When have you delivered exceptional client service and how could this support you to be a successful trainee at CMS?
As a non-profit university coach, I've consistently delivered quality client services by tailoring advice to each student’s unique background and aspirations. A pivotal experience was assisting a developmental economics student from a family with generational female illiteracy. I supported her secure an internship where she actively contributed to girl child education programs with the local council, the [redacted local council].
Feedback: The candidate does well in picking out a high-quality and specific example that directly addresses the question from the outset. The candidate also provides a basic general outline of their actions/steps in this specific situation, before providing a quantified and specific outcome. Not only does this give the recruiter some space to infer the candidate’s skills, but it also gives the recruiter and quantified achievement against which they can measure the candidate’s success.
However, the candidate’s writing is too brief and generalised. These issues primarily lie in the candidate’s writing about their steps/actions. The candidate asserts that they “tailored their advice” to each student, but they never explain precisely what this involved nor how they tailored support to each student. Similarly, the candidate asserts that they “supported” the pupil in securing an internship, but they never explain precisely what this support involved. Owing to the lack of detail, it is difficult for the recruiter to interpret the candidate’s skills/competencies.
This issue flows from the candidate’s approach to the question. The question is a typical STAR/competency question. You need to provide a detailed STAR analysis of a time you delivered exceptional service, before offering some brief insight/analysis into how you would apply that at CMS. Instead, the candidate spreads themselves too thinly throughout the answer. The candidate provides a brief competency example here, before shifting over to CMS in their next paragraph. Then, the candidate introduces a final paragraph focusing on their hobbies/interests. This leaves the candidate with little space to analyse their examples in any substantial detail. Instead, you should identify one strong STAR example and pivot your entire answer around this.
As a minor comment, the candidate should also avoid abbreviations like “I’ve”. This comes across as too informal and it negatively impacts the candidate’s overall tone.
This experience shaped my view of client services, highlighting the importance of understanding client backgrounds. CMS, with a significant competitive advantage across diverse sectors, relies on comprehending clients’ industries. My ability to tailor services aligns with this, positioning me to meet CMS’s high service standards.
Feedback: The candidate now addresses the second element of the question, namely how they would apply these client service skills at CMS. The candidate summarises some basic points throughout this paragraph, which demonstrate a fairly decent understanding of how CMS’ lawyers might deliver good client service.
However, this paragraph suffers from two central weaknesses. First, the paragraph does not truly address the question. The question asks you to discuss how you would apply exceptional client service skills specifically as a trainee. Instead, the candidate provides a generalised overview of how CMS might provide service to clients. This does not truly address the spirit of the question.
You need to demonstrate understanding of the general role of CMS trainees, as well as where they fit into deal/matter teams. As a trainee, you will mostly deliver client service indirectly. You will generally manage projects and deadlines, as well as producing first drafts of documents and carrying out initial due diligence reviews. You will primarily assist clients by producing high-quality first drafts and keeping projects/deals ticking along (which will reduce costs for the client in turn). As such, the recruiter would have expected the candidate to pick up on these points.
Secondly, the candidate’s analysis is quite banal and lacks tailoring to CMS. The candidate simply asserts that CMS has a “competitive advantage” which “relies on comprehending client industries”. The candidate never explains what they mean by this. In any case, it is not well-tailored to CMS. Every law firm in the country needs to deliver high service standards and have comprehension of their clients’ industries – these are not unique features of CMS. As such, the candidate should have explained precisely how CMS delivers client service and why its specific clients benefit from these skills.
Additionally, assisting an aspiring literature student, I’ve exercised creative freedom and leveraged personal interests. Through my avid reading and involvement in advanced reader projects, I connected with the student and guided him toward enriching extracurriculars as a beta reader. My interests extend to recreational powerlifting and inclusive communication through obtaining BSL qualifications. Looking forward, I intend to leverage these experiences, aligning with Michael Burke’s emphasis on authenticity at CMS Myth Busting. The firm values diverse interests and well-rounded employees, infusing human value into services. This aligns seamlessly with my holistic, client-focused perspective, facilitating my success at CMS.
Feedback: The candidate now highlights their personal interests and explains how they might apply these at CMS. Through their example with the literature student, the candidate provides a little insight into their client service skills. The candidate also does slightly better in tailoring their writing towards CMS in this paragraph. By introducing a named lawyer from their attendance at CMS Myth Busting, the candidate demonstrates a sustained and genuine personal commitment to CMS. This also provides some decent-quality evidence on which the candidate can develop their argument.
However, this section suffers similar weaknesses to the previous paragraphs. First, the candidate should have unpacked their tutoring example far more thoroughly. The candidate asserts that they “exercised creative freedom” and “leveraged personal interests” to deliver good service, but they never explain precisely how they did so. Similarly, they assert that they “connected with” and “guided” the student, but they provide no further insight into how they connected with the student or delivered tailored service. As such, it is difficult for the recruiter to interpret the candidate’s skills/competencies. Instead, the candidate should have unpacked their specific steps/competencies before concluding with a quantified, specific positive outcome.
Similarly, the candidate’s writing on CMS is not sufficiently well tailored. The candidate asserts that CMS values “diverse interests” and “well-rounded employees”. This is applicable to nearly any firm in the City – very few firms are looking for 24/7 robots with no interests or life outside of the firm. As such, the candidate needed to be more specific in unpacking their experiences at CMS Myth Busting and explaining specifically what they learned about the firm.
The relevancy of this candidate’s writing is also questionable in places. For instance, the candidate asserts an interest in both powerlifting and in “inclusive communication”. The candidate never develops these points or refers to them again. Given the apparent lack of relevancy, the candidate could have safely cut these points out in favour of more meaningful analysis elsewhere.
Many of the issues in this answer lie with the candidate’s approach. They have devoted paragraphs 1 and 3 to separate personal examples. Given the tight word count, the candidate does not have enough space to analyse their steps in meaningful depth or provide quantified outcomes. Given the tight word count, we recommend focusing on just one STAR-structured example before analysing how you would apply your relevant skills to CMS.
WFW is dedicated to client care. Please tell us why a client focused role is important to you and when you have demonstrated great client or customer service.
Commercial law is focused on providing solutions for a client rather than simply providing a service. Building a client relationship is vital to ensuring you provide appropriate short-term and long-term solutions for the client. This provision of high-quality solutions is something that appeals to me, as solving problems and making a client's life easier is fulfilling. People make business through their engagement with the markets and services involved, so their fulfilment is key to success.
Feedback: The candidate does well to ‘set the stage’ with this paragraph, namely by highlighting their understanding of the importance of client-focused roles in commercial law. The candidate also does well to emphasise the specific features of client relationships in commercial law (namely by building strong client relationships and providing tailored legal solutions for client).
That said, this paragraph should be improved by incorporating specific examples earlier to strengthen the connection between concept and practice. While the structure is generally sound, the response could be more compelling by specifically linking these approaches to WFW’s strategies or initiatives in client management to demonstrate a deeper, more tailored understanding of the firm.
Through running the social media for a local salon chain, clients previously felt they did not always know of deals that were happening and the full range of services provided. I set out to deliver high quality posts and stories that advertised everything that was available. This included setting up new platforms to ensure all our clients could access us, and navigating the advertising tools across platforms to establish a wider reach. I reshared pictures that clients posted to further develop a relationship, making them feel connected and appreciated. Interacting organically when clients tagged us or commented ensured the entire experience was enjoyable. I provided not just a service, but also a solution to their problems, whilst prioritising a strong relationship.
Feedback: This paragraph effectively uses a practical example from the candidate's experience managing social media for a local salon chain. In turn, this illustrates the candidate’s commitment to client service. The PEEL structure is evident, with a point made at the beginning of the paragraph, a detailed explanation of actions taken, and evidence of the outcomes. The use of specific actions to enhance client engagement, such as resharing client posts and using advertising tools, demonstrates a proactive approach to client satisfaction. However, the paragraph's impact could be enhanced by drawing a clearer parallel between these experiences and how they prepare the candidate for handling similar client-focused challenges in a legal context. Furthermore, the response would benefit from a more explicit connection to WFW’s values or practices regarding client care to show that the candidate’s experiences are directly relevant to the firm’s objectives.
I have carried this approach through my roles as PR Officer for Glasgow’s Debating and the Dialectic societies. Attending talks such as “Responsible Business” and “The Business behind Client Relationships” have developed this even further. These talks provided a legal outlook to sustaining these key relationships and considering what is best for a client.
Feedback: The candidate effectively extends the discussion of client service experience to their roles in societies and the insights gained from related talks, showing a commitment to developing a client-focused mindset and an understanding of the importance of client relationships in various contexts. This paragraph showcases the candidate’s ability to integrate takeaways from diverse experiences such as academic talks and society roles into their overall understanding of client service. The candidate could consider emphasizing how these experiences equipped them with unique skills or perspectives that will directly benefit their role at WFW.
When have you delivered a piece of work where quality was an important factor? As part of your answer, please describe why quality was important to you, what approaches you took to help you deliver and what you enjoyed?
As a Management Services Specialist at [redacted organisation], I was required to review incident reports for the Occupational Health and Safety Committee. These incident reports specifically regarded our call centre office, where employees were responsible for conducting phone surveys to gather data. Part of my role was to ensure urgent issues were addressed appropriately and to create a positive and safe work environment. I reviewed incident reports and WSIB forms on a monthly basis and flagged any issues that should be discussed at the Health and Safety Board meetings.
[Feedback: Like the previous question, this question demands a STAR/CAR structured answer. However, you should also note that the question has several moving parts. In effect, there are four questions that you must answer:
1. When have you delivered a piece of work where quality was an important factor?
2. Why was quality important to you?
3. What approaches did you take to help you deliver the work?
4. What did you enjoy about it?
When you break down a question into its different parts, it can become easier for you to determine how you will structure your answer and at what point you will answer each sub-question.
For this question, we would recommend assigning each sub-question a section of the STAR structure. Consequently, your structure would address question one in your ‘situation’ paragraph, question two in your ‘task’ paragraph, question three in your ‘action’ paragraph, and question four in your ‘result/response’ paragraph.
Regarding the candidate’s answer. For the most part, this is a good ‘situation’ paragraph. The candidate outlines the context in which they delivered their quality-focused piece of work and goes into a decent level of detail. You should note that although we have redacted any personal details, you should include the names (if appropriate) of the places and people that you have worked at and with, respectively. Once again, this is a fantastic level of detail that serves to elevate the quality of your answer. Furthermore, the candidate does well to mention the specific kinds of tasks that they undertook as well as their corresponding timeframe. You should remember that facts and figures all serve to bolster your answer’s specificity and credence.
The only point of improvement pertains to the candidate’s use of ‘WSIB’. Whenever you wish to use an abbreviation, always make sure to spell the abbreviation out first. If you plan to use that phrase again, you can then include an abbreviation after your first mention of the phrase. For example, the candidate could have written ‘Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)’. However, as the candidate never mentions ‘Workplace Safety and Insurance Board’ again, there is no reason to provide an abbreviation in brackets afterwards.]
I was tasked to analyse the past five to seven years of incident reports to determine what the root of the problem was in each year. The basis of the strategy was to decrease the number of reports filed per year. Quality was particularly important to me in this task because I had to present my findings to the Board at the upcoming Health and Safety meeting. This energised me to deliver my best piece of work as all Committee Members, the Regional Director, and the Assistant Directors would be present at the meeting. I was motivated to complete this task and present my results to them.
[Feedback: Here the candidate clearly signposts that this paragraph is their ‘task’ section from the STAR structure. This is a feature of a good, well-structured answer – clear signposts help the recruiter to read your answer and ensures that nothing of significant import is missed. Furthermore, you should note how the candidate has adopted our suggested approach to the question: they use this paragraph to detail what their ‘task’ was and why quality was important to them. Certain questions will require an answer in a certain structure (often STAR or CAR) – if they have several sub-questions, you should determine if they can be nicely answered at each juncture in your chosen structure.
Whilst this answer has a strong structure and a good level of specificity, it is a little underdeveloped in places. To be exact, the candidate’s answer lacks development when they mention that ‘Quality was particularly important to me in this task because I had to present my findings to the Board at the upcoming Health and Safety meeting’. Technically, there is nothing wrong with this statement; however, it does not say much about the candidate’s motivations for quality. Indeed, certain recruiters at law firms dislike answers like this – in light of these kinds of answers, they take a more cynical view that the candidate is only quality-motivated in order to impress the higher-ups in the organisation, or they fear punishment from their supervisor, or both.
Consequently, when tackling this question, we would suggest that you spend some time fully developing your motivations towards producing high-quality work. For example, consider what is at stake: part of being a trainee solicitor is knowing that, although the work you may undertake is, for the most part, relatively menial (compared to, say, a partner’s tasks), without your work being done to the highest standard, the whole matter could collapse. Hence, the candidate could have stressed the importance of those reports being done beyond the fact that they had to present their findings to the company’s board.]
I began this task by outlining personal deadlines in order to create the report in a timely manner and scheduled weekly meetings with the Regional Director for progress updates. I gathered all reports from 2010-2017 and critically analysed the information in each. I also cross-referenced and categorised the reports by type of incident and year. I created a graph based on the statistics gathered to provide a visual representation to the Board. I was able to pin-point what type of incident occurred and possible solutions to avoid the incident in the future. I was also energised when using statistical methods such as calculating the mean and mode for the number of incidents per year for the report.
[Feedback: This answer’s main strength is the opening of the paragraph. The candidate starts off nicely, detailing exactly how they approached the task at hand. The key point is that the candidate uses their opening to showcase their organisational and time management competencies. Although these kinds of questions are typically focused around one or two competencies, you should always look to include mentions of other, related competencies where appropriate.
Whilst the answer does include some detail, unfortunately, some of this paragraph is written in a generic or vague manner. For example, whilst it is fantastic that the candidate specifies the range of years regarding the reports they collected, they then go on to say that they ‘critically analysed the information in each’. In essence, they tell the recruiter that they analysed the reports. However, the candidate does not show the recruiter how they analysed the reports – doing this would actually explain their actions and demonstrate that the candidate is aware of what they did well and where their skills lie. Furthermore, the recruiter would be more inclined to believe the candidate, and they would better appreciate the candidate’s abilities.
Consequently, try to ensure that you are as specific as possible when writing your answers. If you can add some figures or some qualifications to your descriptions, your answers will be far stronger and demonstrate a level of maturity and introspection which, increasingly, law firms are looking for amidst a saturated applicant pool.]
After a few colleagues reviewed my work, I presented the final draft of the report to the committee. I was highly commended for the graph I created and for my concise report, which was used in the following year for effective change management. For example, I found that one of the highest incidents reported was due to an allergic reaction or nausea caused by a strong perfume scent in the office. My report recommended the committee to implement a scent-free work zone and this was ultimately followed. One year later, the number of incidents reported decreased significantly due to my recommendation. I enjoyed learning new statistical and research methods which helped me analyse the key issues present in the incident reports. My motivation to impress the Board and commitment to excel in my position further pushed me to deliver a quality piece of work that was appropriately considered to ensure a safe work environment for the future. Most importantly, my confidence in always providing high quality work was reaffirmed through this experience.
[Feedback: This paragraph works well for a ‘response/result’ section and nicely rounds off the answer. There is a great level of detail in this paragraph – you should note how the candidate uses a few sentences to give a specific example regarding what their report contained. This is great detail which lends a lot of credence to the candidate’s answer and demonstrates that their piece of work was of real significance.
Furthermore, you should observe how the candidate mentions the result of their efforts (namely, their presentation to the board and its reception) but also the impact their work had on the wider business. This is an incredibly persuasive bit of writing – the recruiter will now be more convinced of the candidate’s worth and the candidate’s ability to recognise how their work is useful.
The main issue regarding the content of the paragraph is to do with its structure. This paragraph is significantly larger than any others in the wider answer. This is problematic, as the candidate has crammed lots of different pieces of information and analysis into one section. Whilst the first half of the paragraph works well, the candidate then pivots to discussing their enjoyment of learning about different statistical methods, the reasons behind their motivation, and their confidence. These are several disparate points which are only given one or two sentences each.
We recommend leaving one or two extra points out and, instead, have a clear, cohesive, and properly developed answer. If you try to change the subject of your paragraph midway through, or try to include too many separate points, you risk writing underdeveloped answers or making the recruiter confused. Hence, always make sure your paragraphs stick to a clear PEE/AL structure and that everything you write is geared towards that point and answering a specific part of the question.]
When have you delivered a piece of work where quality was an important factor? As part of your answer, please describe why quality was important to you, what approaches you took to help you deliver and what you enjoyed?
Over the summer of 2015, I worked as a legal assistant for a law firm in Vancouver that specialized in commercial law with a focus on indigenous business. Under the supervision of a partner, I completed a report on the hydro industry in British Columbia which would be used as a resource for an important client-relationship meeting. I was instructed to include a focus on the controversial construction of the Site C Dam, the Province’s fourth-largest energy producer. I had to focus on covering the project's political and legal implications as they related to affected indigenous peoples and local residents, as well as the environmental and economic impact. While it was essential to the Firm that I complete the report to the highest possible standard, the quality of the report was also important to my own confidence that I could be an asset to the Firm's business.
Feedback: In response to the first part of the prompt (i.e., “When have you delivered a piece of work where quality was an important factor?”), the candidate contextualises the situation at hand, providing the reader with background information that does not only lend credibility to their overall answer but also reveals why the quality of the piece of work was an important factor. In response to the second part of the prompt (i.e., “please describe why quality was important to you”), the candidate briefly explains that the quality of the piece of work was important to them because they wanted to prove that they were “an asset to the Firm’s business”, but they do not elaborate any further. To take this answer to the next level, the candidate could have explained why they wished to be “an asset to the Firm’s business” and why the quality of the piece of work had a role to play in making that wish come true. Alternatively, the candidate could have provided a different, less ambiguous reason for valuing the quality of the piece of work (e.g., “The quality of the piece of work was important to me because aiming to adhere to the highest of standards motivates me and keeps me energised”).
Such a commitment to excellence would need to involve problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and proactiveness in attaining knowledge from primary sources. In order to meet this standard, simply compiling data from online resources was not going to suffice. I would need to conduct interviews with Government officials, non-profit organizations, industry players and other relevant parties. Only through these primary sources would I be able to sufficiently meet the requirements of the report, while also going above and beyond in gathering information not readily available to the partner or clients.
After formulating a research plan and ensuring I had a system in place for organising gathered information, I began cold-calling potential sources and conducting interviews which I thoroughly enjoyed. I was fortunate enough to meet with advisers to the Provincial Minister of Energy, the Executive Director of Clean Energy BC, and three council members of relevant indigenous bands. I also conducted phone interviews with local journalists, an official at BC Hydro (the Provincial electric distributor), academics, and engineers assigned to the project. It was fascinating to listen to the variety of viewpoints and the sheer conviction they had in providing their opinion and analysis. I learned an incredible amount during this time.
The most challenging part of the assignment was keeping track and making sense of the interests of the different stakeholders. With over 30 special interest groups weighing in on the project, this involved a high-degree of organisation and problem-solving in order to get a clear picture of the landscape of special interests. Because of my sharp attention to detail and a pre-established system for organising the information I attained which consisted of multiple spreadsheets and seemingly endless cross-referencing I was well-prepared in writing my report.
Feedback: In response to the third part of the prompt (i.e., “please describe […] what approaches you took to help you deliver”), the candidate reveals what they did in order to ensure that they would be able to deliver a qualitative piece of work. What makes their answer particularly effective is the fact that they describe their actions in a vivid manner, providing the reader with relevant details and in-depth descriptions at each appropriate juncture; in other words, they do not simply tell the reader what they did, they show the reader how they did it. Moreover, the candidate highlights the transferable skills that they employed throughout the process, which increases the likelihood of their application standing out. At the same time, the candidate addresses the fourth and final part of the prompt (i.e., “please describe […] what you enjoyed”), albeit sporadically. To achieve a more emphatic effect, we would recommend that you address that part of the prompt in a bespoke paragraph.
Upon completing the report, I presented my findings to the Firm. I had met the requirements, and additionally included environmental and economic predictions most of which were proven true. The partner and clients were very appreciative and commended me for the thoroughness of the report and the clarity it provided for determining the right way forward. In that moment, I had proven myself an asset to the firm.
Feedback: In this paragraph, the candidate highlights the successful result of the approaches they took to deliver a qualitative report to the law firm, which does not only provide the reader with a sense of closure but also lends credibility to the overall answer. To make their answer even more persuasive, the candidate could have discussed the role of their report in terms of the outcome of the meeting with the client or the law firm’s relationship with the client relative to their own progression within the law firm. In other words, they could have further substantiated their claim that they proved themselves to be “an asset to the firm”. For instance, they could have done so by answering the following questions:
Were they given additional responsibility afterwards?
Were they given a favourable reference at the end of their stint as a legal assistant?
Were they offered a permanent position at the law firm?
In addition to further substantiating their claim that they proved themselves to be “an asset to the firm”, the candidate could have doubled down on the importance of quality in the situation at hand.
We set our standards high, and we trust our people to hold themselves accountable for meeting other people’s expectations. Describe a time when you had to drop everything and really “raise your game” in order to keep a promise you had made to someone else. How did you manage both this and your other commitments? (250 words)
To pursue my interest in emerging markets, I served as a marketing officer for the UCL Emerging Markets Forum. I was responsible for using effective advertising tactics to attract potential attendees and sell tickets. I set a goal to sell at least 95% of the tickets available for the conference and I was personally responsible for promoting it on social media and using effective advertising tactics to attract potential attendees.
However, three months before the conference, we were behind our sales targets, having only sold 25% of the tickets available. In light of this setback, I decided to re-strategise and recommended that we target specific societies and offer their members reduced prices if two or more of them purchased a ticket together. I set a goal for each member of the Marketing team to contact five societies and supervised the process, assisting my teammates with any unforeseen challenges. As the conference was in only three months, I had to prioritise my responsibilities as the marketing officer over other extracurricular commitments. To manage my workload, I delegated some tasks to other committee members and set specific deadlines to complete certain tasks.
As a result of these initiatives, the team sold all the conference tickets. This success led to my appointment as the Director of Delegate Affairs for the 2020 conference. I have now implemented these strategies early on in my tenure and as a result, we have surpassed our monthly sales targets for two consecutive months.
[Feedback: This is another highly relevant answer which is well suited to the question posed. The candidate structures their answer effectively by using the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result). S/he clearly sets out the context; the challenge that they faced in order to achieve the target that they had set; what they did in order to achieve this and the results.
Given the candidate has chosen a relevant example and structured their answer effectively, our improvement points for this answer are relatively minor:
● START, not STAR - We like to take the STAR technique one step further by explaining the takeaway from the situation (i.e. our key learning point from the experience that we will implement in the future)
● Be precise - The candidate refers to “effective advertising tactics” twice. What did s/he actually do? It’s a vague term, which prompts the cynical reviewer to question whether the candidate actually understands what they themselves mean by this
● Was there a problem? - Three months is a long time at university. It doesn’t sound unreasonable to have only sold 25% of the tickets 90 days before the event. You could argue that the candidate unnecessarily reduced the profitability of the event by offering discounts that were not required.
● Why emerging markets? - Everyone knows that law firms want commercially aware applicants. What is it about emerging markets that the candidate finds interesting? It’s worth using one sentence to explain this interest and win extra brownie points from the reviewer.
We set our standards high, and we trust our people to hold themselves accountable for meeting other people's expectations. Describe a time when you had to drop everything and really raise your game in order to keep a promise you had made to someone else. How did you manage both this and your other commitments?
During my internship with Irish firm A&L Goodbody last Summer, I usually returned home for the weekends to my family farm in Kilkenny to help my parents.
[Feedback: : Once again, this kind of question warrants a STAR or CAR structured answer. Here, the candidate has provided a good introductory sentence that sets the scene for the recruiter. The recruiter knows that the candidate was undertaking an internship at a particular firm and was balancing that with their commitment to their family farm on the weekends. This already gives a sense of some of the candidate’s competencies: organisation, perseverance, and determination.
You should note how all of this information is either explicitly detailed or implied in the candidate’s first sentence. The word count to content ratio is extremely favourable and demonstrates the benefit of a short expository sentence at the beginning of your answers.]
One particular Sunday evening, when I was getting ready to travel back to Dublin in preparation for a Monday morning office start, my father received a phone call informing him of the unfortunate passing of his uncle who lived in Belfast.
Consequently, both my parents were required to travel to Northern Ireland to make arrangements for the coming days and would not be able to return until the following evening.
On a dairy farm like ours, the cows need to be milked twice a day, once early in the morning and again in the afternoon. My experience doing this on my own was, admittedly, limited. However, we knew that there was little option.
[Feedback: These paragraphs focus on the task that the candidate was faced with. In summary, the candidate needed to milk the cows on the farm without the assistance of their parents before heading to the office on Monday morning. This response is strong for its inclusion of specific information. You should note how the candidate includes extremely specific detail, which not only makes the answer more engaging but also more believable. The candidate is precise with their timings and presents a simple explanation for the problem at hand.
When you write your answers, this is the balance you should be striving for: enough specific information to make the answer engaging and persuasive but presented simply enough that the recruiter can understand the situation without having to double-back and reread your answer.]
In order to make it to Dublin for 9 am, I was required to carefully plan the Monday morning milking ahead of time. This included moving the herd to a nearer grazing field on Sunday evening and ensuring that all required equipment cleaning operations were successfully carried out.
[Feedback: This section expands on the task at hand but also transitions the discussion onto the candidate's actions. Crucially, the candidate uses this section to discuss some of the competencies they demonstrated as part of this experience: organisation and attention to detail. Though the candidate’s argument is implicit, they demonstrate that they have a good ability to plan ahead and execute a plan. They are also, by virtue of the absence of their parents, arguing that they can step up and take on additional responsibility when a crisis arrives.
Although some questions may seem to be testing you on only one competency, you should take the opportunity to discuss any other competencies you may have employed during the experience. Naturally, such a discussion must be relevant to the question and further your argument. Nevertheless, most experiences of this kind will involve you employing a variety of skills which should also be showcased.
Once again, to improve this answer, the candidate could have included some extra detail in their answer. You should aim to show the recruiter what you mean rather than telling the recruiter. For example, the candidate writes that they needed to ensure ‘that all required equipment cleaning operations were successfully carried out’. However, how did the candidate accomplish this? The recruiter is only partly interested in what you did or needed to do – their main interest concerns how you did it and what specific actions you took. Putting this into action, the candidate could have rephrased part of the final sentence as follows:
‘In order to ensure that all required equipment cleaning operations were successfully carried out, I [insert specific action here]’.
This reworked sentence not only tells the recruiter what the candidate needed to do but explains the specific actions the candidate took to do so.]
The milking began earlier than usual at 5 am when I herded in the cows. The process lasted roughly an hour-and-a-half to milk the herd of 210 cows. After this, the cows needed to be moved to fresh grass and the parlour cleaned. All of this, fortunately, went to plan and I was able to catch the early train to Dublin.
[Feedback: This section continues the candidate’s discussion about the action they took and details the result of their actions. This section is especially impressive for its detail. You should note how the candidate uses particular statistics and times in their answer. The time of 5 am implicitly demonstrates the candidate’s commitment and determination, whilst the specification of 210 cows further evidences the magnitude of the candidate’s task and the impressiveness of their accomplishment.
Furthermore, the answer does well for including a final sentence detailing the result of their actions. This is crucial as it not only serves to conclude the answer but also tells the recruiter that your actions were successful.
The candidate could have improved their answer by using the terms of the question in their response. We always recommend using the question’s wording to frame your answer. This ensures that the recruiter sees that you have directly addressed and answered the question at hand. For example, the candidate could have rephrased their final section to discuss ‘keep[ing] [the] promise’ they had made to their parents whilst keeping their ‘other commitments’ to the firm they were interning at. This would have provided a stronger, more emphatic conclusion and served to link the whole answer back to the question at hand.]
We set our standards high, and we trust our people to hold themselves accountable for meeting other people's expectations. Describe a time when you had to drop everything and really 'raise your game' in order to keep a promise you had made to someone else. How did you manage both this and your other commitments?
Despite my limited public speaking experience, I decided to challenge myself at university by auditioning for a [redacted top tier university] Union Debate on the future of American hegemony. After doing some initial research, I presented the outline of my argument in front of three committee members. Two days before the debate, I was notified that I was selected as the sole undergraduate speaker, and was given twelve hours to accept the offer.
Feedback: This answer is effective because it has a clear STAR structure (situation, task, action, result), which enables the reader to follow that candidate’s reasoning with relative ease. To achieve a similar effect, you should also use STAR. You should (1) outline concisely the situation you faced (S), (2) describe your tasks in that situation (T), (3) explain the actions you took in response to address the situation (A) and (4) describe the overall outcome as a result of your actions (R). The candidate does well to split their answer into paragraphs addressing each component of STAR, which makes it easy for the recruiter to follow their points.
This is an oddly-phrased competency question and the candidate’s example does well to address it. It asks about a time you had to commit to an objective and how you managed your time/other commitments in order to achieve that objective. You should note the level of detail the candidate goes into. We are given a clear picture of (1) the tight deadlines/timeframes the candidate faced and (2) the other reasons why this situation challenged the candidate (namely that they had limited public speaking experience). You should aim for similar levels of detail in your own examples.
As a minor point, the candidate should have written more concisely. The candidate uses long sentences throughout the paragraph. The candidate also over-uses commas, at times incorrectly. For instance, the candidate did not need the second Oxford comma in their final sentence. Had the candidate varied their sentence structure and split sentences up where possible, their writing would be much easier to read. It would also convince the recruiter that this candidate has the writing skills needed to be a successful lawyer.
Wanting to challenge myself, I agreed to speak for the proposition, arguing for the decline of American geopolitical dominance. Given the tight-deadline and high standard of debates at the [redacted top tier university] Union, I re-arranged my other extra-curricular commitments, such as college football training to prioritise my preparation. I also notified my supervisor of this debate, and negotiated a deadline extension for a non-urgent essay, effectively communicating when I could complete the original work.
Feedback: The candidate continues with a sensible structure in this paragraph. We are given insight into the candidate’s task at hand, as well as the actions they carried out in order to achieve their overall objective of participating in the debate. The candidate also addresses the “drop everything” element of the question, namely by outlining how they managed their time.
That said, the candidate should have improved their answer by drilling down on how they prioritised each commitment. The candidate states that they re-arranged football training and moved an essay deadline around, but we are given no insight into why the candidate considered these less important nor how they decided on competing priorities. The candidate also should have cut out less relevant details so as to make space. Firstly, the candidate repeats themselves by asserting that they “wanted to challenge themselves”. This assertion does not add anything to the candidate’s answer and so should be cut out to make space. Secondly, if the candidate was severely pressed for space, then they did not need to tell the recruiter that they agreed to speak for the proposition/argued for the decline of American hegemony. This does not add much to the answer and does not demonstrate the competencies called for by the question.
I used a range of resources to ensure that I could speak at the level expected of me. I watched online recordings from previous debates to gain an initial understanding of the event structure, compensating for my previous lack of debating experiences. I also contacted a more experienced friend, and gained personal insights into the benefits of prioritising thematic analysis over technical data.
Feedback: This section begins by addressing the “raise your game” aspect reasonably well, namely by outlining how the candidate took the initiative in order to get up to speed with debates in a short space of time.
That said, the second point is underdeveloped and overall written unclearly. We recommend that candidates avoid jargon wherever possible. Here, the candidate claims that they gained insight into the “benefits of prioritising thematic analysis over technical data”, but it is unclear what either of these phrases mean or how they relate to debating. You should remember that recruiters are assessing your ability to write clearly and accessibly. As a commercial lawyer, you will advise extremely busy commercial clients who have no time to unpack jargon or flowery language. As such, you should have a second person read over your application to make sure they understand fully each point you make.
Through my organisation, resourcefulness, and determination, working up to eight hours a day, I helped our side win the debate in front of an audience of 150. I later caught up on my previous work, and successfully delivered all original commitments.
Feedback: In keeping with the “result” component of STAR, the candidate quantifies their achievements reasonably well here. We are told clearly that the candidate won the debate in front of an audience of 150 people, even in spite of the candidate’s lack of experience. You should aim for a similar level of detail in your own achievement examples. It should always be clear what you did, how many people you competed against in order to win that award/achievement and what the overall outcome was. You should also note how the candidate directly ties the outcome back in with the question, namely by stating that they successfully managed the achievement against their other commitments.
That said, we would expect to see even further detail here. The extent to which the candidate “helped” their side win the debate is unclear, nor is it clear how many people were actually involved in the debate. Had the candidate clarified these points, they would add weight and gravity to their achievements overall.
Tell us about a time you have exceeded expectations in your work and/or study (250)
In 2019, I was elected onto a sustainability society entitled [redacted Russell Group university society]. The society hosted events which took over the entire student’s union in a bid to raise awareness for climate change. As the publicity officer, I was responsible for leading the marketing campaigns for the society. I successfully did this given that the event was sold out with over 200 attendees. On the day of the event, I was responsible for setting up the decorations and distributing the promotional materials.
Feedback: This answer is effective because it has a clear structure which allows the recruiter to follow the candidate’s train of thought with comparative ease. Specifically, the candidate addresses this competency question with the traditional STAR structure (situation, task, action, result). This means the recruiter has a clear picture of the context, the candidate’s role and responsibilities within this society, the actions they took and the overall outcome of their actions. To achieve the same effect, you should also use STAR. You should (1) outline the situation you dealt with (S), (2) describe your responsibilities/tasks in that situation (T), (3) explain the actions you carried out in response to that task/situation (A) and (4) describe the overall outcome because of your actions (R). If you spend a paragraph dealing with each component of STAR, then your answer will be well-structured and clear.
You should also note how the candidate quantifies their achievements. We are told specifically how many people attended the event, which increases the gravity of the candidate’s achievements and puts their responsibilities into context. You should aim for a similar level of detail in describing your own experiences. If you quantify your answer with specific numbers and details as far as possible, then your writing will be more impactful overall.
There are a couple of points where the candidate should have capitalised phrases (“Publicity Officer”, “Students’ Union”), but this is otherwise a good leading paragraph.
However, the morning of the event the host cancelled, and the president asked if someone would step in. I was initially nervous, but I volunteered to host as my team members did not feel comfortable doing it. I had to be organised because I had two roles to take on for the evening. I arrived at the event 30 minutes earlier to arrange the decorations. Due to my new responsibilities, I drew a floorplan of the venue and delegated where to put up specific decorations. This is because I needed ample time to learn the line-up of the acts and write an introductory speech. I utilised my team’s strengths to finalise my initial tasks, as I prepared to host. Through proactiveness, organisation, and teamwork, the event was a huge success. I enjoyed the public speaking and have since put myself forward in classes to lead readings. That year, the success of our events led us to be nominated for the Student Union’s “Society of the Year” Award for 2020.
Feedback: The candidate continues with a sensible structure in this paragraph. We are given an overview of the candidate’s tasks at hand as well as some brief insight into the actions they carried out in order to achieve their overall objectives. The example also addresses the “exceeded expectations” element of the question, but the candidate would have been better off using this wording explicitly.
Again, you should note how the candidate quantifies their achievements with specific details. The candidate gives a specific named award for which the society received a nomination. To improve, the candidate should have tied in this “result” point in with their own contributions more closely. We are told that the “success of the Society’s events” led to this nomination, but it is unclear how/to what extent the candidate’s actions contributed to this. The candidate also could have been even more specific. The recruiter would want to know how many other societies they competed against for this nomination, the criteria/overall competitiveness in receiving such a nomination, and so on.
The candidate also needed to drill down more on their actions. Though we are told the candidate arrived at the event 30 minutes early, we are told little else about the candidate’s specific actions. Instead, the candidate spends much of this paragraph telling the recruiter that they have XYZ competencies instead of showing how their actions might demonstrate these skills. For instance, the candidate vaguely states that they “utilised their team’s strengths”, but we are given little insight into what the team’s strengths were and how the candidate made resourceful use of these. Instead of telling the recruiter what your skills are, you should show your contributions and allow the recruiter to infer your competencies themselves.
As a legal advisor you will spend time reviewing documents. Describe a time when you've had to analyse information, data or details to provide recommendations or solutions. How did you go about the task, and what was the outcome?
[Feedback: When answering competency-related questions, we would recommend following the STAR (situation, task, action, result)/ CAR (context, action, result) structure. The candidate follows this structure but adds a few unnecessary details at the end (which are addressed in a comment below). We would have improved some of the sentence structures to increase readability, but this is a relatively minor point.
During my placement in [redacted] as part of my current role at [redacted], I worked on a business change programme. The aim of the project was to create a tool to facilitate the work of staff in the service, and create a new business intelligence platform for reporting.
[Feedback: This is effective start because it provides the reader with a sufficient understanding of the given situation/ context. Depending on your chosen example, you may have to add fewer or more details. For example, working in a coffee shop is quite common and the reader is likely to know what it typically entails. However, working in a tech start-up is less common and the reader is less likely to know what it typically entails. Asking a friend or family member who is not involved in the given line of work to read over your answer may help you determine whether you have struck the right balance in terms of details.
On a different note, we would have liked a brief explanation as to the kind of “information, data or details” the candidate had to analyse in order to produce “recommendations or solutions”. Mirror the wording of the question/ prompt and lead with the answer in order to avoid leaving the reader guessing.
Note: unnecessary comma at “a tool to facilitate the work of staff in the service, and create a new business intelligence platform”.
I engaged with a range of stakeholders in order to produce an Options Appraisal to provide recommendations for the access and design of the new platform. I produced a standardised questionnaire to be used to aid engagement with a range of groups, and assimilated all the information I had gathered. I then analysed these requirements, also considering the strategic vision, technical possibilities and financial implications of each option.
[Feedback: This paragraph elucidates the action taken by the candidate in the given situation/ context. This element of the STAR/ CAR structure requires you to show the reader how you went about the given task, rather than simply tell them what you did as part of it. The candidate does a good job of this by revealing their method and criteria of analysis. However, the candidate misses another opportunity to explain the kind of information they analysed, which is a crucial aspect of the question.
Note: missing preposition at “access [to] and design of the new platform”, unnecessary commas in various places (e.g., “I produced […], and assimilated”), missing comma at “strategic vision, technical possibilities and financial implication”.
I collated all the information from my background research, stakeholder consultations and knowledge of the project to produce a clear and concise report. I presented my Options Appraisal at the project board meeting, where my preferred option was adopted, by taking into consideration the practical, technical and financial implications of each option which I had clearly expressed in the report. The role of my work here was important, as it ensured that the project board made an informed choice on how to proceed with the design and access arrangements for the platform, and ensure that resources are managed efficiently and money is spent wisely.
[Feedback: This paragraph concerns the result/ outcome of the candidate’s action in the given situation/ context. The first sentence, however, would have been better suited to the previous paragraph because it concerns the actions taken by the candidate in pursuit of their task. The outcome is that their preferred option was adopted at the board meeting. The candidate could have placed more emphasis on how and why that was the case since the question specifically asks, “what was the outcome?”. To this end, they could have scrapped the last sentence altogether because it is neither directly relevant to the question, nor very insightful.
Note: unnecessary commas in various places (as above), missing comma (as above).
This multi-million-pound investment into a technology driven business change project has given me exposure on how a technological solution can save time and money. I am keen to continue working with clients to drive innovation and improve processes as I understand how much value and efficiency this can add to clients. I believe Shoosmiths would be a fantastic place to drive these changes as it is a market leader in innovation for driving client experience.
[Feedback: We would have scrapped this paragraph altogether because it adds little value to the overall answer. It is only vaguely related to the candidate’s chosen example and, crucially, it does not answer any part of the given question. We would have used the word count to paint a more detailed picture of said example and focused on addressing every part of the question in a comprehensive manner. For instance, a couple of examples as to the recommendations made to the project board would have been insightful. Remember that depth is more likely to make your answer stand out than breadth.
Note: missing hyphen at “technology driven business change”, incorrect preposition at “exposure on”.
As a legal advisor you will spend time reviewing documents. Describe a time when you’ve had to analyse information, data or details to provide recommendations or solutions. How did you go about the task, and what was the outcome?
For the third day of my work experience at [redacted regional law firm], I was in the corporate and commercial department. The department head informed me of a client who supplied horse-bit (equipment to enable communication between the horse and the rider) products and who wished to sell their products in Germany. I was provided with a draft of the distribution agreement. I was requested to analyse the terms and conditions of the contract to ensure the clients interests were protected.
[Feedback: For this kind of question, we would advise adopting a situation, task, action, result/response (‘STAR’) or context, action, result/response (‘CAR’) structured paragraph. This question, in particular, is focused on the competencies of organisation, attention to detail, creativity and critical thinking.
In this first paragraph, the candidate focuses on providing the requisite context for the rest of their answer. Aside from one point of improvement, this paragraph is excellent. In this first sentence, the candidate immediately sets the scene, detailing where they worked, what department they were in, and the time at which they had the experience. They go on to specify the context of the transaction they were working on and what exactly they needed to do. In this way, the candidate has provided the recruiter with the relevant information pertaining to the situation at hand and detail about the task they were faced with.
You should note that the candidate takes the time to explain the business the client was engaged in. ‘Horse-bit products’ will not be familiar to everyone, so the candidate gives a brief explanation to the recruiter so that they can better understand the candidate’s answer. When you write your response, you should do the same. The aim of the first paragraph (the ‘context’ section) is to provide some expository information which will set the backdrop for the rest of your answer (which will focus on your actions and the results). You should not skip this step. The recruiter does not know you or your experiences personally; therefore, they can only go off the information you give them.
The only point of improvement pertains to the correction of a typographical error. When writing ‘to ensure the clients interests’, the candidate misses an apostrophe denoting the possessive. You must be careful of making such errors. Due to an increase in the number of applications per firm, recruiters are becoming less forgiving when it comes to typographical errors, with some firms outright rejecting applications in which they find a mistake. Before you submit your answers, you should proofread your application form and use a spellchecker (for example, Microsoft Word’s built-in checker or Grammarly). You can even give your answers to a family member or trusted friend to read over and check for these kinds of errors.]
Firstly, I researched distribution agreement examples to familiarise myself with what should be incorporated, and to outline an ideal structure of how the contract should work. These initial steps ensured that when first reading the document, I understood the various headings, and I knew what terms and conditions to look out for. Secondly, I began my analysis by utilising my attention to detail skills to work through the document to note suggestions. For example, define the products, implement a separate UK and EU heading for value-added tax provisions and explain if payments should be made before or after product despatch. Thirdly, I went through the agreement while referring to my outlined structure, which included an insurance and liability guarantee heading. To minimise risks, I noted that these clauses should be incorporated
[Feedback: This section focuses on the candidate’s actions. The candidate has done well in going into a good amount of detail with respect to what they did. You should observe how the candidate describes not only what they did, but how they did it or what their action looked like. For example, the candidate begins by saying that they researched some examples. However, they explain why they did so: to better understand their document when they began reading it. This is excellent as it demonstrates a high level of conscientiousness. Furthermore, the candidate not only stated that they suggested some amendments but also gave some examples of what those amendments were. Once again, this is very good. You should look to do the same in your answers and provide supplementary detail and evidence when describing your actions.
You should also note how the candidate structures their paragraph. They use signposting (‘firstly’, ‘secondly’, ‘thirdly’) to show the recruiter when they are moving on to a new step. This makes the answer easier to read, especially when there are also lots of actions or steps taken. You must remember that the recruiter is reading about your experience for the first time. Therefore, you have to guide the recruiter through your answer and ensure that they follow exactly what you did and understand why you did it.
To improve this answer, the candidate’s clarity of writing could have been improved. At times, the candidate’s writing becomes disjointed or grammatically dubious. For instance, the candidate writes, ‘For example, define the products, implement a separate UK and EU heading for value-added tax provisions and explain if payments should be made before or after product despatch’. This sentence is missing a subject: who is defining the products, implementing a heading, and explaining the payments? Overall, the sentence is clunky and not articulated properly. It could easily be rephrased into a more polished response, such as the following:
‘For example, I suggested defining the products, implementing a separate UK and EU heading for value-added tax provisions and specifying if payments should be made before or after product despatch.’
Similarly, the candidate’s third point is not wholly clear. The candidate writes that ‘[t]hirdly, [they] went through the agreement while referring to [their] outlined structure, which included an insurance and liability guarantee heading. To minimise risks, [they] noted that these clauses should be incorporated’. However, they do not describe what they did during or after going through the agreement. Furthermore, it is not clear what risks they were minimising. When reading this part of the answer, it feels as though the candidate has missed out on some crucial information that the reader requires to appreciate what the candidate is trying to communicate.
When you write your answers, proofread your work, and try to assume the position of someone who has no knowledge of what you have written about and see if you can understand it. Alternatively, you can give your answer to a family member or trusted friend to read to see if they can understand it. Once again, the recruiter does not know you personally. The picture they build up of you will be based on your answer’s content and how well it is articulated. If your answer is written poorly, you risk the recruiter getting frustrated and rejecting your application.]
I discussed my analysis with the department head. He agreed with my recommendations, and they were incorporated into the distribution agreement. The client received a specific contract that they could easily understand and has recently begun distributing their products in Germany. This task enabled me to independently conduct research and analytical work to apply it to real-life practice. Hence, I am prepared and motivated to engage in the research tasks and hands-on work of Shoosmiths' trainees since trainees gain a high level of responsibility throughout their training contract.
[Feedback: In this section, the candidate discusses the result of their actions and their reflections on the experience. The candidate has done well in keeping this section easy to follow and well-structured.
In the first half of the paragraph, the candidate concisely articulates what the results of their actions were. Crucially, the candidate not only specifies that their recommendations were agreed upon and actioned, but they also describe what that meant for the client: they received a comprehensible contract and have achieved their aim of distributing their products in Germany. This was important for the candidate to have included in their response, as it demonstrates that their actions were not just a success for them but also precipitated a success for the client (which is ultimately what a law firm wants).
In the second half of the paragraph, the candidate reflects on the experience. They explicitly discuss what competencies they used as part of the experience and what this would mean for them as a trainee solicitor at Shoosmiths. Again, this is a good response. By including this reflection element, the candidate explicitly shows the recruiter that they have a good level of introspection and conscientiousness and have the requisite skills to be a trainee solicitor. You should always try to link your competencies to the work of a trainee solicitor. For example, you should explain (and not just simply state) how attention to detail would aid you in conducting a due diligence report.
To improve this answer, the candidate could have given some evidence concerning their claim that ‘[Shoosmiths’] trainees gain a high level of responsibility throughout their training contract’. This point is tacked on at the end of the candidate’s answer, and it could do with some supplementary evidence. Although it is not the focus of the candidate’s answer (and, therefore, a PEEL-style analysis is not required), each claim should be substantiated with some detail or evidence. In this case, the candidate could have cited Shoosmiths’ trainee intake size or some information that they may have garnered from talking to the firm’s trainees, associates, or partners. You should remember that each new claim you make, even if it may seem innocuous, requires some evidence to show the recruiter that you actually know that the claim is true and you genuinely care about it being the case.]
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