2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[Jessica Booker]

Can I just say - if you're in a group exercise and someone gives a great idea, don't shoot it down just because he/she did well for the other exercises. Just came out of a group exercise where my idea was shot down and I was utterly bullied by everyone on the basis that it "wasn't interesting" when the criteria we were supposed to judge the idea against were all objective, business factors. I have never seen such unprofessionalism in the few AC group exercises I have attended thus far. If you want to win a slot on the scheme, win it on the basis of your strength and don't win it by putting others down. To the others who just sided with the bully and said "yeah" with some grunts of affirmation - shame on you.

If that is what happened, your assessors will have picked up on that and will have marked those people down. They are unlikely to have strengthened their position in securing a TC, and if anything have undermined it.

 

[Daniel Boden]

I think it went really well. Should find out within seven days whether we are successful. The two interview experiences that are on here were very useful so make sure you check those out.

Fingers crossed for you mate!

 

[rosie.l]

Congratulations! May I check wit you what percentile you got for the Cognify and Emotify tests!

Sure i'll pm you

 

[Cho]

Sure i'll pm you

Congratulations! Did they notify you via email btw?

 

[Lily721]

white & case AC invite! any tips would be great

congrats! When did you complete your VI?

 

[Legallin]

BCLP PFO (post-test) - quite disappointing as I attended the open day and had a few BCLP trainees look over my application! I applied the middle of December

Do all BCLP PFOs say “We would like to take this opportunity to highlight that we considered your application to be strong and would encourage you to apply again in future”?

Sorry to here! can I ask if you applied for the VS or TC? or anyone else that has got a PFO today could you pls let me know if you applied for vac or TC

 

[Celestie]

Jesus christ I just came off a long shift and can see a myriad of PFOs.
I would like to extend a hug to everyone - this is tough. Please feel free to message me for motivation etc.

For anyone who is curious, I still haven't heard from BCLP -_-

 

[Andrew M]

I once was copied into an email to a lot of senior people in a firm about them attending a networking event and it clearly mixed up Bs for Ps which said:

“Drinks and nipples”

But the one that literally had me laughing all day (I couldn’t stop laughing about it - in fact just thinking about it now is still making me giggle) was a candidate talking about a change in the global economy and they missed the F out of the following phrase

“substantial global shift”

When I was a restaurant manager I once printed a whole days worth of Sunday lunch menus with "served with a red wine Jesus". It took about an hour before somebody actually pointed it out to us too. 😅

 

[LegalNim]

When I was a restaurant manager I once printed a whole days worth of Sunday lunch menus with "served with a red wine Jesus". It took about an hour before somebody actually pointed it out to us too. 😅

We once had "Sir Lion steak"

 

[Asil Ahmad]

I can’t say for W&C specifically.

I think you have to look at firms wording carefully. Saying candidates “must have achieved” something is very different to “candidates typically will have achieved” or “we usually look for”.

For instance, at one firm I worked for it was a strict requirement that only people with extenuating circumstances were considered who didn’t have those grades

At Freshfields, I recruited people with CCD and even no A-levels (with no ext circs), but they used to not have a minimum A-level criteria and would just say “strong academics” which could be evidence by degree results instead.

Thank you for this

I can’t say for W&C specifically.

I think you have to look at firms wording carefully. Saying candidates “must have achieved” something is very different to “candidates typically will have achieved” or “we usually look for”.

For instance, at one firm I worked for it was a strict requirement that only people with extenuating circumstances were considered who didn’t have those grades

At Freshfields, I recruited people with CCD and even no A-levels (with no ext circs), but they used to not have a minimum A-level criteria and would just say “strong academics” which could be evidence by degree results instead.

Thank you for this and I understand your point.

 

[Andrew M]

We once had "Sir Lion steak"

I did work somewhere once that had "Americana" and "Expresso" on their menu when I started. It was news to them when I pointed it out - apparently they'd been like that for a good year. 🤦

 

[layk]

Freshfields have mentioned that they were reviewing their spring VS applications first and only now starting to screen the TC apps

 

[Celestie]

Freshfields have mentioned that they were reviewing their spring VS applications first and only now starting to screen the TC apps

Why would you say that - now I won't be able to sleep

 

[JayB]

Suspect it is still there (but that is speculation). You do need to show academic excellence elsewhere though - poor A-levels with no ext circs and an average degree grade probably isn’t going to be sufficient

What’s a good overall degree grade in your opinion @Jessica Booker ? Is it one with no flurries of 2:2 either

 

[Jessica Booker]

What’s a good overall degree grade in your opinion @Jessica Booker ? Is it one with no flurries of 2:2 either

Good isn’t probably enough to be frank. You’ll need to show the ability to excel rather than just be “good”.

But it’s all about context. Someone achieving a low 2.1 but managing that with significant other commitments is going to be looked at very differently than someone with a high 2.1 but only doing their degree.

 

[stemlawgal]

Freshfields have mentioned that they were reviewing their spring VS applications first and only now starting to screen the TC apps

Spring? Or summer?

 

[JayB]

Good isn’t probably enough to be frank. You’ll need to show the ability to excel rather than just be “good”.

But it’s all about context. Someone achieving a low 2.1 but managing that with significant other commitments is going to be looked at very differently than someone with a high 2.1 but only doing their degree.

This is really interesting to know thank you @Jessica Booker, and does this high 2:1 depend on any university? Whether it being a non-RG or RG? Do law firms still hold that stigma of recruiting trainees from specific unis or is that changed with the whole diversity and contextualised recruitment initiative. As I know RARE and Aspiring Solicitors are known for hyping this up!

 

[Celestie]

Spring? Or summer?

I think spring cause they said spring hehe

Freshfields have mentioned that they were reviewing their spring VS applications first and only now starting to screen the TC apps

 

[WannabeSolicitor24]

I think spring cause they said spring hehe

They don't have a Spring Vacation Scheme! They do have a 'Spring Scheme' but that's for first years and is still open for applications.

 

[Asil Ahmad]

BCLP rejection post-tests but it was weird as they said I didn't meet the benchmark for the bespoke test thingly. Sorry for my grammar I am really annoyed with thing the bad news thing. I find this weird because did anyone receive email for meeting the bench mark for the test.