Don't be a turkey

At this time of year, when every writer is shoehorning a festive theme into their articles, I've been thinking that in many ways applying for a job in the legal profession is like assembling a traditional Christmas dinner. "Be silent, you shameless hack," I hear you bellow, but hear me out. Your turkey spectacular is a combination of disparate elements - many of which you experience only rarely - that collectively create a satisfying and successful whole. So, let's have a look at the range of items that you have to shovel onto your plate if Christmas is to end on a high (I apologise in advance to those who do not celebrate Christmas, are vegetarians or celebrate with something other than a bird and piles of veg).

Let's start with the turkey (or goose if you enjoy something (Oxb)richer). This is the central, non-negotiable part of the package - just like your education and academic ability. For legal recruiters, high academic attainment displays a wide array of the skills that they are looking for: intellectual ability, written and verbal communication skills, motivation and attention to detail. If your examination results are poor, then the recruiter is likely to send you back to the kitchen! Next come the roast spuds. These are like your extracurricular activities - providing much of the ballast and determining the kind of person that you are. Think about presentation; are your achievements in life presented with a beautiful, crispy golden sheen that gets the recruiter's juices flowing, or do they look dull and a bit soggy? The third part of the triumvirate is the stuffing or, in your case, your work experience. The stuffing is all about creating something that makes the meal more interesting and satisfying. It's exact ingredients can vary enormously - usually depending on what you have to hand - but serious thought is needed for the perfect combination of sausage, chestnut, herbs and spices. Every bit of work experience can be used and remember to scour the cupboard of your memory for what you have done - don't rely only on the obvious things!

Now we come to the addendums. Let's dive straight into the most contentious of all the Yuletide regulars, the noble sprout. You don't have to deal with them very often and you may not find them very appealing, but you know that you've got to face up to them, a bit like the questions, "Why do you want to become a lawyer?" and "Why do you want to join our firm/chambers/company?". You're not a child now, so trying to hide them down the back of the radiator or in your napkin is not an option. You have to be convincing, prepare your response, take a big breath and go for it. The other vegetables - roast parsnips, mashed swede, cabbage or even peas - may vary from dinner to dinner and from firm to firm depending on location, practice area or size. Again, what you serve up can be determined by a little thought. But what permeates and binds together the whole meal is, of course, the gravy (or in the case of a legal application, high-quality research). You need to display good all-round knowledge of yourself, the employer and the market as a whole to create a satisfying impression that you will fit in with the organisation that you wish to join. And remember to mention those who helped you lay the table, serve and wash up. Teamwork is highly valued!

Now we're on a roll with this rather convoluted simile, it's worth mentioning what happens when you all get together for the meal - or in your case, the interview. That's right, you pull a cracker and hopefully sparks fly! After the initial bang you've got a hat, a joke and a novelty in front of you. The hat is all about adopting an appropriate persona in the interview. Yes, you should be yourself, but a slightly decorated, more impressive version. The joke is all about your interpersonal and presentational skills. Can you get a laugh from the feeble material on the slip of paper or maybe use it as a jumping-off point for a conversation? If so, you're doing well. Finally, the novelty is an unknown and is all about thinking on your feet. Goodness knows what sort of trick question an interviewer will ask you; just make sure that you don't panic and try to say something sensible!

Bon appetite!

PS Next time, we'll look at why the LPC is a bit like buying your first house (don't worry, we won't really).