2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[GK8997]

Just received a Dechert video interview! total shock!! Any tips or insights would be amazing for this as i find video interviews very hard!
What kinds of questions do they ask etc... Thank you!!

Dechert had very typical competency/ motivational/ commercial questions- nothing too out of the ordinary! Good luck!

 

[Daniel Boden]

Ah yes I forgot to clarify that I was working until 1am most nights during my vac scheme and starting at 9 (thank goodness it was just a week, although the weekend following the scheme was also taken up completing a lengthy research project due Monday morning) 🤣

I just finished my Skadden vac scheme (which was honestly SO awesome) and I worked no less than 12 hour days for the entire scheme: this is subjective to your department - whatever seat you're in will determine how long you work. For example, corporate now is MEGA busy with SPAC season and general M&A recovery.

Also, if you want to join a US firm, you're basically saying you want to get paid regardless of the hours

Just to caveat these experiences with my own on an in-person vac scheme - we were all effectively 'forced' out the door at 6pm to go home haha so I do think the fact people are working from home and that blurring of the 2 lines has meant that people are working crazier hours than ever before.

I'm slightly optimistic that these hours will reduce back to what they normally were once people are back in the office etc because that's all they can do right? People, especially those in PE/M&A, can't work any more hours than they have the last 12 months surely...

 

[s.k.o]

Passed the Baker McKenzie WG and invited to a VI! I hope I don't bomb it like I did last year!

what will you consider as Bombing for a VI?

 

[lozza_2]

Dechert had very typical competency/ motivational/ commercial questions- nothing too out of the ordinary! Good luck!

Hey, do you know how long we have to speak for each question and how many questions we answer? Thanks

 

[GK8997]

Hey, do you know how long we have to speak for each question and how many questions we answer? Thanks

It's 3 questions and I think it was for 90 seconds?

 

[Jaysen]

Hey everyone!

Please carry on the discussion in this thread.

Nothing is changing, we're just moving the discussion to a new thread as we've reached 999 pages (and 2M views/20K posts 😮)

We'll then open up a new vacation scheme thread later this year.

Best!
Jaysen