Tough love
updated on 18 May 2010
Having worked for nine years as a graduate development and recruitment manager in two top City firms, I thought it was about time to give something back to the students I so often turned away - mainly, I believed, because they had not received appropriate careers advice. So I turned to the 'other side' and became the careers service manager at Kaplan Law School in London, where I could put my knowledge to good use. Having read thousands upon thousands of application forms, attended more law fairs than I've had hot dinners and conducted hundreds of interviews, I now help students make sure that they are remembered for the right reasons, rather than the (sometimes tragically) wrong ones.
My message is cruel to be kind: you need to be realistic now, as a student, in order to stand a chance of securing a training contract. The market is extremely tough, with extremely high standards - don't fall at the first hurdle. Ultimately, the shock therapy that I practise is already reaping benefits for many of our students who, with the best possible applications, are already interviewing at top firms. Here are my top tips.
Recruiters want to reject you
You've heard it hundreds of times, but the smallest grammatical error could mean the end of the line. Most graduate recruitment departments receive in excess of 1,500 training contract applications each year and they need to whittle this down to 200 to 300 for interview. In the last recruitment year I received more than 1,500 training contract applications and more than 20% had the firm's name misspelt. Another 30% contained typos of some sort - for example, "responsible for weekly gardening, property maintenance and cleaning an elderly couple" and "I have a particular interest in the works of CS Lewis, particularly The Lion, the Which and the Wardrobe." Don't make the job easier for graduate recruiters: double check your work and get someone else to read it. One candidate excused typos by blaming spellcheck and saying that his mum (seriously!) had proofread the application, but hadn't picked up on anything. Try blaming your mum's lack of proofreading skills to a client for a poorly drafted letter!
Equally, don't send firms a well-written, generic covering letter and think that graduate recruiters won't spot it. It may be the case that "the firm's international reputation for exceptional quality of work in medium-sized corporate deals and general commercial litigation, its impressive client list, expertise in handling multi-jurisdictional disputes and numerous prestigious accolades" are factors in your decision to apply, but that could be said of around 40 firms in London alone. Research the firm and find out what makes it stand apart; try to gain an understanding of what the firm itself considers to be its USP; know which practice areas are its strongest; know what awards it has won; know whether it has opened any new offices or merged recently; and know what deals it has been involved with lately. These will all help to show a real insight into life at the firm and the type of work it is involved in.
Painful choices
You must be realistic. If you are looking to apply to a top-tier firm or one that specifically requests a 2.1 and grades ABB or higher at A Level, and you have neither (with no real mitigating circumstances), don't apply. This is tough to hear, but will free up a lot of time for you in the long run. Spend your valuable time making applications to firms that are not so rigid with their academic requirements. There are exceptions: mitigating circumstances are situations over and above having flu on one exam day. Equally, if you didn't get the grades you wanted because you have other excellent extra-curricular achievements, make sure this comes through in your application. Recruiters want to hear about other achievements and they are all relevant. These can range from sport, music and drama to involvement in activities such as the Air Cadets, pro bono and voluntary work. Be specific as to your involvement - make sure that graduate recruiters are made aware of your contribution and commitment. If you have truly exceptional achievements - such as playing sport at a national/international level, winning academic scholarships and prizes, taking part in highly competitive schemes and programmes - mention them! The application form is your chance to show off.
If you have made more than one application to the same firm and keep on getting the same "I regret to inform you" letter, stop applying. Broaden your horizons and start looking at firms that you had previously not considered. Just because a firm is not in the UK top 10 or 20, this does not mean that you will not get exciting work and responsibility. Don't be a snob about the firms that you apply to - if you are not succeeding with the top 40, why aren't you looking further down the list? All firms in the top 200 have excellent reputations, with outstanding areas of practice and leading practitioners. Don't limit yourself to applying to the firms with the biggest advertising budgets.
Stop writing rubbish
Make sure your applications are clear and concise. Drafting and writing skills are of paramount importance to a lawyer and this must be reflected in your application. Your application should be relevant and realistic. We've all had jobs working in high-street shops and pubs while at school and uni, but do you really think they've developed your leadership, organisation and skills of persuasion? The jobs themselves are important to include in your application, because they demonstrate that you have worked hard throughout your academic life, but don't place too great an emphasis on them. Conversely, when it comes to the more relevant work experience - that which occurred in a more commercial environment - don't just list tasks in isolation. Say whom you worked for. If you wrote a report, what was it used for and to whom was it sent? Emphasise the amount of involvement you had with projects and what you learnt from them.
It is likely that any application will ask your reasons for wanting to be a lawyer and you need to set these out very clearly. Firms generally don't want to hear that you've wanted to be a solicitor since you were five years old or because of "a family argument over a chocolate selection box". They want you to list the more adult reasons you have for pursuing a career in a sector that requires commitment, drive and sacrifice. You will be working in a commercial, team-driven environment, for clients ranging from international corporations to individuals. This should be the focus of your reasoning, not a desire to work in an environment which requires "critical thinking and problem-solving skills". This is important, but is probably not the real reason you want to be a lawyer. Equally, carefully consider which type of firm you are applying to. If you are applying to large, medium or regional commercial or corporate firms, should you really be talking about "achieving justice for all"? You should be looking at the purpose of each law firm (to make a profit by providing an excellent service to clients) and evaluating the kind of commercial nous you will need to succeed.
I wouldn't mention this if I'd only seen it once or twice, but don't use ridiculous or vapid reasoning such as citing Legally Blonde, Ally McBeal or This Life as your inspiration - this will just make you look like a fool. It's like someone choosing to study medicine after swooning over George Clooney in ER.
On a lighter note, don't be the candidate who stands out by trying (the emphasis is on 'trying') to be funny or just by being plain odd. Horoscopes can be entertaining, but an application to a commercial law firm is not really the time or place to start listing the qualities of your star sign. Nor is it the time to write a piece of verse lauding the firm. If a firm asks you to detail your biggest achievement, don't say "Resolving my problem with anger management."
I will end on this gem, contained in an application form, which highlights a rather profound misunderstanding of what a solicitor does on a day-to-day basis: "'A jury consists of 12 persons chosen to decide who has the better lawyer.' (Robert Frost, 1874-1963) I aspire to become this lawyer." Don't aspire to be the person who sends in this kind of application. It will make you stand out, but for all the wrong reasons.
Gemma Baker is the careers service manager at Kaplan Law School in London.
