Application technique
Don’t underestimate the amount of time it takes to complete an application form (hours rather than minutes). Plan to do them well in advance and submit it way ahead of deadline day. Lucie Rees, graduate manager at Watson Farley & Williams LLP, suggests “saving the form as you go along – there’s nothing worse than spending hours doing something only for a technical hitch to mean you have to do it all again”. Always read through the entire form, including the small print, which may contain important instructions; and practise on a photocopy of the form first. It may be time consuming, but it is crucial to approach each application individually, back up your work regularly and avoid the temptation to copy and paste. And while some recruiters say never copy and paste under any circumstances, others accept that you probably will, so take some advice on how to do it successfully. One London barrister says: “Be careful when copying and pasting. It saves time, but you won’t endear yourself to a set if you are obviously describing howmuch you want to join their main rival.” Similarly, Laura Newton of Brick Court Chambers says: “Make sure that the ‘variable’ parts get updated and that the text fits in with the rest of the form.” Cover letters Unless the employer’s instructions state otherwise, send a short covering letter with the application form (or CV). Use it to highlight your unique selling points, provide extra information to support your application and convey your motivation for the job. The golden rule of cover letters is to keep them brief – no longer than one A4 page. Never write a standard cover letter to accompany all of your applications. ‘Dear Sir or Madam’ will not do. Tailor each letter to the firm/chambers to which you are applying. Clarity, neatness and courtesy are all equally important.
guff like that on your applications. Flattery will get you nowhere – it’s just padding and it doesn’t impress.” Puneet Tahim of Rare Recruitment says: “Candidates should avoid using broad statements such as, ‘I am a good team player, with excellent communication skills who is extremely ambitious and driven’”. Instead of just listing these valued skills and attributes, include evidence – for example, talk about an activity you were involved in and explain the skills you developed. “Keep it simple and avoid unnecessary jargon,” she adds. Competition is stiff and some firms and chambers receive thousands of applications for just a few places – never more so than in the current climate. Don’t give recruiters the easy option to eliminate you from their lists – so avoid spelling mistakes, grammatical errors or casual language. Alix Balfe-Skinner, HR manager at Taylor Vinters, says: “Attention to detail is everything – small things such as making sure you use capitals in the correct places are crucial.” Application forms The open-ended or competency questions on application forms vary, but tend to focus on teamwork, problem solving, communication and judgement (eg, “Outside of your studies, describe a situation where you have worked in a group to achieve a goal”). As a rule, the best answers are as significant and unique to you as possible, easy to discuss at interview and relevant to the job. Tackle the question by breaking it down into the situation or context, the task or problem faced and the outcome or result. Make sure that you read instructions very carefully and keep an eye on word limits, as one barrister advises: “Brevity is key; don’t waste words on things that are irrelevant, so abstract as to lack sense or by trying to be funny. Save your humour for interviews.”
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