APPLICATION MASTER CLASS
Step 4: create a persuasive covering letter Ideally, if a firm asks for a covering letter, it will indicate how long it should be: 600 words, or a page to a page and a half, is probably about right. Don’t waste too much time stating why you are writing. If you wish to open your letter that way, why not go straight into why you want to train with this particular firm? For example: “I wish to be considered for a training contract at Smartie & Co, having first become aware of the firm at a careers day at the University of XXX, when I spoke with two of its trainees. Our discussion about their experiences at the firm led me to find out more about Smartie & Co’s insurance and reinsurance practice, which is an area I have now become interested in exploring further. “I am aware that the firm has a number of clients in the insurance sector and is still working on residual claims arising from Hurricane Katrina. I was visiting with family in the southern states of America Ten top tips for online apps You should approach an online form exactly as you would a paper form – take your time, carefully prepare your responses and pay attention to detail. Here are our top 10 tips for online apps: • Do read through the whole application form before you start, keeping a close eye on all instructions. • Do plan where all your main boasts will be made. It would be a shame to work a slightly tangential skill or experience into one answer when you turn out to be questioned directly on the issue on the next page. • Don‘t complete the form with your caps lock on except where specified. It‘s rude, as it looks as
at the time of this disaster and gained a degree of insight into the consequences of such a large-scale and disruptive event. I am aware that litigation in cases such as this can be particularly complex, given the large number of parties and high stakes involved, and I believe that my attached application demonstrates that I have an aptitude for complex analysis and long-term projects. In particular, I would draw your attention to…” As well as delivering some factual information, the above paragraphs introduce a person who: • is committed to finding out about his or her career; • possesses networking skills; • has researched the firm; • understands something about one of its key business areas and shows interest; • thinks about things from the client’s perspective; • is realistic about commercial law in practice; • writes fluidly, can pack many not the US version, which will let annoying Americanisms through. Firms have been known to discard applications immediately on the basis of basic spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. • Don’t be tempted to use email or your application. Consider writing the longer sections in a separate word document and then copying the text over. Remember to check after copying, as some characters and symbols may not transfer properly (eg, bullet points). • Don’t succumb to ’copy and paste’ fatigue. This opens the door wide to calling the firm by the wrong name – recruiters‘ most-hated mistake. • Do use the spell check, although if you’re SHOUTING. • Do take care with the layout of
messages into few words and is not too informal; and • has an authentic and interesting story to tell. The covering letter is hugely important – as much so as the application form itself. Use it to sell yourself. Just as Mad Men ’s Don Draper still agonises over every pitch to a client, despite his many years on Madison Avenue, you too should agonise over each covering letter to a firm. It needs to sell you explicitly, but subtly. It also needs to hit the right buttons at each firm, and this necessarily requires a letter that is tailored firm by firm. Naturally, if you have shortlisted your firms using a particular theme or strategy, then there will be noticeable areas of crossover. text talk (eg, ‘It wld be wkd to work 4 u’). Write in full sentences and do not abbreviate words. • Do make sure that there is some way of keeping a record of your application. Whereas previously you would have photocopied it, make sure you either save it, print it or copy it into a separate document. • Do read through your completed application at least three times before you submit it. Boasting of your ‚excellen eye for deetail‘ will not get you the training contract. • Do use a sensible email address that you will be able to access throughout the recruitment period. If you graduate in June, your university email address will be shut down, but firms will want to contact you throughout the summer.
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