Interview advice

Preparation before the Assessment Day

• Make sure you know the dress code, if it is not clear from the invitation to interview correspondence, ring and ask
• Make sure you know your journey – how long will it take?  Check whether there are any expected delays if travelling by public transport
• Thoroughly review your application.   Be comfortable with what you have written and be prepared to answer questions about it.
• Think about the types of questions you may be asked – if you were interviewing, what would you want to know?  Make sure that whatever you decide to talk about in the interview, you know well and can talk clearly and intelligently about it.
• Research the firm and think about why you are particularly interested in joining us. Find out what major deals/matters we have been involved in, etc.
• Be prepared to talk about why you are particularly interested in a career in the law. How have you come to make the decision?
• Gain as much exposure as you can to the people who work in the firm.  You can do this by attending drinks receptions, presentations, workshops or any other events that we run either at your university or in our offices.  Your careers service may even be able to put you in touch with relevant alumni.
• Attend mock interview sessions run if possible.
• Try to settle your nerves before the interview / assessment day.
• Interviews are a two-way process; you are there to find out about us as well. Therefore, think about what you would like to find out about the firm – most interviewers give you a chance to ask questions (generally at the end of the interview).
  

Group exercise tips

The purpose of the group exercise is to observe the behaviour of participants as they interact, often simulating a typical team situation in the workplace. All candidates will be provided with a brief in the group exercise and will have the opportunity to ask questions before the exercise begins. There will be a time allowance for candidates to familiarise themselves with their part and make notes before the discussion begins.

During the discussion, the assessors will make notes of the candidates' behaviour and contributions, both verbal and non-verbal and observe evidence of the required skills.

Useful Tips:

• Try and relax during the exercise and behave as you naturally would in that situation; people with different team and communication styles can perform equally well in this exercise;
• Although it is important to contribute, do not just talk for the sake of it. It is not a competition to see who can dominate the group. The quality of what you say is more important than the quantity. However, if you say nothing or very little, you are missing the chance to demonstrate your skills;
• Try to prepare before hand by thinking about your strengths and weaknesses when communicating and working with others; think of situations in the past when you have worked in a team and how your behaviour impacted those around you.
• Speak clearly and concisely
• Think about the way you are sitting, try not to cross your arms as this looks defensive and not relaxed / confident.  At the same time, try not to slouch, or look too laid back

Interview tips

• When you meet the interviewer, shake hands firmly and maintain eye contact. Remember their name.
• Consider again the tips on body language used in the group exercise.
• Take your time to answer questions.  If you are unsure as to what the interviewer is asking of you, ask for clarification.
• When asked to provide examples to demonstrate your capabilities, use the best examples you have, but do not use the same example for every question area. Some thought should have been given to what examples you might use prior to the interview.
• Use a balance of academic, work experience and extra curricular activities in your examples.
• Make sure you listen to and answer the question – try not to go off on a tangent.
• Portray yourself honestly, but in the best light possible

Case Study Presentation tips

• There is no prior preparation you can do in relation to the content of the case study exercise, beyond continuing to build your commercial knowledge and understanding.
• On the day, when starting the exercise make certain that you pay particular attention to the amount of preparation time.
• Think logically in order to structure the content of the presentation and use information to make a case or advance an argument. Focus on important rather than unimportant information. Be prepared to justify your responses in conversation with the interviewer once your presentation is complete.
• Speak clearly, audibly and distinctly to the interviewer, using language (such as technical jargon or terminology) appropriately and varying the tone of your voice.
• Again consider your body language.
• During the Q and A, if you do not know the answer to a question, be honest and say so.  Tell the interviewer how you would go about finding the answer, if appropriate.
• Take your time before answering a question to ensure that the answer you are giving is considered, logical and presented in a concise manner.

After the Assessment Day

• Review how you got on.  Think about what you did well and what could be improved.
• Reflect on the questions the assessors asked and the examples you used in response.
• Think about what you liked and disliked about thefirm.
• Make learning notes for your next assessment day.