BigLaw Insider — on becoming the top 10% of candidates, the value of paralegaling, and what networking really means.
Merry Christmas to you all in advance! Before you check out what today's sharing is...
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And now, let's delve into my insights on law firm applications and your law career.
My Insider Views of the Week
#1 How to be different from 90% of other candidates?
"I've done everything I can... but I still get rejected by so many law firms I applied to? Why is that?"
Let's put yourself into a recruiter's shoes — if you receive over 1,000 training contract applications every year, you will realise that 90% of the candidates look almost the same on paper, as a majority of them likely:
graduated from a 2:1 degree;
had some law firm work experiences;
volunteered at a legal clinic of some sort; and
attended a few Open Days or virtual events.
That being said, speaking from experience I think lots of aspiring lawyers actually have a pretty interesting CV, but their STRATEGY is just wrong — they didn't pick the right experiences to talk about in their applications to showcase their true uniqueness. Many candidates are not doing themselves any justice when it comes to selling their experiences.
One method I found helpful to fix this issue is to try to recall everything you’ve done since university and list them all out on a word document. Then ask your friend, mentor or coach to take a look at them and see which experience they find most interesting.
Many candidates tend to perceive certain experiences as “inferior” and thus decide not to mention them in law firm applications at all. Many of them mistakenly believed that they already know their CV inside out, but the truth is they need someone with a fresh pair of eyes to reassess what their unique selling points really are.
Therefore, these candidates tend to lose objectivity when it comes to what makes them truly special in the eyes of a stranger (i.e. the recruiter). Very often, they didn't even realise that those seemingly uninteresting experiences (e.g. very niche hobbies, non-legal work or even volunteering experiences) are what actually distinguishes themselves from 90% of other candidates.
#2 Think cautiously before committing yourself to a full-time paralegal role.
Many aspiring lawyers, who haven't secured a training contract after they graduated from university, can’t wait to jump into a full-time paralegal role.
I am not saying this is an inherently wrong strategy, but sometimes having a gap in your CV actually allows you to rethink your priorities in life and avoid shooting for the wrong goal.
For example, let's compare the below two fresh graduates to gauge realistically who can achieve his goal of getting a TC faster:
"Student A has not secured any paralegal job right after graduation, but is able to work on his law firm applications almost like a full-time job. He wants to pour all of his energy in securing a TC, and he has submitted 30 high-quality applications in one application cycle."
"Student B starts working as a paralegal at a busy firm right after he graduated from law school. He barely has any time to rest outside of work, and he is always low in energy. He has only managed to submit at most 4 to 5 high-quality applications in one application cycle."
Judging from probabilities alone, and assuming both students already have a few legal work experiences to begin with, I will say Student A has a higher chance of securing a TC faster. The reason is simple: as time goes by, Student A will be much more familiar with application drafting, online tests, video interviews or assessment centres, because he can simply practice more by submitting way more applications and getting more invites.
So... think cautiously before committing yourself to a full-time paralegal role, especially if getting a training contract at a BigLaw firm is your ultimate goal.
Of course, I also understand that not everyone is privileged enough to have a gap year working just on law firm applications, but I've also seen way too many aspiring lawyers who are just stuck in this loop of working as a paralegal for years.
While paralegaling can be a great addition to your CV, don't let it distract you from focusing on that one most important goal — actually getting that one TC offer to change your life!
#3 Favourite Quote of the Week
"Networking is not about how many people you know, but how many people you’ve helped."
Nowadays, many people are quite obsessed with the number of followers they have, or the number of people they are friends with.
If you want to build a powerful personal brand, start giving out free resources and helping others out, even though the rewards may not be immediately apparent.
I started with less than 1,000 followers on LinkedIn back in 2018, and now I have more than 37,000 followers. This is not to brag, but I just want to show you that consistency does work.
If you don't where to start with building a personal brand, know your own niche first and focus on giving back to the legal community — the results will come with consistency.
People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
Want to Work With Me?
1. Book a Free Call
Book a Free Call if you are unsure whether having me as your law career coach really helps.
2. Book an Ad-Hoc Coaching Call
Book a formal coaching session if you are struggling with job search or want more specific application support.
3. Working on "BigLaw Community" (to be launched by the end of 2025)
I'm currently building a BigLaw Community - a subscription that helps you pass the law firm application process. You'll even get weekly live Q&As with me for personalised guidance. It will be launched officially by end of this year.
