2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[Ole1999]

PFO Pinsent Masons London VS

Considering starting my own thread: “I’m a 47 time failed applicant, ask me anything!”
The wait goes on...

 

[NikkiT]

I've spoken with someone who confirmed in when I called them.

Do you mean a person from the recruitment team at the firm? I just don't see why they would write the end of February in the email for London applicants if this was the case.

 

[law2021]

General question for anyone who went through the anglo-Canadian or American school systems - what do you include for the GCSE/A-levels sections? I put in grade 11 results for GCSE and 12 academics (I took some lower-year classes for fun in my final years and leave those out) for A-levels as this is what university recruiters look at, but I'm not sure if this is correct.

@Jessica Booker do you have thoughts on this?

Hi Rob - I went to an American school but I took the IB so I typically write in those results in the A-level section and leave the GCSE section blank. However, in the 'Other Education' section, I explain that my school didn't have any equivalent exams at the GCSE level, and instead include my overall GPA for the 4 years. Not sure if this is 100% correct, but it's worked for me on a couple apps

 

[eveh1784]

I'm telling you categorically everyone will hear back today.

I'm not sure how that will make people very anxious, I think your comment will make people more anxious given you have no idea what the timelines are.
You are misleading people and I'm trying to help.

Everyone is under a lot of pressure at the moment with just days left of application season. It is understandable that you may be trying to help but the dialogue is becoming quite abrasive. You may indeed be right, but that tone of conversation isn't really appropriate for this forum.

 

[ManifestingTC]

I'm not sure it is the best idea to comment what you have on here, when no one has any idea if this is true. You could make some people very anxious by saying they will be unsuccessful if they don't hear anything by 5pm today. I haven't heard anything from PM yet, but I also haven't seen anyone on here get any news who applied to the Manchester office like me. Those applying to London and Scotland seem to have received rejections and invites to the next stage, so it seems unlikely that other offices will automatically be unsuccessful if they haven't heard back by 5pm when not many applying to the regional offices seem to have heard anything yet.

Graduate Recruitment are probably just beginning to go through the applications for the regional offices so try not to worry if you haven't heard anything yet, no news is good news and it is not a rejection until you actually receive the rejection email! Stay positive everyone! 🙂

I got rejected by PM Birmingham office at 11am today having applied quite a bit before deadline, so I think the previous comment might have been accurate but I don’t know if everyone else has heard. It went to my junk inbox btw so check that if you haven’t heard maybe.

 

[cem]

Has everyone heard back already for London and Scotland? How do we know this is true?

I think so for Scotland, I also heard back for Scotland on Tuesday and they gave two AC dates if successful in the test. I'm not sure if it's batches though either, as each office only had one AC date and you were to contact GR if you couldn't make it.

 

[Celestie]

PFO Pinsent Masons London VS

Considering starting my own thread: “I’m a 47 time failed applicant, ask me anything!”
The wait goes on.

Don't say failed, don't be so negative to yourself. Let me edit that for you:

"I'm a resilient person who tried 47 times to apply for an overly competitive scheme, and I am still going. Ask me anything!"

 

[aspiringsolicitor123]

"please fiat500 off" - but that's the pc version

hahaha okay thanks that makes sense

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker
Is it appropriate to email graduate recruitment to check the status of your application? I applied 30/11 and people received video interviews last week and AC's are just over a week away.

Given the timeframes you have mentioned, yes.

 

[cryingoverTCs]

For those who have done the BCLP test, did you prep for it in any way beforehand? Also, do you have any tips?

 

[Hazza hana]

Everyone is under a lot of pressure at the moment with just days left of application season. It is understandable that you may be trying to help but the dialogue is becoming quite abrasive. You may indeed be right, but that tone of conversation isn't really appropriate for this forum.

I can only apologise, no tone intended.

(English isn't my first language)

 

[NikkiT]

I think so for Scotland, I also heard back for Scotland on Tuesday and they gave two AC dates if successful in the test. I'm not sure if it's batches though either, as each office only had one AC date and you were to contact GR if you couldn't make it.

Thanks for your reply. How do you know that everyone has heard back who is successful though?

 

[ishikam]

Just received a PFO

I am sorry to hear that! When did you complete the VI and tests?

 

[Hazza hana]

Do you mean a person from the recruitment team at the firm? I just don't see why they would write the end of February in the email for London applicants if this was the case.

Yeah I spoke with the Graduate manager today

 

[Rob93]

Hi Rob - I went to an American school but I took the IB so I typically write in those results in the A-level section and leave the GCSE section blank. However, in the 'Other Education' section, I explain that my school didn't have any equivalent exams at the GCSE level, and instead include my overall GPA for the 4 years. Not sure if this is 100% correct, but it's worked for me on a couple apps

Interesting, it never occurred to me to just omit that section.

 

[Jessica Booker]

So personally, I never did this just because by the time I started hearing back with VS offers, I had already progressed past the app stage for other firms/simply been rejected. But I don't think there is any harm in doing it, and it could possibly tip the scales in your favour (although I'm not entirely sure that the offer alone will do the trick considering it doesn't add substantive experience to your app)

Maybe @Jessica Booker can advise better on whether you should do this or not.

If you haven’t submitted your application, then fine to mention it in an application. Probably most suited to an extra information section or cover letter though. If you have already applied, then only do this if you can personally updated your submitted application. It isn’t worthwhile asking Grad Rec to update it for you or take the additional information into consideration if you can’t update it.

 

[cryingoverTCs]

ooh also has anyone heard from macfarlanes? I'm going to send my app over the weekend which is super last minute as the deadline is Sunday, but @Jaysen 's post inspired me to send one more 🙃

 

[DJMG]

Macfarlanes rejection applied 28th December for reference.

 

[Dheepa]

So I asked for feedback on my interview and they said: "we don't have any constructive feedback for you" and then said where I went well etc - how am I meant to improve ahead of the TC interview in the future?

(Im not blowing my own trumpet here, genuinely stuck as I wanna make sure I improve for the next interview but I have nothing to go off)

Maybe you really just were the perfect candidate! Don't fix something if it's not broken right?

In all seriousness, I do agree that it is a bit unhelpful. Maybe you could try booking a mock interview with your careers service or with TCLA, use similar answers and hopefully that would give you some pointers for future VS interviews?

I also want to flag up that what firms want from TC interviews tend to be very different from VS interviews anyway. They really want to see that you've been able to reflect on your experiences during the vacation scheme and incorporate that into your motivations for wanting to pursue the career and of course for wanting to train with them. So sometimes the best thing you can do is wait for the VS, make sure that during it you're making really detailed notes on your day to day work/experiences/conversations and constantly keep the "Why law" "Why this firm question" answers developing in your notes.

 

[cem]

Thanks for your reply. How do you know that everyone has heard back who is successful though?

I don't! They could still be going through applications (and probably are), I was just thinking because the Scottish offices are smaller, they'd be offering less places (I have no idea).