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Ideally, you should aim for 10 to 15 training contract and vacation scheme applications per year.
BUT…focusing on someone else’s ideal number of TC applications is the wrong way to think about it. The truth is there’s no magic number of applications to make. The real answer to the question is: it depends on your circumstances.
In my experience, different numbers of applications work for different people.
In this post, I will give you tips on deciding how many TC applications YOU should make. This will include how long you should spend on each application.
But first, let’s look at the problems with aiming for one ideal number.
Why focusing on an ideal number of applications is problematic
There are three main reasons this focus on a ‘one size fits all’ number causes candidates problems.
1. Applicants’ circumstances vary significantly
There are variables in circumstances that will influence how many applications one candidate should make versus another.
For example:
- Whether or not it’s their first application cycle
- How early in a particular cycle they started preparing for applications
- The time they have available (some are studying alongside part-time work, some work full-time, and others are graduates who focus solely on applications after their finals)
Each candidate will be able to complete a different number of applications.
2. Different applications require different amounts of time
One firm’s application form won’t necessarily take the same time as the next. There are lots of things that will affect the time you need to craft a strong application.
For example:
- Does it have similar questions to ones you’ve answered before so you can adapt previous work?
- Do they restrict the number of work experience entries or ask you to include everything you’ve ever done (including open days, workshops, etc)?
- Do they have a low or high word count limit for long-form questions and other sections?
- How many resources are available for your firm research? The more there are, the longer it will take you.
- Do you have to research a commercial or other topic for a particular question?
This is rarely considered when people advise one single number of applications to make.
3. Focusing on a number can lead to rejections
The risk of focusing so much on the number of applications is it can cause candidates to make mistakes that lead to rejections.
Common mistakes include:
- A lack of sufficient research
- Submitting generic applications – as content is recycled across applications
- Writing errors – due to a lack of time spent on writing and proofreading
So, let’s now look at how you can work out how many applications you should make.
Tips on deciding the optimum number of applications for YOU to make
Here are 5 tips on how to plan your applications to give you the best chance of success:
Tip 1: Review your time
We all have differing amounts of time available to us, but many of us rarely review exactly how much that is.
I recommend putting all of your regular weekly commitments into a calendar. Include whatever is relevant and important to you – for example:
- Study commitments
- Work hours
- Exercise
- Social and extra-curricular activities.
Until you do this review, you can’t plan your application work effectively.
Next, look at what time you have available on each day of the week. Add one-hour blocks into your calendar for your TC work. Most digital calendars let you repeat blocks weekly to make this easier.
You can then see how many hours you have available for your TC work each week.
And you will be able to see whether you need to remove any existing commitments to make more time for TC work.
Tip 2: Prioritise your firm shortlist
Once you’ve researched and come up with a longer list of firms you’re interested in, review that list and consider which you’re most interested in.
Order the list in order of interest to give you an ideal priority list. The good news is you don’t actually need to settle on a final number of applications to make – you might just set an initial target instead. Then, you can just start working through your priority list of applications one by one.
If you get to your target number and find you still have more time before deadlines, then apply to the next firm on your priority list – and so on.
At that stage, you’ll find you’re so well practised that the next application is quicker, and dare I say it easier, than the first applications.
Tip 3: Collate the firms’ deadlines for applications
Once you have your priority list, you will need to review it in light of the deadlines for each firm’s application.
You will need to re-order your priority list as some firms will have earlier deadlines or recruit on a rolling basis and so will need to be prioritised earlier.
A good tool for this is the Legal Cheek Deadlines Checker (but know that it only includes around 100 firms).
A more comprehensive resource for vacation scheme and training contract application deadlines can be found at Lawcareers.net.
Tip 4: Make an initial application writing plan
You should make a plan based on the time you have available and the number of firms you’re initially aiming to apply to.
This is where I’m often asked:
“How long should I spend on a training contract application?”
Until you start your applications, you won’t ever know how long each one will take you. You just need to go with your gut to start with. Some people take a couple of weeks on each application, others set aside a whole day to complete one.
You must be wary of following others’ advice based on how long each application took them (or should take you). Crucially, it won’t usually tell you about the candidate’s knowledge levels, which will impact how long an application will take.
For example:
- Knowledge of how to write effective applications
- Knowledge of themselves (experiences, skills, motivations)
- Knowledge of the firm they’re applying to (through prior research and interactions with the firm)
- Knowledge of the legal profession and the commercial world
These things are critical to writing an application.
Tip 5: Prioritise quality over speed and quantity
A much better question to ask than “How many TC applications should I make?” is:
How can I ensure I submit a high-quality application each time?
The answer to this won’t be to rush them so you can hit an arbitrary number you’ve been advised to make. It will be to develop a checklist of things you will need to ensure a high-quality application each time
This checklist should include:
- Research the firm thoroughly
- Seek to have conversations with current trainees
- Brainstorm ideas for each application question
- Develop an outline for each question
- Draft and edit your answers over several sessions
- Proofread carefully – and use other people and tools to proofread further before you submit
Having a solid process is a major key to success!
With all this said, there’s no avoiding the fact that the number of applications you make IS important.
There’s a huge bottleneck at the application stage. For some firms, your chance of getting through the application stage is lower than 10%. And there are fine margins between making it past this bottleneck or not.
Rarely do I work with clients with a high application success rate – everyone gets rejections.
So, you DO need to keep the probabilities in mind when applying. Just don’t blindly aim for a number you’ve not thoroughly considered and planned. The key is to start early, commit time to it and ensure consistent effort.
As I say regularly, consistency wins!
Unfortunately, most candidates find this out the hard way.
My recommendation
So, where does my recommendation of 10 to 15 applications come from?
In many ways, it’s meaningless as I don’t know your circumstances.
However, it’s a number I’ve seen to be achievable by my successful coaching clients who start early in a recruitment cycle. I also tend to see more of these candidates succeed than those candidates who submit only a few applications.
BUT…and it’s a big but…don’t let the number stress you out or make you submit lower-quality applications.
I see so many candidates do this and waste a cycle.
Then I see the same people get organised, plan the next cycle, comfortably submit 10+ applications and start to progress past the application bottleneck for the first time.
This whole process requires self-direction and management – and this will be a big part of how many good quality TC applications you manage to make.
Good luck! You’ve got this!!