Crack your training contract interview

Some law firms employ a two-stage interview process when recruiting graduates, consisting of a one-to-one interview followed by a second-round panel interview. Others will just have the one stage. Either way you need to prepare.

• One-to-one interviews are generally fairly structured, with the interviewer having a clear agenda that will be applied to all candidates. However, if the interviewer doesn’t ask you for information that you think is relevant, do politely interject it.
• Panel interviews tend to involve the graduate recruitment manager, graduate recruitment partner and maybe others. When you are talking to the panel, remember that you are talking to all of them and not just the person who posed a particular question. Panel interviews may seem scary but they are probably the fairest type of interview as you are not dependant on one person’s assessment of you for the job.
• First impressions Interviewers do take into account first impressions so it’s important that you don’t set yourself up for a bad start.  

Preparing for your training contract interview

Sign up for a practice interview session with your university careers service or get a friend to put you through your paces. Get feedback on your clarity, volume and tone.

A well-prepared candidate is much more likely to perform well in interview than one who is equally able but has skimped on research and just had a quick look at the brochure on the way to the office. Spend some time finding out about the firm you're hoping to work for, using its website as a starting point. Don’t just memorise lists of clients – give yourself some context by researching key cases and get your head around their main markets. Think about why you are interested in joining this firm in particular, as the interview questions will be designed to test your motivation and commitment.

Be prepared to discuss your interest in law, for example, how you decided it was the right career for you, what were the influencing factors and what you know about the profession.

Develop your commercial awareness

Commercial awareness is an extremely important factor in legal recruitment. You don't need an in-depth understanding of commercial issues, but firms will want to see that you have a grasp of business issues that could impact on clients and are willing to conisder the commercial implications of different situations. 

Again, preparation is key to success – professing to be fascinated by the business world but then not being able to talk about a matter that has been in the headlines even in the broadest sense will let you down. Read a quality daily newspaper and explore business and legal issues in some depth.

Plan ahead for competence questions

Competences are skills that recruiters will be specifically looking for, such as the ability to communicate well, adapt to new situations under pressure, and organise and prioritise time and projects. Great emphasis is placed on them as they indicate how you will perform in a work environment.

To succeed at interview you’ll need to think about what competences are important in a legal sphere. Communication (eg the ability to communicate legal concepts to clients) and resilience (eg the ability to overcome difficult situations and work under pressure) are two important skills that you’ll need to demonstrate so it’s crucial that you can produce examples of such skills and explain how these are transferable to a legal environment. Other typical competence areas an interview will test you on include teamwork, persuasiveness, interpersonal sensitivity, lateral thinking, problem solving and career motivation.

Prepare for competence interviews by thinking about your key skills and experiences: map them onto key competences and have them fresh in your mind. During the interview you may be questioned directly about a certain skill. Having a mental checklist of examples to draw upon (including work experience, academic and life experiences) will not only demonstrate that you have a vast skills base but also that you have spent time preparing.

Recruiters will also be very interested in examples of how you handled certain situations. You may be asked, ‘Give an example of a situation that didn’t work out as planned’. In essence they are looking to see how you reacted when things didn’t go to plan and how you changed a negative to a positive. Recruiters want to know that you have learnt something from difficult situations and that you’re able to cope when problems arise.

Presentation tips for interview day

Confirm the dress code before you go, and read your application through the night before. Dress smartly – unless you are specifically told otherwise, it’s wise to wear a suit. Always make sure you have planned your journey and know exactly what's required of you on the day.

Greet everyone with a firm – not bone-crunching – handshake and make good eye contact. Be conscious of your body language. Even when confronted with a nightmare question, give an outward impression of calm and composure. Deliver your answers like a professional – one word answers or rambling life stories are bad, while polished and succinct is good.

Sit forward, look engaged and manage your facial expressions. Nervous gestures such as kicking or fiddling should be avoided. Instead, concentrate on breathing techniques and more subtle ways to calm nerves. If you’re not sure what a question means, ask for clarification.

Lasting impressions

Final impressions also count so when it comes to the end of an interview make sure you go out with a bang. To show you are truly enquiring and enthusiastic, make sure you have some questions prepared. Think about issues that would affect you and your decision to work there. Perhaps pull out some issues from recent press articles or ask what the interviewers most enjoy about working there or how the development of trainees is managed. The interview should be about you assessing the firm too.

When it comes to the big day remember a few vital points. First and foremost, come prepared. Think about the required skills and provide evidence. Finally, remember that the interview is a two-sided coin. Yes, the process is about selling yourself but equally important is working out want you want. A good firm will sell themselves to you so don’t be afraid of turning the tables on the interviewers.