Articles From the Team
The technical test at interview – What it takes to Pass!
The technical test at interview – What it takes to Pass!
I specialise in insurance and personal injury recruitment across the Midlands, South West, Home Counties and across some parts of Hampshire and represent candidates in securing their next career move, be it in clinical negligence, professional negligence, property damage, costs or defendant/claimant personal injury. It is well known that when interviewing their comes a lengthy and sometimes gruelling interview process which really puts candidates through their paces. As leading market experts and with well established links with leading clinical negligence, defendant personal injury or professional indemnity firms we have the added benefit of worthwhile tips on what the recruiting partners are looking for when they are interviewing candidates.
Most candidates will always fare well in a face to face interview as they know what to expect, partners will talk through the candidates CV, their experience and of course ask some competency type questions. However where it can fall apart is where a candidate is tasked with undertaking a 45 minute technical test. This for many lawyers is immediately off putting as they have spent years studying to qualify and can’t see the point of doing a test, which as a qualified solicitor myself can empathise with.
However, what candidates sometimes don’t often realise is that a technical test is not designed to assess one’s knowledge as of course these tests are pitched at all levels of experience. Therefore a newly qualified claimant clinical negligence solicitor interviewing for a defendant clinical negligence role would not have the same understanding as say a 5 PQE solicitor. The purpose of the test is to assess a candidate’s approach, strategy and thought process.
The format a technical test usually takes is a candidate would be given a bundle of documents to look through, which can be quite weighty in terms of information, and not much time to do it properly. However within this short period of time a candidate has to demonstrate the aptitude for analysing information quickly and getting to the root of the problem with as little faffing as possible! If you can do this you will overcome the hurdle of the technical test. Candidates can win half the battle with their prowess however the other half of the battle is won by understanding its not about getting the test 100% correct but actually their approach to solving the problem . If you are a newly qualified solicitor or an experienced solicitor looking to make your next career into defendant clinical negligence, defendant personal injury, costs, professional indemnity or property damage role please contact BCL Legal or call 0161 819 7475.