Tips for Making Your Training Contract Application

For you to become a qualified solicitor, you must have a two-year training contract or a period of recognised training. Getting your slot for your training contract can be very competitive, with all those graduates out there also vying for the same spot.

One of your main aims is to make an application that stands out among others. Try not fall into the common mistakes that most of your contemporaries fall for.

Here is the list of tips you can consider when you are applying for your training contracts.

Don’t apply to every law firm that you know

Sending your applications to every law firm you know won’t increase your chances of being hired. If you do this, you might just end up sending the same applications to all the firms, which in return will not be advantageous for you.

Your training contract application must be specifically tailored to the company where you are applying. You have to make sure that you are able to consider your audience in writing your application, and doing that would be impossible when you send the same applications to all the firms.

By thinking about your audience, you will be able to answer well the questions asked by the firm. It would be very obvious if you just copy paste your responses from the other applications you accomplished.

Tailoring your applications based on the needs of the firm will increase the chances of your application being recognised.

Do proper research

You have to make a thorough research of the companies you that catch your interest. Having read so many law firm websites might even lead you to believe that all law firms are the same. To make your application more heartfelt and authentic, you must take the time to understand the core values and the mission of those companies. Your research must figure out how different are your target firms from the others.

Knowing the differentiating factors of your chosen companies will help greatly from making an individualised and on-point training contract application. Being creative is a necessary, so you can incorporate the company's’ mission and core values without being too blatantly obvious that your application has been created to suit their company’s ideals.

Another thing you have to keep in mind in crafting your application is to avoid using the jargons used in marketing materials. Use your research materials in completing your application, and make sure to highlight the skills, experience, and culture which would be interesting to the firm.

Be yourself

Be genuine in your application and during your interviews. You might be compelled to write or answer in a manner which you think the firm wants to see in your application or hear from you during interviews; however, you might fall prey into its trap. People can sense if you are insincere.

To better make an impression, be your authentic self. You are unique and different, and that is your advantage. Play with your skills. Promote what can do and be honest with your limitations, too.

Use the opportunity given to you to sell yourself, and that would only be possible when you focus on your strengths and experiences which would be of great use as you deal with demands of the work.

Though selling yourself to your potential employer is a must, overloading your application with extra-curricular activities will not make your application more interesting.

The technique in answering questions about your interests and activities is to know the reason why the company asks those questions in the first place. At most, these questions are asked to shift the application process in hiring people who are interesting. However, perhaps most importantly, the firm wants to be assured that the candidate is capable of juggling many activities and still maintain being on top of all his responsibilities.

Know your ‘whys.'

Regarding the details you have in your application, you, as a candidate, must be able to fill in the details accurately. It is a must the no mistakes could be detected from your application whether it be as simple as spelling mistakes. In your application, you must be able to state why you want to enter the law field. You must also be able to convey why you find law enjoyable and a possible long-term career for you.

The claims of being passionate about being a lawyer must be backed up by numerous experiences from the university that will give evidence to your statements. Even if you thoroughly explain why the law is the best career for you and why you want to be part of this profession, if you do not have experiences to back your claims, then no one even to bother to summon you for an interview. Let alone bother to look at your application.

Get the companies know you in advance

One surefire way to make your application stand out is to connect to the firm in advance. Hence, you should use every opportunity during your undergraduate period to the network.

Since firms are constantly eyeing young talents, it will serve you right if you start connecting with different firms. Keep yourself abreast with the various events hosted by these companies. You can do this by constantly checking their websites for possible announcements of future events. Alternatively, you can follow them on their social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

Prepare for your interview

So you can pass the first stage. The firm finds your application interesting and decides to call you and schedule you for an interview.

Usually, you will be given a few days or even week before the interview date. Use those days in between to prepare for your interview. The more preparation you put into it, the easier and less stressful the actual moment would be for you. Interviews will usually have a short chat about your competencies, experiences, and a presentation on why you think you are the best person for the position.

The questions may seem endless, but bear in mind that those questions aim to get to have a clearer picture of your personality, skills, competencies, and experiences. This information will help them decide if you are the right person for them.