The Interview Day.

The interviews days are quite  intensive, but most people find them both interesting and stimulating. Some parts of the process are very relaxed indeed. You will be shown around the office by a trainee who will give you candid answers to any questions you might have, particularly those of the 'what's-it-really-like?' variety. The work simulation exercise study is another highlight:  The idea is to replicate the kind of work you might be tackling if you join us. It shows us how you think and communicate, but it will also tell you whether you enjoy our kind of work.

Work simulation and written exercise

A work simulation exercise is a computer based simulation of an email inbox. Although the scenario is set within Linklaters, it is entirely fictitious. No specialist knowledge (including legal knowledge) or experience of the subject is required. During the exercise emails will arrive into your inbox and you will be required to:

• Respond to a series of emails using multiple choice answers
• Extract information from data provided
• Make judgment calls on how to deal with challenging situations

After the inbox exercise you will be asked to prepare a written response to one email, this will be based on an issue you have been dealing with throughout the work simulation

Hints and tips for the written exercise

• Make sure you respond in a style appropriate to the email you have been sent. Ensure that it has a clear, logical structure.
• Keep watch over time, and make sure you proof read what you have written for your email response before the time is up, as this piece of work will be reviewed and used as a basis for discussion in your partner interview.
• Think about the person who you are writing the information for. How much do they already know? How much do they need to know? Tailor the content and the level of detail for the audience.

Interview

Your interview day is a real opportunity to show us what you can do and to see if Linklaters is right for you. To get the best out of it, remind yourself of our process and what we are looking for. Think about any questions you want to ask. Consider doing a mock interview with your careers service or someone you trust to give you honest feedback.

We have a  clear idea of the qualities and aptitudes that make a successful Linklaters lawyer. These skills revolve around:

• Teamwork
• Communication
• Motivation
• Time management
• Commercial thinking

Our competency based questions will involve you demonstrating these key attributes so really think about the answers you give and explain your examples in full. Examples should have a clear structure to highlight your skills and achievements but remember to answer the question succinctly. If you need help with structure you may want to think about the STAR technique:

• Situation
• Task
• Actions
• Results

You need to be very clear about your chosen career path. Why do you want to pursue law? Do you know what the work involves? Do you have a particular interest in a specific practice area? What is it that attracts you to working in the commercial world and a global firm? Irrespective of your degree discipline, you must have good reasons for wanting to be a lawyer, and be clear about why Linklaters is the place for you.

Top tips

• Interviews can be very nerve-wracking so make sure you practise. Seek out mock interviews and skills workshops via your Careers Service to hone your skills. The key to a good interview is preparation, so think about examples of your core skills such as teamwork, communication and motivation.
• Take a minute to think about the answer you want to give. Don’t feel that you need to start speaking as soon as the interviewer has stopped, take a sip of water and compose your thoughts first. If you know what the key highlights and your ending is, it will mean you don't waffle.

Be yourself

You can take all the time in the world to prepare and you should, but ultimately try to relax and just be yourself on the day; this is the only way to do yourself justice and ensure you have an interview experience that is really beneficial all round. We wish you the very best of luck. We hope you enjoy it.

You can hear top tips from our Graduate Recruitment manager, Faye Wimpenny, in the video below.