In this type of question, the recruiters want to know if you have the competencies that they are looking for. Of course, each law firm may be looking for different competencies. You can tell which competencies the firm values by the information on their graduate recruitment page and their brochure.
Also, you can tell which competencies the firm values by the type of questions they ask. For example, “Please give an example of a situation where you were required to work in a team”, here the recruiter is looking for teamwork skills.
Which experience to use for your competency questions is up to you. These experiences can be from employment, volunteering, university, sports, or from life.
The most important part is to choose an experience that ties directly to the competency required in the question. For the above mentioned question, a good experience could come from a football game, mock team negotiations or a vacation scheme experience.
Always give yourself enough time to submit quality applications. Make sure to know when the Deadlines are for your applications.
To answer any competency questions, it is best to follow the STAR method.
This method will give your answer a clear structure. For a good answer focus on the “A” (action) because this is where you will show that you possess that competency. Of course, do not neglect the other points as they are also necessary for a complete answer.
