What is the best team you worked in, what made it such a good team?
FCL’s team of Research Assistants.
Context - worked in smaller groups to design presentations but often worked in larger groups where there was overlaps.
Why? - Communication and Diversity of Thought
Communication - we had robust channels of communication (WhatsApp, recurring meetings, ad hoc calls). Meant we were readily accessible to discuss ideas and created a really collaborative and cohesive working environment.
Diversity of thought - different backgrounds meant we all had different and creative ideas to execute the project.
When have you failed?
C - Final year at uni didn’t pass Travers final interview.
A - Quickly shifted mindset, viewed experience as a learning opportunity and requested detailed feedback on my perfect during scheme and in interview.
Whilst trainees and associates described me as possessing the core tenets of a trainee: enthusiasm, curiosity and business acumen, I struggled with confidence in the interview.
Took steps to bolster my confidence in future interviews. W&C, FlexLegal, Hogan Lovells and Jones Day.
Also made it a habit to approach customers and spark conversations as a retail assistant.
R - Instilled in me the confidence that I have the aptitudes necessary to excel in this field.
Also been able to develop resilience to bounce back from failures.
R - such a mindset will be of the utmost importance as a trainee given I will be handling demanding workloads so I will be able to remain positive in the face of this.
Tell us about a time you had to deal with a difficult customer.
S - Month into role at H&B when a customer wanted B vitamins and had picked up the wrong product.
T - Had to balance two overarching aims in finding a solution - maintaining low shrink and leaving customer satisfied.
A - Remained calm, apologised, carefully explained the hat she had picked up and offered to apply a 10% discount.
Also, reorganised B Vitamins to prevent further confusion.
R - Customer left satisfied, returning customer, prevented further instances of shrink.
R - Able to find solutions quickly to diffuse a situation, can deal with people
Tell us about a project you successfully completed and what role you played in it.
S - FCL Summer Commercial Awareness Academy.
T - Tasked with creating a 2 hour lecture on equity financing.
A - Split tasks with my partner based on our perceived strengths. I focused on research and writing.
R - Enabled me to sharpen my research skills to be able to extract large amounts of info and articulate it in a concise yet engaging and understandable manner.
Describe a time you demonstrated strong leadership skills.
S - Second year at uni was Deputy Director of LWOB.
T - Led a high-performance team of six legal researchers, regularly assigned tasks and reviewed submitted work.
A - Did three things to motivate them: 1) regular meetings; 2) constructive feedback; 3) got them to contribute ideas for the execution of the project.
R - Worked well together, submitted all work on time and to an exceptional standard and we have remained in touch.
R - Shows that I can capable of delegating and creating strong relationships.
Give an example of a time when you had to work under pressure and how you managed it.
S - W&C given presentation task two days late.
T - Had to find a way to deliver on my commitments on time and to a good standard.
A - Delegated roles for presentation task with partner, communicated my capacity and reorganised my schedule.
R - Delivered on my tasks on time and to a high standard, presented a well-polished presentation
R - Able to work well under pressure, good at being flexible and can adapt well.
Give an example of when you used your problem solving skills to overcome a challenge.
S - Working at H&B our RFL numbers were below target of 60%
T - As a team, we had to come up with solutions to address this issue.
A - I took a mental note of the types of customer who didn’t use RFL
When covering for a store, I asked staff how their numbers were so high.
Concluded that our town was touristy but also we weren’t making clear the incentives of using RFL compared to other stores.
R - As a result of implemented changes, we now consistently meet RFL target.
Give an example of a time when you were creative in solving a problem.
S - H&B one customer unsure what CBD product to purchase, close to leaving shop without sale.
T - Had to quickly think of a way to entice customer to purchase and be satisfied with purchase.
A - Carefully explained the different strengths and answered all questions. More importantly, I took the store’s tablet to show him customer reviews.
R - Purchased CBD product and now is a returning customer.
R - Can think quickly on my feet.
Tell us about a time you had to adapt to a new situation or learn a skill quickly.
S - Worked in Egypt for just under a year whilst studying for A-Levels.
T - Had to adapt to a different business climate.
A - Asked many questions, observed my employer and tried to imitate his approach, whilst developing my own.
R - Was able to adapt quickly to deliver outstanding service in Arabic.
R - Shows I can adapt but also learn quickly by osmosis.
Describe a team you worked in.
S - First year at university legal researcher at LWOB during lockdown with 5 international students residing abroad.
T - We were tasked with creating educational memos on wildlife crime in Namibia, however I had to find a way to work together despite the time zone differences.
A - implemented three solutions: 1) created a WhatsApp GC; 2) set up a Google Docs; 3) stayed up later than usual or woke up earlier to attend team meetings.
R - As a result, we consistently remained on track, worked well together and submitted excellent pieces of work on time.
R - Shows that I can make commitments to a team to ensure we reach common goals.
Tell us about a time you had to communicate complex information to a non-expert audience.
S - WD
T - Had to write an easy to follow piece on SPACs.
A - 3 things: 1) ensure I fully understood the topic; 2) avoid jargon, when used employ examples; 3) follow a clear structure using short sentences.
R - Chosen for publication and good feedback on social media
R - I apply it to everything
What will make you a good trainee?
- Resilience - will be able to manage demanding workloads
- Interpersonal skills - will be able to connect with a range of individuals and strive in team settings
- Business acumen - motivate me to read around matters being worked on and monitor trends relevant to clients and workloads
What is your biggest weakness?
Speaking in front of large crowds.
But having identified, taken steps to improve my confidence.
What is your biggest strength?
Interpersonal skills.
First, I have always been told by team members that I am an easy person to work with, which makes projects or tasks easier to complete.
Secondly, I am adaptable and flexible, meaning I can easily jump into any role within a team. This makes sharing workload with members more manageable and ensures collaborating is streamlined. For instance, at FCL, I fulfilled many roles when necessary. I began my role as a researcher making notes but then when I was needed on another presentation I became a writer.
Lastly, I always strive to cultivate meaningful relationships with team members and colleagues. I make it a habit to ask team members about their interests, background, etc. As a result, I can work well with people of all backgrounds as I always find common ground or talking points.
What is your greatest achievement?
S - BIUCAC
A - Start of journey, was not as commercially aware due to background but embarked on a proactive path of self-improvement.
T - Sought out experiences that encouraged me to grasp the complexities of the business world. FCL, Watson’s Daily and CAP director.
R - Became more commercially aware. BIUCAC gave me the platform to showcase my aptitude for navigating complex business scenarios with sound commercial reasoning.
R - Exemplifies how perseverance can overcome obstacles. Intend to apply this same attitude to career at FF
Tell me about a time you made a mistake and how did you deal with it?
S - Whilst working as painter, I was close to completing ceiling but accidentally scratched it with a ladder.
T - Had to amend this error.
A - Stopped painting as soon as possible and placed all equipment and tools down. Raised it to my supervisor, with solutions. I also owned up to my mistake and apologised.
R - Supervisor, whilst frustrated, appreciated my honesty and went with my solution to wait for the paint to dry before applying another coat around the area.
R - Had I left black mark, more time might’ve been lost. Likewise, appreciate that as a trainee I will make mistakes - it’s a part of the learning process - but I should always raise this as soon as possible.
Tell us about a time you had to convince someone about your point of view.
What do you do in your spare time?
Tell us about a time you had to convince someone to achieve a better outcome.
Tell us about a time you went above and beyond.
How would you make friends and connections when you join the firm?
Throwing myself out there and talking to everyone - to find out about there cultures
Tell us about a time you had a goal but faced considerable obstacles.
