The Training Contract Interview: Building Confidence and Making a Great Impression

Mar 23, 2023

Written By Nandini Jadeja

The training contract interview is usually the very last stage in an application process.Competition for spaces on a training contract is fierce, so getting to interview means you already have qualities and experience that the firm is interested in, and you just need to put these into practice during the interview. Read on to find out how you can channel any nerves into building confidence and making a great first impression.

Building confidence before the interview

Be prepared…but not too prepared

A few good things to know about a firm include:

- The firm’s practice area/specialisms and maybe how highly it ranks in these areas

- The firm’s office locations (these are usually found on the firm’s website)

- If there are any particular elements of the firm, you are interested in (outside of their practice areas/industry specialisms). These can include: diversity and inclusion schemes or groups, pro bono involvement, international/client secondment and other trainee opportunities. You may even want to look ahead and think about associate opportunities

- Recent deals that the firm has taken part in that you might be interested in. Choose deals that you enjoyed reading about and can talk about confidently in the interview. It’s also worth doing some extra research around why that deal is important/what it entailed

However, don’t memorise your answers. This comes across as robotic and unnatural, and it does not help with your confidence if you spend the interview trying to remember what you wrote previously. Instead, jot down some bullet points for questions you anticipate, and scan over those pre-interview.

Know the dress code

The clothing you wear can make a big difference to how you feel, so know the dress code and plan what you will wear. In the vast majority of cases, the dress code will be business smart, and if your interview invitation contains no dress code, it is best to dress as smart as possible.

Know what you need to bring

Sometimes interviewers will require proof of eligibility to work in the UK, GCSE or A-level transcripts (or equivalent) or other documentation. If they want hard copies of these, make sure you have these ready in advance. It will be one less thing for you to worry about on the day of the interview, and will help you come across as organised. The last thing you want to do is to not deliver on something they have asked for before the interview has even started!

Get in the mindset and mentally prepare

Part of interview preparation is getting yourself in the right place mentally to deliver. Things like yoga and meditation can help you prepare, but if this isn’t for you, getting in the right mindset can include things like talking to family and friends, or listening to your favourite music. You should also ensure you get plenty of rest ahead of your interview, as this will help you make the best impression on the day!

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Tips for confidence during the interview

Body Language

People are often told about how important body language is to the interviewer and your general impression, but did you know that your body language can change the way you feel too? Sitting upright and using your hands to accompany your responses to a question can make you feel more confident and in control.

Studies have also shown that ‘power poses’ immediately before a stressful situation can change how you feel. In 2012, psychologist Amy Cuddy revealed her research on the ‘triumphant pose’, which involves standing with your feet apart and raising your hands above your head in fists. Doing such power poses on the day of an interview for just 2 minutes can decrease levels of your stress hormone, cortisol, by 25% according to Cuddy’s study.

Active Listening

Listen carefully to what the interviewer is asking you and take your time to answer. This can even include asking your interviewers if it is okay to take a minute to think through the question. Not only does this give you time to think, but it also shows that you are confident and keen to think carefully through your answer, in order to say something smart.

Speaking slowly

Speak slowly and try to make eye contact with your interviewer (s). As well as taking your time to answer, speaking slowly and breaking down your response by opening with ‘There are a few different ways you could interpret this’ or ‘I’ll go through the three main reasons for this’ can make you feel more confident by giving you a direction for your answers.

If you are being interviewed by multiple interviewers, don’t focus on making eye contact with just one, start at the interviewer on the left and make eye contact with each interviewer throughout your answer.

Staying confident after the interview

Feeling nervous and anticipating the result is completely normal post Assessment Centre or interview. Some ways to counter this include:

- Organising an activity with family or friends to distract yourself immediately after the interview.

- If you find yourself checking emails constantly, leave your phone in another room when working and/or set limits to when you check your emails.

- Focusing on your next interview or assessment centre. Don’t let anticipation distract you from preparing to the best of your ability for the next interview.

So, being confident and building a great impression starts before the interview and continues right through it. As long as you prepare well, are in the right mindset and use things such as power poses, pauses and speaking slowly, you should be in the best position to finish the interview feeling confident. Good luck!

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