As some readers may recall, I only made the one application for pupillage this year to a non-olpas set. The Chambers in question is very respected in its field and I was unsure whether or not I would be invited for an interview.
You can imagine my joy and surprise on Saturday when I found an e-mail from said chambers thanking me for my application and that could I attend an interview on Wednesday. Unfortunately I couldn't express my happiness fully at this point as I was in the Apple store in Cambridge, but it is possible that I may have performed a small jig very similar to this.
After spending a small fortune on Tuesday buying a very nice new suit and dropping into the careers centre at BPP for a quick chat, I arrived on Wednesday eager to impress and desperate to make a good impression. This of course was well hidden under a professional and calm exterior (or at least that was the plan).
I know that analysing interviews and worrying about them is as useless as doing the same with exams, however for the information and edification of readers here are my thoughts.
The advocacy exercise went okay, however I didn't feel as though my answers were particularly good. I held up well under the pressure but it didn't flow as well as I would have liked. The questions afterwards went very well with good strong answers that made reference to my work experience and achievements. I am unsure as to whether I will get a call back, I am hoping that the answers will make up for the slightly less impressive advocacy exercise and warrant another go.
I should find out next week sometime all being well. I am applying to another three non-olpas sets in the next couple of weeks, and if nothing else this has been a useful experience. Another plus is that I obviously have something of worth on my CV and hopefully should be able to replicate this success at the paper stage in the future.
I hope that all is well, and I hope that everyone else is looking forward to starting the BVC in just over a weeks time as much as I am.
Yours
BoB
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6 comments:
Well done on getting the interview. Did you buy anything nice at the Apple store? .... your interview thoughts sound a lot like mine after a interview I had earlier this year. I also felt that I had done pretty well in my answers but not so fab on the advocacy bit. I hope in your case, it wasn't picked up by the panel. Best of luck. Keep us posted.
Congrats! I'm taking a look at a few non-OLPAS sets, but... all the different forms. *le sigh*
My Dear BoB,
What wonderful news! Its a lovely feeling, isnt it, to know that there is a chambers out there sufficiently interested in you, and your endevours, to want to find out more about you and your capabilities through interview!
All this said, please bear in mind two things:
Firstly, this is your first attempt, and represents a steep learning curve. Conesquently, be Optimistic, but dont pin all of your hopes upon that interview; if you are successful, then this will be absolutely FANTASTIC; if not, then a degree of, well, mental cleanliness, as I call it is required, that bieng the ability to examine the scenario critically, take on any points raised in feedback, and move along ( unlike me, in floods of tears at every turn!)
Secondly, resist the temptation to anlayse your performance, for the moment; this is tantamount to slapping yourself over the head with a wet kipper - a pointless exercise that just makes you feel a bit smelly. You have the BVC coming up very soon, and you dont want too much standing in the way of success on that front!
All things said, though, I have all my fingers and toes crossed for you, that everything actually and in reality went Really well, if not BETTER than you believe it did and sincerely hope that you really will be first time lucky!
Great news, well done on getting that interview! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!!
Thanks for everyones kind words, I will be sure to let you all know either way.
Awesome news, just finishing off a bptc myself, looking forward to getting it over and done with. All the best though, hope things come back positive.
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