2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

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cmaj

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  • Sep 18, 2019
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    Rejection from Bird & Bird post-VI, this is gonna be my 'the one' rejection that people refer to everyone getting so gonna hurt.. but guess onto bigger and better!

    On plus note, at least they're finally getting back to people - good luck everyone :)

    *Completed VI mid-nov and was for spring vac*

    Yes me too! Don't let it get to you though. Have a self-care night and pick yourself back up for tomorrow. This is my third year of applications and in my first, I got to three assessments centres that I truly felt were the firms for me, yet got rejected. I cried for days and almost gave up on law. Last year, I then got rejected by every single firm I applied to. Weirdly, coming back now, I didn't even apply to two of those original firms again as I've built my knowledge and understanding to the point where I know they're not right for me :)

    I do feel gutted about today's B&B rejection though because I'd been to quite a few events with them :( but I must say, I half expected it - there was a very weird question about innovation in my VI. I can't remember what it was but something about thinking how innovation could impact your life. I think I misinterpreted it to mean we had to think of a new idea, not a product that already existed...

    I have an AC with DLA on Thursday and this rejection has just knocked my confidence a bit for it :( If anyone has any tips for the AC, do let me know...
     

    elle98

    New Member
    Dec 9, 2020
    2
    9
    Yes me too! Don't let it get to you though. Have a self-care night and pick yourself back up for tomorrow. This is my third year of applications and in my first, I got to three assessments centres that I truly felt were the firms for me, yet got rejected. I cried for days and almost gave up on law. Last year, I then got rejected by every single firm I applied to. Weirdly, coming back now, I didn't even apply to two of those original firms again as I've built my knowledge and understanding to the point where I know they're not right for me :)

    I do feel gutted about today's B&B rejection though because I'd been to quite a few events with them :( but I must say, I half expected it - there was a very weird question about innovation in my VI. I can't remember what it was but something similar to 'can you think up a new innovation that would impact your everyday life'. I think I misinterpreted it to mean we had to think of a new idea, not a product that already existed...

    I have an AC with DLA on Thursday and this rejection has just knocked my confidence a bit for it :( If anyone has any tips for the AC, do let me know...

    I just got my rejection and I got this exact question too !! I interpreted it the same as you and thought we had to invent something on the spot haha it wasn't very clear from the wording :confused:
     

    lawgirl1234

    Star Member
    Oct 20, 2020
    32
    78
    I just got my rejection and I got this exact question too !! I interpreted it the same as you and thought we had to invent something on the spot haha it wasn't very clear from the wording :confused:

    I also interpreted it exactly the same as you both, now I'm just baffled by the question even more than I was at the time!! Good luck for your remaining apps, onwards and upwards for us both I guess :)
     

    cmaj

    Legendary Member
    Forum Winner
  • Sep 18, 2019
    166
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    I just got my rejection and I got this exact question too !! I interpreted it the same as you and thought we had to invent something on the spot haha it wasn't very clear from the wording :confused:

    Agreed! I'd completely put the questions out of my head until now but just remembered it. I stood for about one minute in front of the camera panicking and then finally came up with an answer LOL
     
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    Lawyer101

    Distinguished Member
  • Dec 30, 2020
    57
    421
    Yes me too! Don't let it get to you though. Have a self-care night and pick yourself back up for tomorrow. This is my third year of applications and in my first, I got to three assessments centres that I truly felt were the firms for me, yet got rejected. I cried for days and almost gave up on law. Last year, I then got rejected by every single firm I applied to. Weirdly, coming back now, I didn't even apply to two of those original firms again as I've built my knowledge and understanding to the point where I know they're not right for me :)

    I do feel gutted about today's B&B rejection though because I'd been to quite a few events with them :( but I must say, I half expected it - there was a very weird question about innovation in my VI. I can't remember what it was but something similar to 'can you think up a new innovation that would impact your everyday life'. I think I misinterpreted it to mean we had to think of a new idea, not a product that already existed...

    I have an AC with DLA on Thursday and this rejection has just knocked my confidence a bit for it :( If anyone has any tips for the AC, do let me know...

    Also got this question and interpreted it in the same way...awaiting my fate now!

    Besides that - rejections suck but keep moving forward and look towards your AC on Thursday.

    Believe in yourself, you've got this! :)
     
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    Jessica Booker

    Legendary Member
    TCLA Moderator
    Gold Member
    Graduate Recruitment
    Premium Member
    Forum Team
    Aug 1, 2019
    14,403
    20,082
    Is it okay to email graduate recruitment and ask who will be interviewing me prior to an interview? Or can they not reveal this information?

    It’s not an issue to ask. Not all firms will provide this information though (mainly because it shouldn’t matter and they don’t want you preparing to have a conversation with someone in particular, or because it might change last minute anyway)
     

    Alice G

    Legendary Member
    Future Trainee
    Forum Team
    M&A Bootcamp
    Nov 26, 2018
    1,731
    4,184
    Yes me too! Don't let it get to you though. Have a self-care night and pick yourself back up for tomorrow. This is my third year of applications and in my first, I got to three assessments centres that I truly felt were the firms for me, yet got rejected. I cried for days and almost gave up on law. Last year, I then got rejected by every single firm I applied to. Weirdly, coming back now, I didn't even apply to two of those original firms again as I've built my knowledge and understanding to the point where I know they're not right for me :)

    I do feel gutted about today's B&B rejection though because I'd been to quite a few events with them :( but I must say, I half expected it - there was a very weird question about innovation in my VI. I can't remember what it was but something similar to 'can you think up a new innovation that would impact your everyday life'. I think I misinterpreted it to mean we had to think of a new idea, not a product that already existed...

    I have an AC with DLA on Thursday and this rejection has just knocked my confidence a bit for it :( If anyone has any tips for the AC, do let me know...
    Please don't let this knock you. Applications can be really rough - you have to essentially reduce yourself, skills and personality onto paper and they are quite formulaic in the sense that there are certain things you need to ensure to do, i.e. explain yourself fully and give evidence to support your points. ACs are an opportunity to really shine without the constraints of word counts - to show DLA everything you have built over those three years (including your admirable resilience) and show them who you are as a person. Remember - at AC stage - the firm wants you and they see your potential. Believe me when I tell you that by getting to this stage you are so so close. Don't allow an application rejection to hurt your confidence - it could literally have come down to a typo or a misplaced piece of punctuation.

    Really best of luck to you for your AC - the TCLA team are fully behind you.
     

    cmaj

    Legendary Member
    Forum Winner
  • Sep 18, 2019
    166
    1,118
    Also got this question and interpreted it in the same way...awaiting my fate now!

    Besides that - rejections suck but keep moving forward and look towards your AC on Thursday.

    Believe in yourself, you've got this! :)

    Ahhhh thank you so much <3 Maybe if lots of people interpreted the 2B's question in the same way then that wasn't the issue :confused: Grr! I have no idea. I just know when I said to a friend, he was like "easy question, driverless cars" and I just thought.... what... oh no... hahaha
     

    Alice G

    Legendary Member
    Future Trainee
    Forum Team
    M&A Bootcamp
    Nov 26, 2018
    1,731
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    Hi guys I'm just wondering how you should approach answering situational judgment questions in interview? Should you use previous experience and the STAR method or purely speak about it hypothetically? Thanks :)
    No - try to avoid answering these purely through example. The key to these is to offer a logical structure:
    Firstly, I would do XYZ
    Next i would do XYZ... provided that ABC....

    You can maybe use personal example off-hand if in an interview - 'I actually was faced with something similar when X and I firstly did XYZ' but the focus really is on your response to that particular scenario and you aren't expected to respond by analogy (i.e. stating your past examples of having faced similar) or with STAR here. STAR is best for competencies.
     

    cmaj

    Legendary Member
    Forum Winner
  • Sep 18, 2019
    166
    1,118
    Please don't let this knock you. Applications can be really rough - you have to essentially reduce yourself, skills and personality onto paper and they are quite formulaic in the sense that there are certain things you need to ensure to do, i.e. explain yourself fully and give evidence to support your points. ACs are an opportunity to really shine without the constraints fo word counts - to show DLA everything you have built over those three years (including your admirable resilience) and show them who you are as a person. Remember - at AC stage - the firm wants you and they see your potential. Believe me when I tell you that by getting to this stage you are so so close. Don't allow an application rejection to hurt your confidence - it could literally have come down to a typo or a misplaced piece of punctuation.

    Really best of luck to you for your AC - the TCLA team are fully behind you.

    Alice thank you SO MUCH!!!!!!! It's been a really tough day and the B&B rejection was the cherry on top but this really has helped and made me feel so much better. The TCLA community is so wonderful. I interviewed with DLA two years ago and they said that they could tell it was my first AC but to come back and try again once I had a bit more experience, so I was very excited to come back and show them all I'd learnt over the two years. I just need to brush off this rejection tonight and remember that! :)
     

    33c

    Legendary Member
    Future Trainee
    Forum Winner
    M&A Bootcamp
    Aug 8, 2020
    329
    1,214
    Alice thank you SO MUCH!!!!!!! It's been a really tough day and the B&B rejection was the cherry on top but this really has helped and made me feel so much better. The TCLA community is so wonderful. I interviewed with DLA two years ago and they said that they could tell it was my first AC but to come back and try again once I had a bit more experience, so I was very excited to come back and show them all I'd learnt over the two years. I just need to brush off this rejection tonight and remember that! :)
    Good luck!!! :) rooting for you
     
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    collie_121

    Esteemed Member
    Future Trainee
    Sep 30, 2020
    99
    327
    I also interpreted it exactly the same as you both, now I'm just baffled by the question even more than I was at the time!! Good luck for your remaining apps, onwards and upwards for us both I guess :)

    SAME! I was so thrown off, spoke about inventing something that already existed. In all truth, I definitely expected this rejection.
     
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    JoeyTr

    Valued Member
  • Jan 4, 2021
    120
    318
    Yes me too! Don't let it get to you though. Have a self-care night and pick yourself back up for tomorrow. This is my third year of applications and in my first, I got to three assessments centres that I truly felt were the firms for me, yet got rejected. I cried for days and almost gave up on law. Last year, I then got rejected by every single firm I applied to. Weirdly, coming back now, I didn't even apply to two of those original firms again as I've built my knowledge and understanding to the point where I know they're not right for me :)

    I do feel gutted about today's B&B rejection though because I'd been to quite a few events with them :( but I must say, I half expected it - there was a very weird question about innovation in my VI. I can't remember what it was but something similar to 'can you think up a new innovation that would impact your everyday life'. I think I misinterpreted it to mean we had to think of a new idea, not a product that already existed...

    I have an AC with DLA on Thursday and this rejection has just knocked my confidence a bit for it :( If anyone has any tips for the AC, do let me know...

    chin up for your DLA AC!! Take all that energy and channel it into winning - make B&B regret they didn't pick you.

    I'm curious about this question and wonder if @Jessica Booker can provide some input. What do you think the law firm was trying to get with this type of innovation question??

    Thanks!!
     
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