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This application cycle has been an incredibly steep learning curve for me – and a cycle of many 'almosts', such as:

• getting past the application stage and almost making it to the interview;
• getting through to various stages and almost landing a vacation scheme; and
• getting onto one vacation scheme and almost securing a training contract.

But it’s followed years of never making it past the application stage at all – years when even an almost would’ve been cause for celebration. So, while I didn't get a training contract, I still consider these experiences a win.

In this article, I'll walk you through my process this year and cover some of the things I'll be doing differently next cycle. I've split my process into the three crucial stages that carried me through this application season: compiling, constructing and consolidating.

Step one: compile

Firm

• Names and dates: list the firms you plan to apply to and map out the relevant deadlines – open days, vacation scheme applications and training contracts. Start monitoring law firm pages and graduate portals early.

Don’t forget you can bookmark your favourite firms on LawCareers.Net with a free MyLCN account.

• Information: research each law firm. Have a poke around the website, take a look at external resources and set up Google Alerts to stay informed about any firm-specific updates as the year progresses.
• The 'big three': after compiling your research, identify the three strongest themes per firm across all of your sources. These are your 'big three' – the firm's three unique selling points, the biggest things that set it apart from its competitors.

Self

• Know your stories: I don't mean preparing stock answers, but having a clear sense of your 'why law', 'why this firm' and 'why you' – and tailoring each to each firm you apply to – can help both at the application stage and beyond.
• List your work experiences: for each experience, note the key elements of what you did and draw at least one link to the skills expected of a trainee or solicitor. This can, of course, include everything from volunteering for Citizens Advice to a part-time job as a barista. If you can link it to a legal role, include it!
• Create a key evidence document: keep a single document of all of the above – your key achievements, metrics, learned skills – to use as a foundation for your application answers. Again, this isn’t about copying and pasting stock answers across applications, but having key information prepared and polished so that you can tailor it to each firm, rather than rewriting it from scratch every time.

Points of contact

Having a point of contact at a law firm can offer valuable personal insight into what life there is really like – and provide you with richer material for your application and interview answers. But how can you go about meeting these people?

• Firm open days: open days are the most common route. While incredibly insightful, they’re competitive to secure a place on – so definitely include them as part of your strategy, but be sure not to rely on them exclusively.
• Law fairs and events: conferences (eg, LawCareersNetLIVE) and law fairs also provide useful opportunities to hear from trainees – and occasionally also partners – about their experiences at a firm.  

• LinkedIn: reaching out to people at your target law firms and asking for a quick call or informal coffee chat can be a great way to learn more about the firm and build your professional network. However, the downside is that this method doesn't guarantee a response. Lawyers and trainees are incredibly busy and may not be able to get back to you before your deadline. But those that do respond have always been, in my experience, incredibly kind, keen and willing to help. If you do get the chance to speak to someone at a firm you're applying to, be sure to prepare some interesting questions about their journey at the firm – and don't forget to take detailed notes!

Step two: construct

Prepare answers

• Motivation questions: draft responses to key motivation questions – why law/why solicitor, why you, why this firm – before you start filling in your application.
• Competencies: it may also be worth preparing draft responses to common competency questions, such as those covering collaboration, communication or a firm's core values.
• Preview the application form: be sure to check the firm's application form once applications open, so that you can start planning your responses to the questions as early as possible.

Understand the application process

• Map out the application process: what comes after the application form – is it a video interview, Watson-Glaser or a direct invitation to an in-person interview? Understanding the full process helps you see how each stage fits together and how to prepare for what's coming next.

Restrictions

• Vacation scheme versus training contract: knowing the firm's limits provides further context for your application strategy. Is this a firm that only allows you to apply to either a vacation scheme or a training contract in a single cycle, or can you apply to both to maximise your chances? Does the firm recruit exclusively through vacation schemes, or do they have a direct training contract application route?
• Rolling versus fixed deadlines: recruitment deadlines are also useful to know. Is the deadline rolling (ie, applications are reviewed as they come in) or fixed (ie, reviewed only after the deadline closes)? Applying on the last day has very different implications depending on whether a rolling or fixed deadline applies.

Step three: consolidate 

Commercial awareness

Commercial awareness means primarily three things: a broad understanding of current news and events; a deep understanding of one or two recent trends; and a detailed understanding of the business, structure and clients of your target firms – and how the first two categories can affect the third.

• To maintain broad awareness: set aside 20 minutes every day to read or listen to the news. 
• To develop deeper understanding: set aside 20 to 30 minutes weekly to identify three stories relevant to your target firms and note the implications for clients and the firm.
• To strengthen firm-specific knowledge: identify gaps in your understanding as you study commercial awareness and draw connections between your target law firms and the relevant news story. Make a plan to study those areas in further detail.

Sector knowledge

Choose two sectors that genuinely interest you – ideally, sectors that your target firms advise in – and develop a deeper understanding of them. Study recent deals, key clients and any regulatory or legislative developments in these areas.

Weaknesses

If this isn't your first time at the law firm application rodeo, spend some time reflecting on the previous cycle. If you received any feedback on your performance or applications, use that to your advantage going forward. If you didn't, comb over your applications and performance with a friend or mentor and try to identify where things could’ve gone better – and how to address those gaps in the upcoming cycle.

Communities

Whether it's fellow law students or a mentor from a programme, it never hurts to have a fresh pair of eyes on your applications and a sounding board for interview practise. At the very least, having people around you will make rejections easier to bear – and the successes all the sweeter.

Hobbies

Some applicants I've spoken to have shared that they find it difficult to know what to talk about in their applications without sounding generic. Your experiences are what set you apart – and when you lack any legal work experience, your next best bets are:

• any other work experience; and
• your hobbies.

Volunteering, taking up a sport, going to workshops to learn a new skill/language, joining a society or starting a social network with your coworkers or colleagues – all of the above provide opportunities to develop new skills or strengthen pre-existing ones, make new friends, and have a broader range of experiences to draw from when preparing application and interview answers.

And if none of that convinces you, consider the stress-relieving benefits of hobbies. If nothing else, you can count on your hobbies to get you through the application season in one piece! 

Remember – the candidates who convert applications in autumn and summer are the ones who treat the summer before applications open as part of the cycle, rather than a break from it.

So, with that, I wish you the best of luck for the year ahead – here's to a cycle beyond almosts!