2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[Matt_96]

Thank you so much for sharing this. As someone in their third cycle of applying this was REALLY REALLY inspiring to hear!

Congratulations again on your offers and wishing you all the luck in converting them to tcs!

Also another third cycler here. I know it sounds extremely cliché but what's helped me stay sane is only focusing on me (not what anyone else is doing), keeping a positive spin on things and being open-minded and humble about what firms you want to work at. Also, remembering that there is no shame in rejection, and that a firm should not be your favourite until you have the job offer in hand.

 

[H48]

When did you complete your VI?

I did it on the 26th of Jan and got the AC invite on the 27th!

 

[Kola]

Ah, just found out I didn’t pass the AC with Freshfields :/ bit gutting at the last stage, but felt it hadn’t gone great tbh.

How many people were there in you AC?

 

[Nathan Hayes]

Has anyone else heard anything from Macfarlanes. I applied mid December and haven’t heard anything yet but I know other candidates who have been rejected and accepted on to assessment centre when they applied at the same time as me. Don’t know if I’m missing something or what’s happened here because I don’t understand why I haven’t had an update and other people who applied at the same time have (Both successful and unsuccessful) 🤷‍♂️

 

[Bugsy Malone]

Also another third cycler here. I know it sounds extremely cliché but what's helped me stay sane is only focusing on me (not what anyone else is doing), keeping a positive spin on things and being open-minded and humble about what firms you want to work at. Also, remembering that there is no shame in rejection, and that a firm should not be your favourite until you have the job offer in hand.

Great advice, thanks for sharing and good luck with your apps this cycle!

 

[WannabeSolicitor24]

How many people were there in you AC?

Freshfields do them very spaced out - in mine last year there was three of us but they are running every day pretty much

 

[Asil Ahmad]

Has anyone else heard anything from Macfarlanes. I applied mid December and haven’t heard anything yet but I know other candidates who have been rejected and accepted on to assessment centre when they applied at the same time as me. Don’t know if I’m missing something or what’s happened here because I don’t understand why I haven’t had an update and other people who applied at the same time have (Both successful and unsuccessful) 🤷‍♂️

They said to me I will hear by end of February when I emailed them. I can understand your frustration as I am calm with law firms because I applied in mid-January. I think no news is good news.

 

[Kitch]

Eversheds AC invite!

How did your ac go?

 

[cmaj]

Hi Ashton,

sorry for the delay, literally just answered 30ish DMs haha.

I received A LOT of negative feedback last cycle and I then deliberately went out of my way to address it. I'm not counting any chickens until the eggs hatch though.

For example, one AC said my answers were technically fine but I came across like a robot, and reflecting back this was spot on; so I now prepare no scripted answers and improvise everything so it comes across more naturally. I also deliberately use only funny competency examples, instead of the ones that are more objectively impressive, so the interviewers will laugh/ask follow-up questions. 70% of my Bakers partner interview was discussing cake because I used several cake-related answers to questions (e.g. spending twenty hours baking a 8 tier cake only to drop it 5 minutes before the party and how this showed my resilience). Also one of the perks of everyone rejecting me is that I had previously researched all their strategies/USPs so making commercial judgments in answers on how they can differentiate themselves is natural now through exposure. In the past I've been accused of being an 'encyclopaedia' and 'information dense' so again I deliberately omit points and speak slower/spend the extra time forming more a personal relationship. Also I link every single line to something personal; e.g. if I say I like international work then I give specific examples of times I went abroad and experienced similar situations. My measure of a good interview now is whether they're unable to ask questions because they're laughing too much, as was the case in most of this cycle's ACs. More commercially, I also spent the past year reading The Guardian/BBC News cover to cover every morning before leaving bed and noting down anything that may be relevant to law firms I was applying to/concepts I didn't understand fully; one thing both I and friends have done to practice is arguing with people/trolls in the FB comments just to learn how you can defend your opinion when you're clearly wrong too.

Sorry for the information dump 😅

I honestly just think it's practice and targeted reflection makes perfect though (e.g. I failed Bakers VI last year), for context this is my fourth cycle:
First: 2 failed VIs
Second: 2 failed ACs
Third: 6 failed ACs

This is amazing you are an inspiration!!!!!!! ❤️ You should feel SO proud! Look where resilience and reflection gets you, what a lesson to us all ❤️

 

[Andrew M]

Hi Ashton,

sorry for the delay, literally just answered 30ish DMs haha.

I received A LOT of negative feedback last cycle and I then deliberately went out of my way to address it. I'm not counting any chickens until the eggs hatch though.

For example, one AC said my answers were technically fine but I came across like a robot, and reflecting back this was spot on; so I now prepare no scripted answers and improvise everything so it comes across more naturally. I also deliberately use only funny competency examples, instead of the ones that are more objectively impressive, so the interviewers will laugh/ask follow-up questions. 70% of my Bakers partner interview was discussing cake because I used several cake-related answers to questions (e.g. spending twenty hours baking a 8 tier cake only to drop it 5 minutes before the party and how this showed my resilience). Also one of the perks of everyone rejecting me is that I had previously researched all their strategies/USPs so making commercial judgments in answers on how they can differentiate themselves is natural now through exposure. In the past I've been accused of being an 'encyclopaedia' and 'information dense' so again I deliberately omit points and speak slower/spend the extra time forming more a personal relationship. Also I link every single line to something personal; e.g. if I say I like international work then I give specific examples of times I went abroad and experienced similar situations. My measure of a good interview now is whether they're unable to ask questions because they're laughing too much, as was the case in most of this cycle's ACs. More commercially, I also spent the past year reading The Guardian/BBC News cover to cover every morning before leaving bed and noting down anything that may be relevant to law firms I was applying to/concepts I didn't understand fully; one thing both I and friends have done to practice is arguing with people/trolls in the FB comments just to learn how you can defend your opinion when you're clearly wrong too.

Sorry for the information dump 😅

I honestly just think it's practice and targeted reflection makes perfect though (e.g. I failed Bakers VI last year), for context this is my fourth cycle:
First: 2 failed VIs
Second: 2 failed ACs
Third: 6 failed ACs

Thanks for sharing!

It's interesting though because this was my approach to the partner interview with DLA. I was relaxed, improvised, built up a good rapport, laughs were freely flowing. I gave answers which reflected my character, rather than purely business skills. Unfortunately, my feedback was pretty poor - they liked me but said my examples weren't relevant or strong enough. 🤦 Very frustrating. I do think it's the right strategy though. I just think maybe it wasn't what this particular interviewer wanted.

 

[cryingoverTCs]

Can anyone explain how DWF's IPO and new resulting business structure has affected their business in a positive way? I understand that a lot of the employees are shareholders so that serves as incentive, but I am not sure what else is great?

 

[Kola]

Can anyone explain how DWF's IPO and new resulting business structure has affected their business in a positive way? I understand that a lot of the employees are shareholders so that serves as incentive, but I am not sure what else is great?

If you're struggling for positive consequences, might I suggest discussing the negatives of LLPs, Swiss Vereins and General Partnerships that DWF has avoided by going public? For example, through an IPO, DWF is a single entity, making it more united in ways that Swiss Vereins such as Hogan Lovells lack

 

[esther18]

Anyone still waiting on Freshfields post-WG?

 

[Polyglot]

Which office did you apply to?

Manchester/Sheffield

 

[stemlawgal]

Anyone still waiting on Freshfields post-WG?

Yup! Not sure what to make of it tbh, was invited to WG 3 weeks ago today and then completed it a few days after the invite

 

[Polyglot]

has anyone gotten their kennedys feedback report? whats the structure of it i.e. how many strengths/weaknesses are listed

3 strengths, 1 weakness for me. What about you?

 

[JayC]

Does anyone have a sense of what constitutes a good score on each section of the Ashurst tests?

 

[John Travoni]

3 strengths, 1 weakness for me. What about you?

What were your strengths and weaknesses if you don’t mind me asking ?

 

[futuretraineecity]

How long did it take everyone to receive the Reed Smith SST after submitting the initial form?

 

[Legalmel_99]

Has anyone heard back from SPB or BLM post VI??

Which offices did you apply to? @Bethxwilde