u/Glad_Ambassador372

Hey guys.

A little bit about me. I’m 27, have a L.L.B and L.L.M from Trinity college Dublin ( I am aware this forum is UKlaw but I’m applying to British firms/international) Work wise, I have about one year experience in a small firm as a paralegal, and about 3 years in retail. For the rest of my time, I travelled solo around the world to 30 countries, volunteered in some of these places, and in my free time, I’m studying new language at a local college. In my uni days, I volunteered, I joined mooting competitions, and some negotiation ones. I am also Eastern European and have a very strong accent.

This is my first ever cycle and I’ve gotten far with many firms- DLA PIPER AC, Dac Beachcroft AC, Addleshaw Goddard AC, and some top firms in Ireland. However, from all these firms, I’ve gotten one single feedback from DLA: “ you need to be more succinct, you need to use different examples to show off your competencies, and you need to have a better structure for your interview and case study presentation”. I took that feedback on, used one different example for every competency. I polished my STAR, focusing mostly on my actions. ( my answer would be roughly 1:30 mins long). I’m now awaiting feedback from DACB.

However, no matter what I do and how much I try to improve, I keep getting rejected. I paid countless £ for coaches, mock interviews, etc, just for them to tell me that it’s all about luck and that I am intelligent but I just need to work on my structure, so I did.

I’m absolutely floored having received another rejection two days ago. Having to go through the app, video interview, critical thinking test, and whatever stage, and then to the AC, the last stage, just to fail it. And honestly, I don’t think I can take more of these rejections. I wonder if it’s because of my strong Eastern European accent, should I stop telling them I moved to X from Y at a young age of 15? ( I often use this for “ face a challenge” competency) or is it simply just because it’s competitive? I feel even embarrassing reapplying again. I feel like I’m desperate.

For the record, I am extremely anxious but I’ve managed to let that go in interviews! And while it’s formal, it’s also a chat. But I just can’t seem to connect on a personal level with the interviewers. And when I did in DLA, they told me that I was unstructured and too chatty. So I just fail to understand what these firms want. I started to suffer with insomnia, just racing thoughts thinking I’ll never make it and I just don’t think it’s worth my time trying again. I do have a deadline of 5 years to find a TC, well we know that huge firms hire years in advance.. so realistically only about 2 years or so

My question is. What do I do? Do I give up on my dream and hurt my ego, do I give up on the dream of joining a big international firm? Do I just join a small corporate/ commercial based firm of 10-15 people? Will this hurt me in the long run? Sure I can wait, but nothing is assured that I’ll get a TC with big firms on my second cycle, or third cycle. Or fourth cycle.

I just don’t know what to do :( I’m feeling so down and I just don’t think this is worth my mental health.

If you have any advice, I appreciate you all reading. Thank you.

Hi, seriously think about leaving law altogether. I think there has to be something wrong with me. I interviewed since October 2025 with every firm under the sun, went to 3 assessment centres- Addleshaw Goddard TC , DLA Piper( internship, tc for 2028 so I kind of understand why I didn’t get it, they wanted students), Dentons TC, Byrne Wallace Shields etc. My background is my Bachelors and LLLM at TCD.

The process for international firms is horrendeous. It’s hard. It lasts for months. You have the app, voice interview, video interview, Watson Glaser, and then like a 9 hour day Assessment centre, consisting of 3/4 stages. It’s definitely hard but, I’ve had no luck with Irish firms either- eg BWS.

I do understand I’m really lucky enough to receive interviews. And I’m grateful. And if anyone wants tips in regards to that, I’m able to help you out, just send me a DM. ( I do seem to be better with apps than face to face interviews, but def don’t think that’s a benefit)

So since I receive interviews from many firms and have no problem securing TC interviews, I just don’t understand what I do wrong when I’m interviewing. I paid countless coaches for interviews, I spent a fortune. They told me it’s all about luck. I changed my interview approach a million times, I perfected it. I’m still not getting past the interview stage. I might make it to second round but that’s about it.

I’m really sick and tired and all I hear is “ you’re just not good enough” from family and friends. Or from HR “ oh you were good but there was someone better”. I’m thinking to leave law altogether, I don’t feel like I’m able to find a TC due to a “ barrier” I have when I interview. I’m not too robotic, I am chatty, smiley, I don’t talk over interviewers. The only feedback I ever got was to “ use different examples during STAR competency”. I changed that, and still didn’t get the next interview. Other firms don’t give feedback. I am so sick, depressed, and tired. I’m 27 and I feel like my life is ending. What’s wrong with me? I have all my exams done.

The only thing right now that keeps me going is the fact that I have finished all my FE1s. I feel like I can’t let all that work go to waste. I was lucky enough not to fail these, but I recognise how HARD they were. For everyone and for me as well, they’re probably the hardest exams I ever had to do in my life. But still, I just don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel- will I get a TC, or is it all for nothing- will my exams expire? Have I worked so hard, just for a piece of paper to expire? Is this POTENTIAL career worth the fact that I am losing sleep over constant rejections, I’m depressed, and I’m not the same person that I used to be.

It’s also lowkey embarrassing to keep applying to firms again. DLA told me I should try next year again. Like seriously. They’re probably laughing at me, and I feel desperate even reapplying a million times after failing once. And then you have the odd 19 year old student with no FE1s done, that gets a TC over you. I do believe they deserve it, but what are they doing that I’m not doing? 😭

Also, I know it’s hard for everyone! I’m not denying that! I just feel that, after having 4-5 different interviews with different firms, I should have been able to secure at least one of them. I feel like I’m getting all these chances while people would cry out for a chance, and somehow, I’m still not good enough for the firm.

A million thoughts are going through my head- is it because I’m turning 28, am I old in their eyes? Is it because I have a strange Eastern European accent? Obviously not. ( it’s just thoughts going in my head, which are not true). But you can understand how I feel when I’m trying so hard and seek for feedback and I don’t even get it. From 6 firms, one provided feedback. One. It’s extremely hard to improve when you have no feedback.

If you reached the end of this post, thanks. I hope it does reach students in the same boat and remember, you are not alone. I wrote this as I really feel lonely out there, but I know there are a lot of us in the same boat. Altogether, firms need to do better, and do the LEAST to provide feedback. Maybe a lot of us wouldn’t feel like there’s something wrong with us, if they could give us a decent feedback.

Also, if anyone has any advice. Please feel free to reach out. I’d be happy to chat and rant over this. 😊

Thanks all.