Navigating Video Interviews for Training Contracts: A Guide for Nervous Applicants

Apr 19, 2023

Written By Alyssa Gibbons

It’s understandable to be nervous at the prospect of undertaking a video interview as part of the training contract application process. Whether you’ve got your first video interview coming up or you’ve done many and are looking to up your game, it’s always worth brushing up your approach to ensure questions don’t take you by surprise and that you remain calm and collected.

Get comfortable in front of the camera

Even in our digital world, speaking to a camera doesn’t come easy to many of us. Thankfully, there are some techniques for making you feel camera ready, helping to keep the nerves at bay when answering the questions that are put to you.

You could start by challenging yourself to speak for a minute on a topic that you’re knowledgeable and passionate about, to build your confidence. Get used to looking directly into the camera, rather than at yourself or your interviewers. Although it may seem awkward, try recording yourself to see how you come across in a video interview.

Although it seems cliché, be yourself - don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through as it will help you to stand out. Law firms have read your application form, and have invited you to the video interview stage because they see that you have the experience and skills that would be required for a trainee solicitor. You’ve earned your interview place, don’t forget that!

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Keep it simple

When trying to impress in a training contract video interview, it makes sense to want to pack as much as you can into your answer, or to simply feel overwhelmed by the amount of content you could potentially include in your response. It’s much better to expand on fewer points than trying to mention everything you can think of.

If you’re taking a pre-recorded interview, you’ll get some time to plan out your answer. Try planning out two or three points for each answer, expanding upon each. In a live interview, you won’t have the same amount of time to plan out your answers, but don’t be afraid to pause before you launch into your answer.

If you’re not sure where to start in terms of preparing for your video interview, this guide is a useful place to start, and this article has some great suggestions for some of the questions that you may be asked. Many people find that the more prepared they are, the less nervous they feel.

Make the most of feedback

While it’s upsetting to be unsuccessful in an application process, getting feedback on a live video interview from your interviewers is an excellent opportunity to find out what you can do to improve. Sometimes, the feedback you get can reassure you when they share what you did well, and provide other pointers to work on for next time.

If there’s anything that you’re unsure about, graduate recruitment will answer your questions during your feedback call. Many successful training contract applicants have been able to apply their feedback from unsuccessful applications to secure their training contract offer, so feedback could be the key to approaching your next video interview with confidence.

Sometimes the law firm won’t provide feedback, due to the large number of applications they receive. If this is the case for you, try to reflect on how the interview went, what you did well on and what you can improve on for next time.

Add some self-care

The training contract application process can be a tough one, so it’s important to take steps that not only put nerves at bay when you’re taking part in video interviews, but allow you to fully rest before facing your next challenge.

Whether that means blasting feel-good, empowering tunes before you get started, having a lucky charm with you, or taking a walk outside to clear your mind, small wellness initiatives can give you the strength to reach your potential, when you combine them with the other tips that we’ve mentioned.

Things to remember

Finally, it’s still important to bear in mind that, even if you don’t perform as well as you had hoped in a video interview, you should still be proud of yourself. Like many other things you’ll encounter in other areas of your life, improvement is a process and it will take some practice before you get a result that you’re really proud of.

Video interviews are not only testing the answers that you give, but how you react to being under pressure. If you’ve found a particular video interview tough, chances are, other applicants feel the same. Some of the points in this guide could be just what you need to approach these video interviews with confidence.

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