Last-minute, late, looming, applications, training contract

Do any or all of these words ring a bell? The first two you don't want, the third relates to the fact that 31 July is looming, the next is what you have to complete, and the last is the ultimate goal.

A key message from recruiters, teachers, parents and, err, weird uncles, is 'don't leave things until the last minute'. Boring, I know, but these people do tend to have a point! Here at Apply4Law (A4L) we also want to reaffirm that message. We hear many agonizing stories from candidates around deadlines time. Many have missed the deadline, not completed applications fully or made mistakes. How do we feel about this? It's gutting, but here are some thoughts from our team to hopefully stand you in good stead.

Often the reports we get are of the candidate's screen freezing, page not loading and/or internet connection dying, all at the last moment. By taking your time, and not making and submitting an application in a last-hour rush before the deadline, these problems would most likely not occur or at least not become such an issue that you'd miss the deadline. (NB the majority of firms using A4L have a 24:00hrs deadline unless stated otherwise.)

We are often asked, 'Can you reopen an application form for me to submit after the deadline?'. This isn't down to us, but mostly the reply we get from firms is no! How would you feel if you and thousands of others had submitted on time, only to find out that firms were allowing candidates to submit past the deadline? Clearly there are sometimes exceptions but the over-riding message is submit on time to avoid disappointment!

Another popular cry for help is, 'I spent so much time on this application in the weeks before the deadline but I logged in to submit and missed the deadline'. We know it's frustrating, but if you're spending huge amounts of time on an application, it's worth logging in with plenty of time to preview your application form and to submit. A4L is timed exactly to GMT; make sure your clock, watch or time piece is correct!

We mention previewing your applications for good reason; on A4L application forms you can find a link to your full application on the Declaration page. By proofing each application in good time before the deadline, you'll ensure you catch any typos, mistakes or omissions. While we're on the subject of omissions, questions are there to be answered - make sure you do.

On the Declaration page you'll be familiar with the green/red traffic light symbols, or 'validator'. Red status buttons indicate incomplete sections and/or pages of your application form which you have not accessed. It's there as a visual cue to remind you to complete everything.

Another handy tool we mentioned in a previous blog post is MyLocker. MyLocker allows you to transfer core information to sections of participating firms' application forms. Some firms do not allow for all data to be transferred. Don't leave applications until the last minute and assume MyLocker will save the day; you may find that particular firm has removed the MyLocker function on a specific section you hate!

Last, but not least, if you have already submitted training contract applications and the deadline hasn't passed, you can add supplementary information up until the position deadline by logging in on the firm's application form homepage. For this, the message remains the same; don't wait until the last minute.

So please don't make us (or, more importantly, you) sad by missing the deadline. There are many advantages to submitting well in advance. By our calendar there's even thrilling Olympic events such as archery and beach volleyball on the 31 July - we wouldn't want you to miss watching the repeats!

Nadine Rankin-Plant is part of the team at Apply4Law. She can be found on Twitter @Apply4Law.