Be yourself – quirks and all
The Melbourne G+T process is one of the simpler clerkship applications. The entire application is centred around getting to know you, as opposed to assessing your suitability via assessments or psychometric testing. This is no coincidence; the application is centred around you because your character is the most important criteria and that is what you should take with you into your clerkship. The awkward faces you make in the video interview while realising you are the only one laughing at your own joke, or some debate you get into in your interview about which Disney movie is truly the greatest, are all quirks that got you your clerkship offer. Don’t lose your charm or passion on account of nerves.
Be genuine – you’ll exhaust yourself otherwise
I am sure if you are reading this guide as part of your preparation, you have undoubtably heard many times that it is crucial to have lots of coffees with lots of people. While I am not about to say that meeting people is not important, I can assure you that meeting the most people is not as important as you may have been led to believe. Organising time with people you are genuinely interested in learning more about is a fantastic way to build relationships. Whether it be to discuss their practice, matters they have worked on, their career journey or any other burning questions you might have for them, this is a great use of both your time and theirs. However, getting a coffee with everyone across the office to ask the same standard questions is unlikely to bear new fruits of wisdom. Instead, genuinely engage with people and be curious in your interactions – this will have the most substantial impact. Quality over quantity is a popular saying for a reason.
Don’t try ‘too’ hard – be enthusiastic (no one expects you to be an expert)
This next one is easier said than done but is important to keep in mind – don’t try “too” hard. It is very easy to be overwhelmed by the work. Try to keep front of mind that the clerkship process is for you to learn and get to know the firm, it is not a 3-4 week subject intensive with an exam at the end. You will have an entire support network to help you throughout your clerkship and I can confirm there is no test at the end. A few ways you can reduce your stress towards tasks is to be present when receiving instructions (ALWAYS take notes), ask where you should start with the task if it sounds foreign to you, give everything a go, and communicate openly about how you are progressing and if you need help.
Have fun, this could be your future workplace – you want to make sure you enjoy it
Most importantly have fun! It is easy to tell when someone is enjoying their time at the firm and that has the most significant impact on how people think you fit within the culture of the firm. Naturally humans reciprocate those around them, so if you take a good attitude with you to work so too will those around you and the memory you leave behind will be glowing!
My parting words
If you have managed to secure a clerkship at G +T (or at any firm for that matter) the hard work is truly over. The application process is the most stressful part of the clerkship process and now you can relax a little and enjoy the abundance of free food you are rewarded with as a clerk for making it this far!