When discussing your chosen (or delegated) topic, you should start by giving a broad overview of the topic, just to give context. Next, you could give some specific examples from the news, for instance by mentioning some of the companies affected or involved in the story. If possible, you should then attempt some critical analysis, perhaps by outlining any applicable pros and cons or differing opinions and giving your own opinion. You could then conclude, if appropriate, by explaining how the story relates to the firm and its clients.

When reading about a firm (e.g. the firm you are applying to or one of its clients), a particular issue (e.g. an upcoming general election), a particular proposal (e.g. should England leave the EU?) or certain industry trends, you could also use a SWOT and/or PESTLE analysis framework to ensure that your application/interview answers are clearly and logically structured.

Frameworks such as these can prove useful in helping you to structure your answers coherently and can help you to develop your ability to think critically and to breakdown, analyse and structure salient points derived from large amounts of information. This ability can be incredibly important in the context of delivering presentations or liaising with clients!