sycophantic; law firms will see right through you, and if you get to interview stage any fake enthusiasm will be clear from your responses.
Remember your audience
It’s really important to show your personality on your application. However, you need to do this in a way that doesn’t rely on humour or informality. Recruiters will likely have a massive stack of applications to work through, and the last thing they want to do is read a funny quote.
In the same way, you should try to keep your answers as concise as possible. It can be tempting to answer a question in a drawn-out way, displaying as much of your knowledge as possible. But, by the end of a long response, you might not even be answering the question at all. A recruiter will appreciate a short, to-the-point answer a lot more than they will an answer they had to dig out of a lengthy ramble.
Also remember that it will be really obvious if you use an answer from another application form, responding to a similar question. You’ll have a lot of applications to complete, and it’s understandable to want to take shortcuts. However, taking time to really read and understand the questions will make your application better overall, and give you a better chance at securing an interview.
Play to your strengths and show your experience
As we’ve already stated, the competition for training contracts is tough. The top firms attract candidates of an exceptionally high calibre, and because of this, top grades will simply not be enough. You should try to draw on experiences of university societies and sporting achievements, and then go beyond these. Think of a range of experiences that are unique to you, and apply the skills gained from these to a career in law. This will ensure not only that your application is your own, but that it’s authentic too.
Show examples of where you’ve taken initiative. Think to any projects you have started, charity events you’ve planned or maybe even businesses you’ve planned. These are completely individual topics that other people may not be able to draw on, so it really allows you to play to your strength.
Again, the legal profession can be a tough nut to crack. But, you should try to get as much experience as you can. Vacation schemes are themselves competitive but a really great way of gaining invaluable experience. If you find you’re really interested in a specific firm, try to do a vacation scheme there to make yourself known, and show your work ethic. If you can’t get a vacation scheme, there are plenty of alternatives. Look for work experience at a local law firm, shadow a legal professional or even just go and sit in on court cases. All of this helps.
Pay attention to detail
Whilst this may seem like it should go without saying, make sure that there are no mistakes in your application. One of the biggest traits that firms look for in recruits is a fine-tuned eye for detail, so mistakes will simply not cut it. Even though you pour over applications for hours – sometimes even days – you can still miss out on some small spelling errors or grammatical mistakes.
Have someone else read over your application for you; this is self-explanatory. Make sure you’ve named the correct law firm (this might seem extreme, but when you’re bogged down with applications this can be an easy mistake to make). Be sure that your application reads nicely, and your communication skills are displayed. Capitalise properly and avoid using any slang.
Display your creativity
To really stand out, try to think of new ways for the firm to provide better service for their clients. Firms often have a lot of mixers and events, so if you can think of different ways to do this then your application will be noticed for all the right reasons. Displaying your creativity in any way will be certain to draw a firm to you. Just think outside the box and show your personality.
