Commercial Knowledge & Current Affairs

Get into the habit of reading the news daily, if only for a few minutes. You will soon build a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of that which is going on in the business areas relevant to the organisations to which you are applying. BBC Business News (online) provides a concise and straightforward account of current affairs. Helpfully, there are usually links at the bottom of articles to related articles and reading. Follow these to build a more comprehensive understanding of different topics. If the news story is one that has attracted widespread attention and/or debate, perhaps look for supplementary articles or journals exploring the wider issues surrounding the story (this is something I did when exploring articles on corporate tax avoidance for instance). Interviewers may want to see whether you can provide a balanced, critical opinion on the topic (including acknowledgement of the pros and cons where relevant). The Financial Times and the Economist (both in print and online) are also useful sources to consider.

Firm News

Even if you are not applying to or interviewing at a particular firm for a while, researching the firm in advance and keeping up to date with its deals and announcements could hold you in good stead if you are later required to discuss your motivation for wanting to work at the firm in depth.

Read the firm"s annual review, news stories on its website and general news articles that mention the firm (Google can be a great place to start). Perhaps subscribe to the newsletters of the firms to which you are applying. Read The Lawyer (law candidates), the Financial Times, the Economist or one of the many other sources that report on deals and general news involving firms. Some of these sources let you subscribe to free email digests that can help to keep you abreast of firm, industry and topical news. You might also want to follow organisations on Twitter and Facebook, as employers have been known to check to see if you have followed or liked them!