2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[E.A]

Heard back this morning from Mayer Brown, with invite to AC next week, after TI back in December, so they're still going. I've just emailed asking if I can interview directly for a TC instead though, as I can't make any of the dates due to clashes.

That's great! They will hold ACs through March too so maybe you could ask to change AC date?

 

[S87]

Hi Guys,

In a commercial awareness question would you link covid with cybersecurity?

 

[Celestie]

Hi Guys,

In a commercial awareness question would you link covid with cybersecurity?

Yup - I did this with banking - but think how it would impact the firm and its clients.

 

[Emily Kate]

sitting here crying bc I got a VI for BCLP - I keep looking at the email to double check that I didn't just dream it up out of sheer willpower
does ANYONE have any tips bc this is my first ever VI and BCLP are probably my favourite ever firm and I don't want to screw it up
also, just wanna say thanks to everyone on here - I 100% used tips and advice from here in my app so thank you all ♥️

for those wondering - I applied on 28/01 so like 3 days before the deadline

I did the BCLP first round interview a couple of weeks ago so feel free to message me to ask any questions about it

 

[S87]

Yup - I did this with banking - but think how it would impact the firm and its clients.

Thank you so much!

 

[jd3447]

Looking for some interview advice - a question I have always struggled to answer is the resilience once - to the point where it literally puts me off applications and throws me off my game in telephone interviews. Not because I haven’t been through stuff - I have but the stuff I would typically be like oh yeah I’ve shown resilience is pretty personal and just not suited to applications. I was just wondering how you go about answering this question in a more professional way? I’ve worked a number of roles and so I’m sure I have an experience that would be suited I just don’t know how to identify it. Sorry if this is an obvious question

I also go really personal with this (but I’m quite uninhibited lol). I always talk about my experience recovering from anorexia at uni and I use the STAR technique to explain what steps I took to balance my workload w treatment. So yeh it’s pretty personal but the focus isn’t really on the situation, much more on the actions I took to face it which were pretty standard (making a clear schedule for my work etc so I didn’t fall behind). For the ‘result’ element of star I talk about my uni grades and getting discharged.

worth noting that for these sorts of questions you should try and talk about something that you didn’t *have* to do, but did anyway despite your circumstances (at least this is what I’ve heard from a lot of recruiters). So I always emphasise that I could have dropped out of uni as I was encouraged to do, but chose to keep going instead.

Hope that makes u feel better about going a bit more personal if u feel comfortable!❤️

 

[AspiringSolicitor]

Hey guys - don't know if this is the best thread to post in, but I just wanted to ask a quick question.

For those of you currently studying the LPC at ULaw - which weeks do you have/ have you had exams? I think there were some w/c 4 January but do you have any others in Jan or Feb? Or do they wait til the summer for the rest of them?

If there is a better thread for this, please let me know and I'll post there instead

 

[Ophelia K]

Has anyone heard from HFW for their summer scheme yet?

I haven't yet. They assess on a rolling basis and I applied near the deadline so I'm not too hopeful.

 

[cloud9]

Do you think it is worth mentioning struggles with mental health? I'm worried that I will be indirectly discriminated because of it.

I have the same question - can anyone advise on this?

 

[Kablahc]

Do you think it is worth mentioning struggles with mental health? I'm worried that I will be indirectly discriminated because of it.

I worry about this all the time since I know, brutal honesty, there are firms out there that might. But I can tell you - it's best to be upfront about it because if a firm indirectly discriminates against you for having these personal issues then they're 100% not the type of firm that you want to work for!

 

[aspiringlawyer004]

Looking for some interview advice - a question I have always struggled to answer is the resilience once - to the point where it literally puts me off applications and throws me off my game in telephone interviews. Not because I haven’t been through stuff - I have but the stuff I would typically be like oh yeah I’ve shown resilience is pretty personal and just not suited to applications. I was just wondering how you go about answering this question in a more professional way? I’ve worked a number of roles and so I’m sure I have an experience that would be suited I just don’t know how to identify it. Sorry if this is an obvious question

I prefer to go with academic / extra-curricular disappointments here, rather than personal struggles. E.g. I talk about how I did badly in mocks but then improved for the actual exams. Or about how I was rejected from an extra-curricular activity, but did a lot of other stuff that year and got in the next year.

If you have examples from working that would be good. I think it's important to emphasise the disappointment and then how you bounced back (and what you learned, if applicable).

 

[moxiebobo]

v&e pfo

Sorry if this was answered - but was this post video interview?

 

[JoeyTr]

Sorry if this was answered - but was this post video interview?

post app

 

[FM302989]

Once you've done one Watson Glaser test, I think you've done them all 🤷‍♂️

 

[Polyglot]

Hey guys - don't know if this is the best thread to post in, but I just wanted to ask a quick question.

For those of you currently studying the LPC at ULaw - which weeks do you have/ have you had exams? I think there were some w/c 4 January but do you have any others in Jan or Feb? Or do they wait til the summer for the rest of them?

If there is a better thread for this, please let me know and I'll post there instead

We have an advocacy exam at the end of February and then big exam season coming up in March (core subjects). Lectures/seminars finish next week.

 

[Crastle]

Anybody heard from BDB Pitmans?

 

[ab1147]

Applied to CMS near the deadline and just got an email saying they've filled all their positions! Really wish I had applied sooner but congrats to everyone who got offers from them!

 

[Kubed]

Also CMS PFO - applied very close to the deadline so not unexpected

 

[jd3447]

Do you think it is worth mentioning struggles with mental health? I'm worried that I will be indirectly discriminated because of it.

I feel like firms are moving towards being really respectful and understanding of people with mental health struggles- especially now after the pandemic where pretty much everyone has struggled in one way or another. I really don’t think having a mental health issue will disadvantage you in itself, but what they really want to know is how you’ve managed it and how you’ve managed to achieve your goals despite it. In my opinion it’s a great way to show how resilient you are - I think it’s fair to say that most lawyers will struggle at *some* point because the job just is so demanding, so show recruitment that you’ve experienced enough mental health challenges to now navigate those situations! I personally think that my experiences with mental health will make me a better lawyer because it’s reinforced my resilience and my ability to understand people w compassion- but I guess there will always be someone who doesn’t agree!

 

[letsee]

Does anyone know what will happen if a firm tries to contact me by phone and can't get through?

I'm in a really weird situation, in which my phone doesn't usually get a signal from my student accommodation but I can't change providers because I'm on a 12-month contract.

Apparently, one of the firms I applied to (Taylor Wessing) is inviting people to the AC by phone, so I'm terrified I won't be reachable. Should I email them to let them know?