There is a lot written about how to approach training contract and vacation scheme applications, but much less about rejection – something all of us pursuing a law career are highly likely to face at some point.
In 2012/2013, 6,171 students completed their LPC, but only 5,514 trainees were registered in 2014, not including pre-LPC applicants, according to figures from the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Following rejection, resilience and perseverance are key. Here are some concrete steps to take when things don’t go to plan.
Toughen up and keep going
It’s not the end of the world if you don’t receive a training contract or vacation scheme offer after your first set of applications.
At times, the application process can feel like you’re banging your head against a brick wall. The feeling in your stomach when your phone pings, alerting you to a rejection email, is enough to make anyone doubt their choices.
Philip Chope, 22, a recent University of Warwick graduate, felt like giving up after two unsuccessful vacation schemes. But his desire to become a solicitor got him through.
He says: “It’s only when you start looking into other careers that you realise your well-practiced answer to ‘why do you want a career in law’ has more truth in it than you first realised, and other jobs can’t compare.”
If you’re not lucky enough to be successful first time round, don’t let it diminish your resolve. Use it as ammunition to improve your applications.
Immanuel Akale, 21, a recent Cardiff University graduate, describes his applications in his second year as “clumsy, done quickly and devoid of any commercial focus”. When third year came around, however, he focused on specific firms, writing non-generic and highly targeted applications.
Seek feedback
It’s extremely important to not let the rejections get the better of you, and the best way to deal with your rejection is to find the silver lining.
Claire Leslie, senior careers consultant at the University of Warwick and editor of the Warwick careers blog, advises applicants to ask for feedback if the law firm offers it, or to utilise their university careers department if feedback isn’t offered.
Careers advisors quite often have relationships with law firms, and they may be able to advise why they feel you’re being rejected. Leslie adds that students tend not to write as lawyers, which can count against them at the paper application stage. “Concise and grammatically correct sentences are essential,” she says.
Identify the reasons behind your rejection in a constructive way, and take the feedback on board into the next set of applications. Katherine Elam, graduate resourcing advisor for Addleshaw Goddard, says many candidates who are unsuccessful in their first round of applications go on to impress when they reapply because they’ve sought feedback and worked hard to show how they’ve improved.
Swot up on the application process
When you’ve failed once already, it’s important to know as much as you can about what you’ll be letting yourself in for next time – talk to trainees if you can, and learn more about the process.
While it’s great to have had placements in the legal industry, the Saturday job you may have had for years also counts as great experience. Elam says these seemingly unimportant jobs can give applicants a solid commercial grounding as you gain knowledge of how a business runs at ground level, and can demonstrate a lot about a candidate, if used right in an application or interview.
It’s also important to really try to get to know the firm you’re applying to, rather than firing off generic applications. Razi Mireskandari, managing partner of Simons Muirhead and Burton, says: “It’s counter-productive to tell the firm you’ve applied to that it’s the firm of your dreams if you’ve clearly only undertaken the most cursory of online searches.” Knowing a bit about the people, the firm’s history and cases will go a long way.
Show insight in interviews
Going into interviews after rejections can be tricky, as it can be difficult to know whether mentioning them will enhance or damage your prospects. Claire Leslie says showing mature insight into the reasons behind your rejection, and being able to justify your application to a firm you were unsuccessful with can be assets.
Crucially, avoid bad-mouthing an employer regardless of how long you were employed. Highlighting the things you learned from the experience will reflect far better on you.
Whatever stage you’re at, it’s vital to have thick skin. Resilience is a key skill that you’ll have to show on a daily basis as a solicitor. Nobody said this was going to be easy.
Keep up with the latest on Guardian Students: follow us on Twitter at @GdnStudents – and become a member to receive exclusive benefits and our weekly newsletter.
