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2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion
- Thread starter Jaysen
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No problem!!!
I probably spent about 2-3 months on it as I watched a lecture every weekend (with a week or two off) and completed the work for it during the week
It was so worth it though. I made sure to really digest the information in the lecture and I would say the last one is particularly useful for applications - it covers challenges at the intersection of law and technology.Thanks so much for being so lovely!!!!
GREAT choice!
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Completely agree @Jaysen! Pretty scary but also pretty amazing as to how much we can help ourselves simply by getting 7/8 hours of sleep a night
Just a heads up - if they sent the email for the VRT test from a cvMail address (which they often do), they may not be able to access it until cvMail is running again.
I would strongly advise you to send an email to the actual grad recruitment email. It can usually be found (along with a phone number) on lawcareers.net or by searching "[X firm] graduate recruitment email" on google. In the event it is still down come Monday and you have no reply from anyone, I would call first thing on Monday.
This is my plan of action anyway!
I would say that these are subtly, but quite importantly, different. Exceeding expectations is when you perform better than expected in a given circumstance. For example, my tattoo artist almost always exceeds my expectations when he tattoos me, but he doesn't necessarily go above and beyond in any way to do so.
Going above and beyond, however, is when you put in more time/ effort etc than could possibly be asked for to ensure a satisfactory outcome in a given set of circumstances. For example, I've personally been in situations where I've had to work huge extra hours etc, far above and beyond what could have reasonably been expected, but the final outcome hasn't necessarily exceeded anyone's expectations, only satisfied them.
The best way I can express it is as logical reasoning:
- Sometimes, exceeding expectations will involve going above and beyond
- Similarly, sometimes, going above and beyond will exceed expectations
- However, one can go above and beyond without exceeding expectations, and, similarly, one can exceed expectations without going above and beyond.
In sum, the two often overlap in practical situations but can also be independent of one another
Hope this makes some amount of sense!
ASOT 1000 in Utretch, Sept 3/4 😉 Pre-sale tickets 27th Jan
Jessica Booker
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A lot of people are working non standard hours at the moment while they balance childcare.A&O staff must be overwhelmed...Rejected on a saturday for direct tc!
Hiya
I think I'd pick maybe 3 or 4 examples and give a brief summary of why that characteristic is key to being a good lawyer ( a sentence or two)
I think for the sake of time and with the particular wording of the question, you wouldn't need to give personal examples.
Best of luck!
HiyaI'm thinking ahead a bit here as I'm still waiting to hear from a few firms. But...I'm not optimistic and my applications haven't progressed beyond a VI (for one firm) this year. What should my next move be? I'm thinking I should first try to review what's gone wrong and then (maybe) apply for some direct TCs. What have others done who have been unsuccessful in their first cycle but subsequently successful? Do people tend to apply for the same firms in subsequent rounds or change it up?
Any advice gratefully received
I remember during my applications I was very much like you ( I'm a big planner!). I think naturally it will depend on the outcomes, whether your focus needs to be on reworking applications or assessment centres. I would draw a list of the firms that you are very interested in and consider if they have summer tc applications. Looking further along, perhaps you could start looking at future insight days/events and programmes, even doing virtual work experience (InsideSherpa has a good few). Anything developmental would be my focus!
For now, during the waiting period I think the best thing you can do is try to remain positive.
Hope this helps a bit
Thank you so much! Yes that does make sense and definitely why I asked as I wasn't sure how to differentiate the twoI would say that these are subtly, but quite importantly, different. Exceeding expectations is when you perform better than expected in a given circumstance. For example, my tattoo artist almost always exceeds my expectations when he tattoos me, but he doesn't necessarily go above and beyond in any way to do so.
Going above and beyond, however, is when you put in more time/ effort etc than could possibly be asked for to ensure a satisfactory outcome in a given set of circumstances. For example, I've personally been in situations where I've had to work huge extra hours etc, far above and beyond what could have reasonably been expected, but the final outcome hasn't necessarily exceeded anyone's expectations, only satisfied them.
The best way I can express it is as logical reasoning:
- Sometimes, exceeding expectations will involve going above and beyond
- Similarly, sometimes, going above and beyond will exceed expectations
- However, one can go above and beyond without exceeding expectations, and, similarly, one can exceed expectations without going above and beyond.
In sum, the two often overlap in practical situations but can also be independent of one another
Hope this makes some amount of sense!
Will have to think a bit harder about my example haha!!
If you look on the portal, you were probably rejected maybe 5 days ago but the emails from A&O are delayedA&O staff must be overwhelmed...Rejected on a saturday for direct tc!
Totally unrelated to your comment but I just wanted to say that I asked you a few weeks ago about a tricky cover letter-style application question and your advice got me through to my first vac scheme interview of the cycle, which I had yesterday! Thank you so much for all of your insight! It is very helpful stuff.
@Jessica Booker I was just curious, at which stage of the application process does a firm contact your referees? I was thinking of emailing my referees as a 'heads up' beforehand so I'd like your insight on this. Thank you! 😊
Jessica Booker
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It will very by firm. Most don’t do it until you have been offered the job, but some firms do it when they know you are being invited through to interview. If there is something like extenuating circumstances that have impacted your academics, then it is not unknown for a firm to contact your academic referee before making a decision on your application.
Unfortunately I'm really wary of committing to anything this year! Now just because of Covid but because i have no idea what I'll be doing in September - if I can't secure a TC this summer then I'll have to decide either to go and do the LPC, or find something else. =/ Otherwise I would love to go! I haven't been to a live trance gig in a few years now. All my old raver friends kind of grew out of it. 😥ASOT 1000 in Utretch, Sept 3/4 😉 Pre-sale tickets 27th Jan
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