Applications

Having spent the past few weeks being as creative and innovative as possible, thinking of clever and evaluative answers, today, I received my first grad scheme rejection letter.  Whilst Leo Burnett apparently "enjoyed very much reading my form" - as I'm sure they did with everyone else, It seems I wasn't quite quirky and out there enough to warrant an interview.

  

Whilst right now I'm a bit miffed, as I thought that was probably my best application of the bunch, I can't help but feel that I should have expected the familiar pangs of application dissapointment that I got hit with after my law appliactions.  I remember the feeling of mild optimism at the fact that I'd tried really hard with each application and couldn't have done it better, whilst knowing it was a super-long shot of getting anywhere with these applications, the companies being inundated by amazingly clever, friendly yet sociable people that in their spare time managed to save a Third World Country.  

In my opinion, the hardest thing to do is to get that foot in the door.  Even if you have to cut it off and throw it in over the top of the Oxbridge favourites waiting politely to be pleaded to work for these places (not that I'm bitter at all), if you can show people who you are and what you've got, you're in with a shout.  

At my legal work experience over the summer I witnessed this first hand when, after twisting someone's arm at Royal Mail Legal dept., I managed to wrangle a brief stint at top law firm Olswang LLP (which was awesome btw), a place that I never would have gotten close to if I'd applied there.  After just two days there, I was being offered application help both with them, and with people and friends they had at other firms that had previously turned me down flat.  Whilst in my head I though "awesome!" my heart sank at the fact that I was becoming one of the people I'd previously envied.  That being said, with the strength of competition nowadays, its an opportunity you just can't turn down, leading me to what I believe to be the key to application success...networking.  

If you can name drop or be remembered by any employees by doing anything possible -  I even gave a Partner £40 for his charity cycle ride, do it, as in my opinion unless you have the letters "Oxf" or "Cam" at the beginning of the box where it says "what University do you attend?" You're starting off with a handicap and need something to level the playing field.

So, my advice with regards to applications is try not to get disheartened if it doesn't happen, as you probably aren't a bad candidate, nor not appropriate for the organisation, just be brave enough to go to events, speak to people, steal their card and call them if you have to, but just get your face out there!