How to get on the good side of your supervisors during your internship/vacation scheme

We have all heard horror stories from people who have completed internships and vacation schemes where they found themselves on the wrong side of their supervisor. Supervisors at law firms wield the power to make or break your vacation scheme (as well as your experience at the firm), and it is really important that you get on well with him or her. To nobody’s surprise, most of these people did not manage to secure a training contract at the firm.

In the paragraphs below, we will detail our key tips on how to get on the good side (or at least not end up on the wrong side) of your supervisor.

1. Communicate

One of the most important, if not the most important, skills that we look for in our prospects is the ability to communicate, both internally between colleagues, and externally with clients. Therefore, it is very important for you to communicate frequently with your supervisor to update him or her on what you have been up to during the scheme, what your capacity is like, etc. Being able to communicate effectively with your supervisor (as well as anyone in your team) is also an essential component of teamwork, which international law firms greatly value. Trust us on this one, your supervisors will really appreciate it and they will be able to see that you are a great person to work with!

2. Be polite and friendly

This sounds obvious, but having been supervisors ourselves, we can tell you this is not always the case with vacation scheme students. Your vacation scheme is a prolonged job interview and you will be judged from the very first moment you set foot at the firm, to the very last day of your vacation scheme or internship. What law firms are looking for is someone who is pleasant to work with - afterall, you are going to be spending a lot of time together if you were to get the job. Moreover, if you are impolite with your colleagues, one can only imagine how you will behave when you are dealing with clients. Getting this wrong will pretty much automatically guarantee that your supervisor dislikes you.

So... how can you get this right?

We would stress that simple manners can go a long way. This is not only relevant for your in-person interactions with your supervisor (and other colleagues) - this, too, is relevant for your written communication. When you are drafting your emails (or any form of written communication), always consider how it might sound from the perspective of the recipient. If there is any chance your email sounds rude, consider amending your email so that your tone and diction are softer.

Next, display positive body language and smile (where appropriate - not when people are announcing bad news!). The more you smile when you are interacting with your colleagues (including your supervisor), the more positive your body language will become, and the more likely you will be viewed favourably by your colleagues. Human beings are innately drawn to those who exhibit positive body language. Moreover, research has shown that when you are exhibiting positive body language, the people you are interacting with are also likely to reciprocate. If your supervisor reciprocates your positive body language, that is certainly a promising sign.

Whilst positive body language will not be a major factor when it comes to law firms’ graduate recruitment decisions, it can really be something that differentiates you from your competition. Let’s put it this way - if a law firm has two candidates who are equally capable competing for one training contract, the person who has a more pleasant personality will get the job 99 times out of 100.

3. Be sincere and genuine

Notwithstanding the point we have just made on positive body language, do not go over the top or be fake about it: you do not need to be smiling from ear to ear every single second when you are at the firm! What we want is someone who is genuine and sincere in the way they handle themselves. Supervisors at international law firms have dealt with many student interns, and it is usually very easy to spot someone who is not being genuine. That is not to say that you should not be on your best behaviour, but there is a big difference between showing your best self and being someone who you are not.

4. Be humble

Having been through the rigorous selection process to secure a vacation scheme, many vac schemers feel proud of how far they have come. We would certainly agree that it is an achievement that is worthy of pride and celebration. Occasionally, however, some students will take their placements in vacation schemes as confirmation that they are superior to others, and will wear it like a badge of honour (No - we’re not kidding). Alternatively, some students are know-it-alls who are overly eager to demonstrate how much they know about everything. Don’t be either of these if you want your supervisor to like you.

Here is our word of advice: remember that you are at the very beginning of your legal career. Even if you are from a top law school, with top grades, with extensive experience interning at different law firms, there is still so much you do not know about the legal practice. For qualified lawyers like ourselves, most of us are acutely aware of how little we know, how every day is an opportunity to learn more about the practice we are in, and how we can always better ourselves as solicitors. Indeed, many partners tell us that they are still learning new things every day.

Moral of the story? Being a lawyer is a life-long learning process and there is always room for improvement. So be humble, be open-minded, and be enthusiastic about your own learning and development. As a wise man once said… stay hungry, stay foolish. We would 100% agree with that.

5. Be there when you are required, don’t be there when you are not

Many students subscribe to the false belief that face time is tantamount to success. We are here to tell you that it is not. Our previous post on face time has already dealt with this point in detail. In short, if you need to be at the office late to finish time-sensitive work, or if you have been asked specifically by your supervisor to help out at night, then by all means stay. If, on the other hand, you are just sitting around until 10pm to appear hardworking, then that will not be advisable as your supervisor will likely feel the pressure to “baby-sit” you, which would likely annoy them and add to their workload. Read the room!

6. Don’t take things personally

Finally, do not take things personally if you do not get on particularly well with your supervisor. It happens and is not necessarily a reflection of your level of ability. It also does not mean that you will definitely not get the job.

Most of the time it all boils down to luck - if you have the misfortune of joining the firm when your supervisor is going through a very stressful period, he or she may find it difficult to put in a lot of effort in building a rapport with you. You may think that the supervisor does not like you or that you are getting the cold shoulder, where in fact it may not have anything to do with you at all.

If you have been given negative feedback from your supervisor, do not panic. Thank your supervisor for taking the time to provide feedback, even if you don’t really agree with his or her comments. Take in any constructive feedback and improve on your next task. Most importantly, do not be defensive and try to argue with your supervisor (see our previous point on being humble - this is a prime example of that)!

If you do not know how to approach your supervisor, or are having a difficult time building a connection with your supervisor, do not despair - we are here to help. DM us to book our vacation scheme first aid service, where we will provide objective analysis and advise you on what you can do to improve your situation. Get in touch now!