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Entering clerkship application season with a strong mindset

Mind over matter: how law students can build a positive and resilient mindset heading into the seasonal clerkship application process, writes Jimmy Ngo.

user iconJimmy Ngo • 04 June 2024 • Careers
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Penultimate-year law students: it’s that time of year again. In a few weeks’ time, applications for seasonal clerkships will be opening across the country. Thousands of law students will be vying for a limited number of summer clerkship positions at large commercial law firms.

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There are plenty of resources out there on how to craft a great résumé and cover letter, how to ace those interviews, or how to impress at those cocktail evenings.

However, something that you may be overlooking is optimising your state of mind.

As someone who has gone through the clerkship application process and is now a few years into their legal career, here are some things that I propose you could consider for your mindset heading into and during the process:

  1. A mindset to put your best foot forward
As the fictional character Harvey Specter from Suits says, “First impressions last. You start behind the eight ball; you’ll never get in front.” In the case of your clerkship application, the firm’s first impression will be their impression of your cover letter, résumé and the rest of your written application.

So, really sell yourself in your written application (within reason, of course). While you’re writing and reviewing your cover letters, don’t downplay yourself and your achievements, and feel proud of what you’ve accomplished to date. Try to avoid comparing yourself with your peers, and believe that you have unique strengths and a lot to offer as a candidate.

It all starts with intent, and your intent should be to make yourself shine in your written application. If you downplay your achievements mentally, then it’ll come off the page accordingly, and you might find yourself starting behind the eight ball.

For more tips on writing clerkship applications, I would suggest listening to this Protégé podcast episode.

  1. A mindset for performing under pressure
For those students who manage to land themselves an interview or two (or eight), the unfortunate reality is that your performance on the day of the interview, as compared to the performance of other candidates, could be the difference between a clerkship offer and being unsuccessful. I certainly remember receiving some post-interview feedback that the recruitment team felt that other candidates performed better on the day. This means that you’re hoping to perform at your best and to be your most confident self (and hopefully, not be a rambling nervous wreck).

In sports, people use phrases such as “clutch” and “choking” to describe the performance of athletes in high-pressure moments. There are plenty of online resources about the psychology of clutch performers.

So, consider whether you have unwavering confidence and belief as opposed to self-doubt or a fear of failure. Do you think to yourself, “I’ve got this” as opposed to “what if I screw up” (or the instructional version, being “don’t screw up”) before an interview?

If you’re the type of person who feels pressure for interviews (like law student Jimmy was), think about what things (e.g. routines and rituals before the occasion) will put you in the right mindset to execute at your very best and be “clutch” when it matters. Like any high-performing athlete who consistently trains before the day of an event, it, of course, helps to do your preparation and to practise before the day of an interview (check out this article for more on clerkship interviews).

  1. A mindset of having the confidence to overcome undesirable outcomes
Most importantly, always remember that rejection or failure is never final. Check out this article on why clerkships are not the “be-all and end-all”.

Lionel Messi faced the disappointment of losing the 2014 FIFA World Cup final before going on to reach and ultimately win the 2022 FIFA World Cup final. Many law students before you (myself included) have faced the disappointment of not getting a seasonal clerkship offer before going on to forge their own path into the legal profession or another field of endeavour.

I recall one HR representative politely giving me some constructive post-interview feedback on why I didn’t demonstrate the “qualities of a graduate lawyer” at their firm. As it turned out, I was meant to be a graduate lawyer elsewhere, and the rest is history.

Don’t subject yourself and your mind to unnecessary (and possibly insurmountable) pressure by thinking that this process is somehow “make or break” for your legal career (because it isn’t). Yes, seasonal clerkships are great opportunities. However, if your aspirations lie in commercial law, a seasonal clerkship is simply only one of many possible pathways for a career in commercial law.

So, clerk candidates of 2024, go into the clerkship application process with the confidence of knowing that no matter what the outcome may be, a rewarding and fulfilling career awaits you as long as you keep forging ahead.

Best of luck to all of you in the coming months.

Jimmy Ngo is an in-house lawyer who is passionate about mentoring law students. He is the founder of Aus Legal Careers Advance and occasionally posts on LinkedIn about the career-related challenges commonly faced by law students.

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