Training Contracts 2015 - Let the Games Begin

For those of you in final year, are you going to be doing applications NOW or wait until final year results in June to apply? It seems that for most firms I'm interested in, the application dates are from October all the way till July which seems a rather large window... (I'm a law student if it helps). Thanks & good luck to all this year!

First TC interview of my life next week... With S&M so probably not the last one either haha.

Gotta find a way to explain why in my cover letter I suddenly decided to use "Slaughter & May" in one place rather than "Slaughter and May" like I did everywhere else.

If only that was my only problem....

Scared to death

Applied for a BLP Winter VS- been offered a Phone Interview for either a). Spring/Summer VS, or b). Training Contract. I'm thinking of just going for the TC (and ditching the VS) - thoughts?

I have been looking at all the TC opportunities. It is sometimes very hard to distinguish between very similar firms, is anyone else finding that?

For those of you in final year, are you going to be doing applications NOW or wait until final year results in June to apply? It seems that for most firms I'm interested in, the application dates are from October all the way till July which seems a rather large window... (I'm a law student if it helps). Thanks & good luck to all this year!

Not sure what you mean exactly.
Most firms will have the same "structure" for the training contract, but that is to be expected. However each firm will have particularities, for example which areas it is good at, how the seats are allocated, what is the firm's culture, clients, international strategy, etc..
It's up to you to do research to go beyond the obvious similarities and find what makes each firm "unique". Best way to do that is through open days or work experience if you can. Otherwise just go through their literature and try to see what the firm is trying to push out. It can be quite hard, that's true, but then I doubt at an interview a firm would ask you "What is the difference between us and firm X?"

But tbh if you're looking for training contracts and aren't sure which of a few firms to apply to, then I'd recommend applying to all of them
Certainly cannot do you any harm, and it leaves you with various options...

But then I doubt at an interview a firm would ask you "What is the difference between us and firm X?"

Ha, I had that question asked...well in the sense "Why this MC firm and not any other MC firms"? And then also specifically what other firms I'd applied to. After I named a few, I was asked what the difference between Firm A and Firm B was - i.e. two firms from my other applications. And then if I was offered a TC at Firm A or B, which one would I pick and why. I thought it was bizarre. I'm not sure what the point of that.

So be on the lookout for questions about other firms...

I guess to see that you've targeted a specific type of firm/area of law and not just applied all over the place? And that you've actually thought about your reasons for wanting to work at that type of firm?

Unfortunately the two firms he picked were quite different in size, although same general practice areas and again they weren't MC either so in one sense not "direct" competitors. I had already attended an Assessment Day for one of them and got invited back to final interview so my answer was a bit all over the place and obviously focused on the firm that I was further along in the application stage.

I was more prepared for Why us vs. them and not why A vs. B so it's worth for those applying to make sure they can voice their reasons in a way that still mean you're what firm C is looking for.