How To Get Hired - The HONEST TRUTH from a Clifford Chance Recruiter

I ask a senior recruiter what practical steps people should be taking to get their dream job, in spite of rising levels of unemployment. How to stand out from the crowd? Do's and don'ts for your applications and interviews. The magic sauce that makes recruiters (in the most competitive year in a decade) want to hire YOU 👨‍💻
………………………………………………….
📸 Instagram - / liam.porritt
🌍 My little kingdom - liamporritt.com
Who I am:
I'm a trainee lawyer studying in London. I graduated from Cambridge, speak French and Spanish and don’t believe in “natural talent” 😮 BUT... I do believe that TOGETHER, WE ARE ALL CAPABLE OF POSITIVITY, PRODUCTIVITY AND SUCCESS.
………………………………………………….
Thanks to Laura Yeates (Head of Graduate Talent at Clifford Chance) 🤗

[@mattstyles4283]

Cheers mate, as a grad your videos have given me so much confidence. I made a risky switch to a computer science masters during the pandemic- now I've been offered a job as a software engineer at Ocado!

[@dubot4076]

To everyone that sees this, resilience and hardship is the number one factor that will contribute to your determination of success. Overcoming difficult and stressful times whilst focussing on your goal, will always pay off. Please take this to heart, you will get there, stick with it.

[@hakster3048]

Thank you very much this is very true and if you work hard you can do anything!

[@ArunPlaysPiano]

I agree when you say it's worth sacrificing sometime for uni essays (i.e. to make it into a 1st class essay) for application essays, but I appreciate this can be a gamble as if you secure no offers then you may have regrets.

[@TheGuv1]

This was so helpful! Great video 👍🏼

[@sathiyaperkash]

Thanks, Liam! This interview is a good stuff. This interview is helpful to me.

[@gunterscheidt6060]

Great video! Thanks for the insight

[@andrewking5417]

Hey Liam, could you do a video on why you want to become a corporate lawyer (other than the good pay)?

[@Kevin-eo5pw]

Thank you! Really helpful

[@MrMan241]

Massive happiness when I realized you got hire for that top lawyer bureau. Professionally i do work for a bank and work with them, so i know what kind of level you’re opting for. Congrats.

[@SamElle]

I've been struggling with finding internships especially because the companies I want to work for have hiring freezes right now. I find the best way to get hired for anything is utilizing your connections. I have been reaching out to friends and people I have talked to in the past and have been able to get more leads that way!

[@Radiant100]

Hi

[@SamElle]

@@Radiant100 helloooo

[@BomberFletch31]

Could you please do a video with interview tips and techniques? This is one area I've always struggled with, especially as I'm naturally an introvert and hate talking about myself.

[@Lets.Go.Brandon]

I'm an introvert and I just got a big law job. The best thing you can do is go through every single thing on your resume and come up with at least one story about something you did there that was impressive, what skills you developed, and how those skills apply to the job you are applying for. You can't and wont tell them everything you've ever done, but you should be prepared to be asked about any of your jobs and be prepared to tell them the skills you gained and why they will help the company. If you can't come up with that for something on your resume, then you might need to rethink if that position should be listed at all. Also, think of answers and stories for the obvious questions, such as questions about teamwork experience, research and writing, and problem solving. You know those are coming, have answers ready or it looks bad. Lastly, big law firms like to see genuine interest in their firm over just any other big law firm. So research the company and your interviewers if you have time, have meaningful questions, and ideally find something about the firm that differentiates it from other firms and that you find appealing. If you do all of that for every interview you get, you have a good shot.

[@awesomeguruji3894]

Hello Liam, I am a fan of you and your videos. Your videos are really informative. I want to ask if you could kindly make a video only for international students who have come to England to become an English lawyer. What recruiters look for in an international student?

[@andrewdarby4488]

Very interesting Liam. I studied the GDL and liked the academic aspect but realised that my mindset is the complete opposite of what law firms like CC are looking for because of my mental health. For a start I can't cope with stress, teamwork or long hours. Great career for the right person though. So I became a legal translator working for myself and am 45 and now happily retired. But very helpful video as it reassures me that I made the right choice.

[@mahlonhoward1463]

great vid, very professional, thx

[@blessingtaiwo8447]

This was really helpful.

[@mubarekdaha]

Hi bro I love ur content even if I don’t see my self becoming a lawyer

[@luismillares4827]

Love from the Philippines Liam!!

[@savvaskotsakis7538]

As always great content keep up the good work

[@janesmith9024]

It is quite hard to have an impact when all you are allowed do at McDonalds is serve the burgers in the way you boss tells you to do....so I suppose volunteering in a care home and somehow saving lives might look better.

[@furdiebant]

Go to a decent uni Get decent grades Attend some events or say you have Mirror what the firms say in their promotional materials back at them Act very enthusiastic when you meet them Done

[@AnAccountHolder]

They don't tell you specifics. Basically, you should have compeleted the CV tickboxes to make the interview, then during the interview, you have to act and behave in the way that they expect. When they say 'relaxed and confident' it means 1. restraining all emotion apart from fake friendship with the interviewer 2. Giving the answer they expect. This is the 'playing the game' answer. You have to know what they really mean by the question and that only comes with having done internships and had honest conversations with employees. 3. Unless it's a purposefully difficult technical or creative question, they don't want some complicated theoretical response, they literally want you to say the company position in intelligible English. Don't strain over solving like you're meant to do in uni. All this bullshit about standing out is so misleading because they don't admit that they actually want boring people who are paper smart, can do the basic role, who won't interfere in their processes and who present low risk for firing or PR complications. But graduate schemes all lie because HR don't actually care about helping people choose what they want, they just want to keep the company afloat with low risk.

[@furdiebant]

@@AnAccountHolder pretty much

[@furdiebant]

@Bernard fitzsimons pretty much

[@chiron3719]

@@AnAccountHolder so having vast experience wouldn’t amount to someone who has fantastic grades.

[@ShashYo]

@@chiron3719 You need to be able to show that you are paper smart as well as experienced and interested in the work; so if your a-levels aren't great, you have to show that you can do academic work well at university, as well as gain a bunch of experience in other fields.

[@chiron3719]

I understand that my A-level grades aren’t particularly great, truth is they’re awful, would having a vast amount of experience and gaining skills in the industry offset those bad grades, as I believe some firms have dropped contextual requirements.

[@RR-xm9iu]

Id also like to know this, please respond :)

[@sm-yu7dt]

honestly, no. But it would depend on the law firm you're applying to. If for instance it's Magic Circle/Silver Circle or an American law firm the answer is no. This is because they have people with vast experience AND good A Levels. However, it depends on what your degree is and what uni too. You could still work at a law firm but probably not one of the top ones.

[@ayushisingh3629]

It is possible in my opinion, I recently saw a video on YT in which a woman explained how she got into Magic Circle with not so good A-level grades. So i would suggest keep on trying!

[@jevypenny7519]

great video

[@aliceieltscoach]

Hi Liam. Great video as always. Have you considered doing a video on your experience of a student who went from studying languages to law?

[@liam.porritt]

Love the idea Alice - I'm definitely thinking about doing a video on my experience during the first 6 months at a law firm! Maybe a video on how I decided which career I wanted to go into would answer what you're asking? :)

[@jackdarley5112]

@@liam.porritt I know I’m 2 months late but I still think this would be a great video. I’m also about to go start a languages degree really just because I enjoy it, not because I want to become a professional translator/language teacher. So I think there’s a lot of people like me who want to find out what their possibilities are and how to find these opportunities :)

[@mertakn4938]

Love from Turkey I love you bro

[@missfortune9030]

If it is the case of accepting people who aren't fresh out of university, then why did Clifford Chance prioritise penultimate year law / final year non-law students this year for vacation schemes?

[@liam.porritt]

I think this year was a really tough year in terms of having to make difficult decisions to reduce the number of people being recruited at the moment, but at least as far as I know, I don't think the plan is for this prioritisation to continue longer term, so people who aren't fresh out of university will be accepted moving forward! 🤗

[@mariyakachwala4148]

Can you do the same thing for international students applying for vacation schemes and TCs?It would be really helpful.

[@lordotaznik6347]

Good idea, it would be VERY helpful

[@mercy-constanceaturu7030]

This!

[@michaell906]

She’s so fun. Love this conversation.

[@zaidali8408]

Hello Liam 👋

[@helenap1403]

Your tips include freelance, charity work and “having an impact” - this may potentially price out specific applicants that cannot afford to do work for free

[@thewilliamcrown4516]

then it’s not charity work?

[@olivialovesdesign]

You also can’t do freelance legal work until you have a practicing certificate. That will have you banned for law admission and practice FOR LIFE! I found this out when I went to start my own little freelance business writing legal letters or writing affidavits so that clients could save on the hours and hours that lawyers charge to write an affidavit in say family law or civil matters etc…..

[@Skittles1988]

Lol so not true, I worked at an international law firm and graduate recruitment told me that vacation schemes were designed for students at uni or very recent graduates so I shouldn’t bother applying as I was a bit older and has worked as a paralegal for a few years. Then if you look at the stats 85-90% of TC offers are made to vac schemers, so you’re screwed. I’m sure a lot of the big law firms operate the same way. Keeps graduate recruitment in their jobs I guess 🤔

[@HaroldEsc]

But this is addressed to traning contracts right? i'm not sure if they would think the same for lateral hirings.

[@nisargmajmudar740]

I'm 16 and from India,wanted to ask whether or not to study finanace in London,wanted to know your opinion on that.you are my inspiration and may God bless you and your content is the best.

[@dhk98763]

In the covid circumstances , I would recommend not to and you can study in a U.K. university, but online. You have two more years in A Levels though.

[@mossadagent1576]

I'd really recommend choosing a degree you really want to do. Finance can be dry, and kind of pointless, as you'd pick it up anyway in courses, training, or on the job. Also if you are very interested in a job in finance, I'd recommend checking out Wall Street Oasis, it's great.

[@Numbll]

How is this going to work for international students who are studying law in UK? We can only work for 20 hrs a week and full time during vacation.

[@zachariah4853]

I really hate this virtual world. You never know when could start speaking

[@ShashYo]

that's really the main problem with it lol; I wish it let people talk over each other like in normal conversation; like on discord.

[@ubedits]

You look like roger fedrer

[@taterrhead]

The REAL Honest Truth is that there are wayyyy too many lawyers in the world and the education for it is wayyyyy overpriced .... choose one of hundreds more viable and enjoyable career paths

[@anshchaudhary8200]

Please make study vlog bro

[@CraigBukenya]

Where did you host this call? Zoom

[@ferlou2373]

How do you know her?

[@haruharu380]

I thought it was Berlin in the thumbnail

[@bayesianstuff930]

Amazing! If you use Clifford Chance in your title, you will get way more views😂

[@liam.porritt]

Just changed - let’s see if it works 😝

[@sophiebolhuiss]

It worked, I clicked 😂

[@saraalgaydi6263]

it did work ;) hahaha I clicked because of CC

[@amymcgrath4151]

Hi, I'm currently in year 12 and I am doing a-level law and I am hoping to do it at uni. Although I know you're a cambridge grad, I am not planning on attending oxbridge and was just wondering about how many of your colleagues at Clifford Chance went to other russell group unis (exeter, york, nottingham, etc.) and how much that may hinder me when applying to big law firms.

[@mursal2590]

Hi, I would like to ask how you are finding a level law because I am considering doing it, is it difficult or easy? Or boring or interesting? And would u recommend it?

[@amymcgrath4151]

@@mursal2590 I would 100% recommend it. I find it really interesting and the cases that we look in to are so interesting. On the difficulty, I’ve found it fairly easy so far but I think what will be the hardest thing is the amount of stuff you have to learn but it’s not too bad as long as you enjoy it and find it interesting. I think a lot of people think it’s just a lot of essays but the exams are actually quite similar to other subject with multiple choice, short answer and long answer questions. Hope this helps x

[@mursal2590]

@@amymcgrath4151 Thanks for the info! Very helpful x

[@noahx3569]

a lot of the top law firms recruit mostly russell group grads

[@kayflip2233]

Your audio is way too low.

[@ariston111]

Lol, now y'all getting into reality.......... All the schooling in the world still doesn't = a job until you're hired.

[@TheHappyTDFamily]

They don't teach you this in university, I'm finding out the hard way!

[@clh4411]

I got Cs at A level and I’ve just become an associate . Hard work talks

[@h.g.4601]

Hi

[@kalanniyarepola2238]

Does it matter what school or uni you go to?

[@liam.porritt]

Umm, not necessarily - but obviously to some degree the university you went to likely indicates how good your grades were and how motivated you are and hard you work... So not in and of itself, but it may be an indicator of other things that recruiters DO care about 🤗

[@krislove1167]

In law, yes, yes it's almost everything. Especially if you want to be a barrister.

[@Julie-hf4ch]

KNOWING TO SPEAK FRENCH AND SPANISH HAS EVER BEEN HELPFUL WITHIN YOUR WORK FIELD? I HAD THE CHANCE TO HIGHLIGHT MY SKILLS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES(DURING A AN ASSESSMENT FOR A LEGAL POSITION) AND RECRUITERS RAISED EYEBROWS..

[@shahriyarevan4668]

Love from Bangladesh... Liam 💘

[@al3x_on_sticks628]

Hello brother

[@liam.porritt]

Hey bro!

[@juliamoffatt5999]

May I give you some feed back? When you were talking to your colleague, your eyes were all over the place. Look at the camera and you’ll make more of a connection; otherwise, it comes across as quite irritating.

[@NUCLEAR154]

How would you handle corrupt Malta government staff member who posed as UK's government Head of Legal Dept in my court hearing on 9th March 2019 at City&Mayor's County Court London to steal my flat 2a york mansion 101 Barkston gardens 215 Earl's court road London SW5 9AF-Property

[@arjunchatterjee875]

Pehle isko toh pee le beta 😂😂😂😂😂😂