I am now in the middle of my third round of job applications for training contracts. My CV is sparkling, I have a respectable 2:1 law degree and an LLM in corporate law from LSE. I have work experience from five vacation placements, one three-month placement with a corporate firm abroad and four months as a legal secretary, plus I even have 'additional activities' like backpacking half way round the world and playing rugby. Yet I still have no training contract! Despite getting plenty of interviews, I never convince them I am the one for the job.
When is it just time to quit and change direction? If I don't get what I'm after this year, would I be crazy to work as a paralegal for a year and then start yet another round in summer '08? My focus has been entirely on getting the training contract I want for the past four years... it's still not happening so what now?
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Have you been getting interviews or have you been turned away on the basis of the application form alone? This will give you some clues as to what is going on. If you are being turned away at the app form stage it would seem that despite your academic credentials, relevant work experience and your outside interests, people are not getting a positive feeling about you from the way in which you present yourself in writing. If this is the case show your forms to friends to get their honest feedback as there is obviously something wrong. Speak to people you trust to give you helpful and honest feedback. Presumably you know plenty of people who already have training contracts. Ask them how they would change your forms. If you are getting the interviews then it is obviously not your form filling that is at fault but the way in which you come across in interview. This is probably rather more sensitive, but you should take the same approach - embarrassing though it will undoubtedly be, you need to do some mock interviews with friends and get their feedback. If you are attending assessment days and falling at that hurdle it is likely that you (a) tend to be overbearing and are not considered a team player or (b) you are too compliant/shy and don't assert yourself enough. Firms are looking for people who are in the middle - who are not afraid of contributing but who don't stifle other people's contributions.
It could also be something as basic as personal hygiene. You really need to think about all the angles if you are to get yourself a contract.
Sounds like you have trouble at the interview stage. Try to get feedback and perhaps consider some interview coaching or at least speaking to someone experienced in interviewing to get some help.
I work in legal recruitment and see this quite a lot (though i only deal with qualified lawyers) - ie not getting past first or second interview stage despite strong CV; you should definitely look to get some sort of interview training - if you know any lawyers or legal recruiters ask them for some advice (I, like any half-decent recruiter, could probably give you a list of things to do/not do after a 20-minute meeting). Make sure you've got the basic interview questions covered (eg why do you want to join this firm - a classic question that will make or break an application... do your homework for this one). You need to come across as intelligent, hard-working and enthusiastic but also of the right 'type' for the firm; find out about the culture of a firm, what do they pride themselves on etc. and align yourself with those things. If you've been asked to interview, they WANT to hire you, but you've got to give them a reason to do so; if you're relying on your CV that is not enough, you've got to show how good (read 'appropriate') you are during a meeting. Good luck.
Two points. 1. Obviously you're not as "sparkling" as you'd like to think. 2. How come all that work experience hasn't put you off law? My only excuse for this so-called 'career' of mine is that I'd never stepped foot inside a law firm before the first day of my training contract...
If you are in the middle of your third round of interviews, I would have thought that you would have picked up on many of your mistakes by now. There is always a lesson to be learnt from each interview and it is quite worrying that you have been unable to identify and rectify these mistakes by now.
I would do something else - commercial law isn't worth all the effort. You will get great pay. You will be surrounded by many people who have had a personality by-pass. You won't have a life.
Have you thought about a role involving trial litigation ie criminal or family law? These are the true lawyers, unlike commercial lawyers, they are not just glorified accountants. You won't get paid as much as in commercial law but will be exposed to interesting people and clients.
Much more worthwhile!
Get feedback on your interviewing technique, either from trusted friends or from a professional who specialises in this. It can be painful (a bit like hearing your voice played back on a tape) but it will help. As for giving up, I had a friend who was in a similar position and decided to leave the law. However, she did the NY Bar Exam and then did the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test here to become a solicitor. I am afraid this route does not guarantee that any legal firm either in NY or in England and Wales will take you seriously as a lawyer. However, she said it made her feel as though she hadn't "wasted" her legal studies and had something to put on her CV when she went for other non-legal business related jobs. However, hopefully you will get a training contract! Good luck.
Seems to me you are tripping up at interview stage if your CV really is that "sparkling". Obviously it's important to be confident but being overly confident is not a good thing either. Sorry if this is harsh but your post sounded pretty arrogant - do you say those things in interview? If so, I'm not surprised you haven't been hired. Many firms have a policy of not giving feedback for prospective trainees but if you can make a friend in HR you might get results. Also, bear in mind that some firms have a policy of not taking on paralegals after their stint is done so if you are thinking of doing that for the next year then do your research carefully. Also,if you have been applying for four years without success it doesnt look great but at least you are persevering so you must really want to be a lawyer and I suppose that's a selling point.
Firstly, have a read through your article and spot the obvious errors. Attention to detail is critical for any commercial/corporate firm and will be one of the first things they will look for.
Secondly, there will be no harm in working as a paralegal for a couple of years. The experience you will receive will be beneficial, the salary for paralegals at some City firms can be great and if you truly are an up and coming star, it will be recognised. However, remember that decent paralegal jobs are as difficult to come by as trainee positions.
Thirdly, have you applied only to City firms or have you extended your search to regional firms? It may be that your character and style suits a regional firm better.
Finally, remember that firms are not only looking for a sparkling CV. You have to have a personality too.
Reality is that there are too many of you chasing too few training contracts, as I am sure you know. A 2:1 is good, but you have firsts who are rejected by the magic circle firms (my old firm included) so you really are up against toughest competition academics wise. As for other qualities, you yourself might fancy yourself as sparking (and personally I hate rugby and backpacking) but clearly you are not coming across well at interview. The others have suggested interview coaching, I like to think that if you are being yourself, that is the best way. Perhaps some of the qualities that you say you have in interview are not those that law firms are looking for, or you are simply poor at putting yourself across. You say you have done 5 vacation placements and odd but also working as a legal secretary, perhaps you are trying too hard to please? If you appear desperate, unfortunately it tends to put people off. Tough, I know. Only you know if it's worth carrying on, but if it were me, and I have been trying for as long as you say you have been trying, then I would give it one more season. If something comes up, that's great. If not, I would move on. Unless you consider an intermediate thing such as seeking a training contract in industry, i.e. applying to in-house lawyers, or will you consider joining someone like the CPS (I don't know if they take trainees so I am guessing, but the general message is clear I hope).
You need big time interview coaching! A CV alone is not enough and you will have make drastic changes to your interviewing - otherwise you must accept law is not for you if you fail to think like a lawyer is supposed to, which is normal.
I was successful in securing training contracts last year. My advice is don't give up. It took me a year to build a profile which was good enough for them to offer me a job. Most important thing is being able to display business pragmatism, and commercial deal following. Also simple things like how you communicate at interviews is really important, but most importantly no matter how good you are you need to show them why you passionately want to work for their firm and their firm only.
You may want to start with changing what you say! You're contract hunt is not cursed! It's hard but it's not over until you give up! If it's what you really want then go for it. It may take a while but when it comes will it be worth the wait!. You need to take stock of what you've done before, what you've said before and what feedback you have received. Once you've done that, decide what needs to change and make it happen. It's not easy but nothing that you really want isn't worth stressing over. I'd say words have power! Change the things you say about your search and new things will begin to happen.
Try and see yourself through the eyes of the interviewer (who will be assessing whether he/she would be happy to put you in front of the firm's clients). Do you come across as confident, enthusiastic, articulate and intelligent? If so, you'll get a training contract.
I think you need to ask yourself some serious questions: (1) If it has taken you this long and you still haven't got a training contract, are you necessarily cut out for the job? You may get a training contract next year, but if you aren't made to be a lawyer you are going to be faced with similar problems at every juncture. Do you really want to get into a profession where you will always struggle and be simply middle of the road? (2) You have more than enough legal work experience, don't bother becoming a paralegal (you won't learn anything worthwhile, all you'll be doing is admin - photocopying, filing, scanning etc, - any decent work will and should be going to the trainees). Why not think about spending some time in industry or a bank? (3) Why do you actually want to be a corporate lawyer? Unless you have a burning desire to mark up documents and simply articulate other people's instructions, with minimal commercial input, then go for it, otherwise, don't be fooled into thinking you will make lots of money, you'll work extremely hard and at 5 years QPE you'll just about be able to sustain a mortgage on an average house in London - great!!! There are plenty of other jobs which will pay you just as well. Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise...
I'm coming up to 6 years PQE, just moved in-house after training and then practising at a Magic Circle firm. Wish I could afford a mortgage on an average house in London!
I don't know what "average" houses you guys are looking at. Might be an idea to look a bit further out than kensington and chelsea.
What are all these "plenty of other jobs" people speak about? We are always told as lawyers we should be doing something else, but everyone skillfully omits what exactly.
LawCare (www.lawcare.org.uk) has a list of 101 Alternative Careers for Lawyers. Not all of them are terribly thrilling but then again neither is marking up documents for the 83rd time.
You have a typo in your question: "I even 'additional activities'". If you had one in your CV, it would put me off hiring you. Remember we are faced with many sparkling applications...and one of your trainee jobs will be proof reading...
[Editor's note: this is LW's fault and has since been corrected!]
I notice in your post you ask whether you should wait until summer 08 for another round of interviews. Why on earth don't you get going before then?? I started being interviewed for contracts in January of my final year and had accepted an offer by the end of February. While you're sitting around waiting 'til summer many time-savvy candidates are snapping up a large number of already limited training contracts.You would do very well to start your search ASAP rather than wait.
I think that interview skills are so important we all worry about the application but the interview is to see that you are the person that wrote the application. Are you as articulate as you are making out on your apps?? I have done nine interviews this year, I'm in my second year of my degree, and have finally successfully secured a training contract but one thing I have learnt is that it can be a game of chance. I wish you the best of luck, peserverance is a good attribute, however, desperation is not. Are you sure this is what you want and not just what you are expected to do just because your friends have traning contracts does not mean that is the case for you. Are you using your experiences to your advantage? Above all, be yourself and don't feel bad if you don't get it at one firm as they may feel that you are not right for them. Regional firms have amazing opportunities as a trainee as you are part of a small intake and you recieve more work maybe that worth considering. Good luck.
if you decide to attend any more interviews, remain confident (in my experience confidence plays a big role although admittedly if the partners do not think of you as a good fit you stand no chance) and put your past failures to secure a contract down to lack of focus. But do not be overconfident of the partners may find you too much of a big personality to fit into the team.
I would really recommend that you try to obtain as much feedback as possible. Give your cv to a friend or an old tutor and ask them to be ruthless in their comments. It can really help you to see yourself through someone else's eyes. Always ask for feedback from interviews. Most firms will provide this and it will no doubt give you an insight into any big mistakes which you are making at the interview stage (coming across too keen, not keen enough etc). There is a great deal of luck involved in these matters and much depends on being the right person at the right time. You can be perfect on paper, but if someone doesn't think you will "fit" with the team, you still won't get the job. Good luck.
Interviews are a game. Get a book on interview technique and develop a script on the issues you are going to be asked to address (background, experience, ambition). The sample questions in interview books are rarely immediately applicable but hte broad themes are. Respond to every question with an assertion and proof that references the points on your resume. Take notes after every interview and refine the script.
Quit whining and do something different! If you have really set your heart on working for Firm X, don't take 'no' for an anwswer. People do appreciate someone who does something a little more original/persuasive than sending in an impressive CV.
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