Thinking about applying for a training contract? Tia Sara Demirbas, Third Year LLB Student at Queen Mary School of Law, tells us their top tips for securing a training contract.
Applying for training contracts and vacation schemes is without a doubt a stressful and daunting process. In this post I will give you my top tips for success.
DON’T apply to too many firms. Remember, quality over quantity. Applications need to be tailored to the specific firm and if you apply to more than around 5-8, you won’t have the time to do the research, which will be apparent in your application.
Before beginning to decide what 5-8 firms you are going to apply to, DO make a list of around 10-15 and make an effort to learn about them. DO attend open days and law fairs: this is what really helped me learn about each firm and their practice areas, as well as helping me get a sense of their culture. Remember these events are about you getting to know the firm so DO ask loads of questions to get the most out of the sessions. DO write down the name of anyone you speak to as you can reference what you learnt about the firm from them in your application!
Once you have your 5-8, DO more research! Look up practice areas and any deals they have previously worked on, (this is an almost guaranteed interview question) pick some that interest you and read more articles to gain deeper knowledge and to develop your commercial awareness.
DO read the news! DO download commercial awareness apps or listen to podcasts. DO find a commercial news story that interests you and follow it as it develops but DON’T be generic- you want to stand out.
When writing your application, DON’T exceed the word count. DON’T use flowery language- get straight to the point whilst also writing with sophistication. DO triple check for spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
Finally, DO believe in yourself.