Very corporate interview - messed up badly

[cringing100]

I am a trainee at a law firm about to qualify. Had an interview with a partner for a secondment to another department. Have changed a few details here but the long and short of it is as follows...

I was told the interview would be a “more formal chat” and given a day’s notice for it... Hence not completely prepared.

Some corkers from the day included me really not understanding what the partner was getting at. Using my degree (!) experience of essay writing as proof that the new role was aligned to my skill set - how basic can you get, I have further professional qualifications (new role focuses more on writing and challenging a thesis). Being asked why deals I had worked on during a seat in m&a went through/would have been attractive to their buyers - mind blank from me... Amongst many other things. I looked uneducated, showed little commercial awareness and completely flopped it.

The partner is giving me the opportunity to take a further test but I feel very much that this is following protocol. If I get the role, I will be working in a very small team and interacting with him daily. Feel utterly humiliated and don’t really want to see him again!! Any advice please?

I have a big chip on my shoulder that I lack commercial awareness. Many of my colleagues can speak with great fluency about the market, analyse companies etc seemingly on the fly and I cannot do this off the top of my head. How does one get to this stage?! I am an intelligent person but just don’t have enough exposure to this atm. Lapping up the guardian and the economist on the commute now but would appreciate further guidance!

Don’t worry, you sound like a bit of a perfectionist. No one expects trainees to get everything right. Don’t give up.