How to optimise your Candidate Attorney application

General tips

The right attitude is important

• "Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." (Winston Churchill)
  
  
• "For success, attitude is equally as important as ability." (Walter Scott)
  
  
• "We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude." (Charles R. Swindoll)
  
  
• "If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude." (Colin Powell)

Begin your application process early

Don’t wait for the deadline to apply.

Finally, commit to your studies

At the best of times, a career in law is extremely demanding. It is thus crucial that prospective candidate attorneys find a firm that best suits their goals, needs and personality if they want to have the best prospect of succeeding.

In addition, graduates should put effort into their studies from the outset, and not rely on a miracle in the third or final year.

Competency in the theory of law is fundamental to the success of any potential graduate.

Tips for a good cover letter

It is good practice to include a covering letter with your application and CV unless the firm does not require one.

The importance of a good covering letter

• This is the first of your official documents that a recruiter sees. This is your opportunity to introduce yourself to a firm.
  
  
• The cover letter gives you the opportunity to do the following:
  
  
  • demonstrate your knowledge;
    
    
  • show your interest in the firm and the position you are applying for;
    
    
  • highlight why you are the suitable candidate.
    
    
• Recruiters may regard a covering letter as an expression of who you are, and they look for certain details in the covering letter as an indication of the type of qualities that you might have.

General tips for preparing a cover letter

• Your cover letter should show that you can write in a professional manner and should indicate to the firm exactly why your application should be considered.
  
  
• Your cover letter should just be the ticket to get an initial foot in the door and secure an interview – make the most of this opportunity!
  
  
• Ensure that you submit a letter with a professional look.
  
  
• Pay attention to detail when preparing this letter.
  
  
• Type your letter and ensure that it is correctly set out in letter format.
  
  
• Use a legible and conservative font.
  
  
• Address your letter to the correct firm.
  
  
• Keep your letter simple and sincere and try to adopt a tone that is appropriate for business communication. 
  
  
• Don’t use slang and colloquialisms.
  
  
• Your covering letter should not be presumptuous or pushy.
  
  
• Three or four paragraphs should be sufficient.
  
  
• Do spell and grammar check.

Remember, there is no standard cover letter. While you may look at examples, it is important that you draft a personalised cover letter.

Elements to include

At a general level, a cover letter typically includes the following elements. You should:

• Introduce yourself.
  
  
• Clarify which position you are applying for and your reason for applying.
  
  
• Explain your graduate status with reference to previous and current degrees.
  
  
• Explain your suitability for the position with reference to your strengths and skills relevant to the position.
  
  
• Highlight what makes you a suitable candidate for the job.

Tip: See an example cover letter in our student passport.

Tips for a good CV

The purpose of your CV

There are two main purposes that a CV serves:

• Firstly, it must provide certain basic information about you e.g. where you live, your race and gender, your academic qualifications, whether you have any work experience etc.
  
  
• Secondly, a CV is an opportunity to give a recruiter more information about your life experiences that have made you who you are and your achievements which you would wish the recruiter to know about as being a selling point for you.

Take care in preparing your CV – most people applying to the top firms will have good marks, so you need something else to make you stand out. Let your CV tell the firm about YOU as a person, i.e. your hobbies, any student jobs you may have done, committees you have served on, etc. All of this will assist the firm that you are applying to, to learn more about you (without even meeting you).

General tips for preparing a CV

• It is very important to ensure that the information is laid out neatly and in a logical order, free of spelling errors and typos and in an easy to read format.
  
  
• Make sure that your CV complies with the specific requirements that the recruiter might have.
  
  
• Use formal (no slang or abbreviations) and well-written language, writing simply and clearly.
  
  
• Do not try and cram too much information on one page and at the same time, do not try and bulk out your CV by using incredibly large fonts and placing limited amounts of information on a single page.

• Try to keep your CV short and concise. Include summaries of your employment history and education, rather than extensive details.

• If you have never prepared a CV before, or seen one, we suggest that you go online to search for a good example of a CV and do not try and make it up all on your own.

• Most importantly, be honest and sincere in how you present information in your CV.

To summarise

• Your CV should stand out from the mass generated product which firms receive.
  
  
• Get the basics right – ensure that your CV is comprehensive and that it covers the essential information as detailed below. It should be informative but concise.
  
  
• Presentation is key – pay attention to detail, spelling and grammar. It should be clearly laid out, logically ordered and easy to read.
  
  
• Ensure that your CV is up-to-date and that it covers any new skills or experience. It should be accurate.
  
  
• Target your CV. Make sure that you understand the job description/position you are applying for and that you tailor your CV to the best extent possible, to the particular role.
  
  
• Mention your skills, experience, previous responsibilities and interests. You should also mention any leadership positions and employability skills such as team work, planning, organising, reliability, motivation, persuading etc. This will make you stand out.
  
  
• Review your cover letter and CV before you submit your application.

There is no “one best way” to prepare a CV. It is important that you personalise the document and that you structure it in a way that you are comfortable with. 

A note on attachments

• When it comes to your school academic results and academic record, be sure to attach the documents to your CV, rather than listing your subjects and marks in the body of the CV.
  
  
• Never try to hide any academic failures or shortcomings. It is far better to be upfront about your academic history than to pretend it didn’t happen.
  
  
• Limit your attachments/annexures to documents specifically requested by the recruiter.
  
  
• It is not necessary to enclose documentary proof of every achievement you refer to in your CV.