2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[LawGrad2019]

I've just had a No Caller ID missed call and am freaking out !!

Fingers crossed it was them!!

They will email or try again if they didn't leave a VM

 

[Annalie]

Fingers crossed it was them!!

They will email or try again if they didn't leave a VM

Fingers crossed it was them!!

They will email or try again if they didn't leave a VM

Hope so

 

[Annalie]

CRS rejection

Was this for London?

 

[LawGrad2019]

Hope so

I'm currently watching an online lecture where the lecturer's email keeps pinging every few mins and it is making my heart stop 😂

 

[Annalie]

I'm currently watching an online lecture where the lecturer's email keeps pinging every few mins and it is making my heart stop 😂

I keep refreshing everything!! So stressful. Fingers crossed for us both!!

 

[Dheepa]

Does anyone have advice on how to pick between firms? I've just written out the dates of schemes and worked out I have to reject one and now I'm agonising

Also, do people have opinions on whether you should gain experience in other areas? I've got two vac schemes with law firms and 1 with a consultancy firm (tax division). I'm pretty sure I don't want to go into consulting straight after graduating but I haven't ever done any other work experience so it seems silly to go into law without having tried anything else? Or will it make me look uncommitted to a career in commercial law once I start applying to TCs?

Last year when I thought I had to reject one of my three vacs cause of date clashes, I fully made a table of pros and cons between my two maybes sent it to my friends and family and had them weigh in too. It was very unnecessarily extra but I’m a big fan of writing things down when making big decisions.

I also agree with Jess here. Pick the firm you want to work for the most. You will naturally be more motivated to do well there rather than a firm you like less but with more TC spaces. If your vacs are virtual I’d also encourage you to speak to previous virtual VS participants and see how the virtual aspect of the vac was conducted. Personally I didn’t enjoy the vacs that had fixed assessments and no element of live work, so if gaining the most experience is a factor, decide which type of vac would benefit that most.

Re: the consultancy internship. Honestly if I were you I’d do it. I’ve got a TC and I’m still exploring loads of other options in my gap year not because I’m not committed but because conversely when will you ever get the chance to explore your options in the same way again? Also any work experience is good experience for a TC app. You might get asked why you didn’t pursue consultancy but that would be a simple case of just identifying what you didn’t like about it and what you preferred about law.

Huge congrats on such a successful app cycle btw! You’ve done so well and whatever you do decide take comfort in the fact that you’ve got some amazing credentials in the bag!

 

[Ophelia K]

day 125 of asking whether anyone has heard from Forsters grad rec?

 

[M&ALawyer]

Does anyone have advice on how to pick between firms? I've just written out the dates of schemes and worked out I have to reject one and now I'm agonising

Also, do people have opinions on whether you should gain experience in other areas? I've got two vac schemes with law firms and 1 with a consultancy firm (tax division). I'm pretty sure I don't want to go into consulting straight after graduating but I haven't ever done any other work experience so it seems silly to go into law without having tried anything else? Or will it make me look uncommitted to a career in commercial law once I start applying to TCs?

This is quite a personal decision to make, but I would be inclined to take one vac scheme and the consulting scheme (if possible):

• You may honestly find you prefer consulting. I faced a similairish issue in the past, and found that by taking internships in different areas my interest in law was strengthened – you may have the same conclusion (or not), but I think you will look in hindsight you will appreciate the greater exposure to make a more informed choice.
• You will presumably gain a lot more experience with consulting. Vac schemes are usually 1-2 weeks long whilst I know consulting schemes typically last for months. I think you will learn a lot more about client service/commercial awareness/working in a professional environment by taking the consulting scheme if I am correct about its length. I think this is really important as you highlighted you may lack some prior experience.
• If your consulting scheme is months long there is an obvious financial incentive to carry it out (although this is minor in the scheme of things!)

On your point about looking uncommitted to a career in law by taking the consulting scheme as well as law – I don't think this is true at all. You are in your penultimate year and should be exploring different options. Whether you end up in consulting/law, you can use your experience to say you actually explored different areas and found your skills more suited to consulting/law because of XYZ you learnt form your schemes. I actually think in some ways a breadth of different experiences is actually better approach than solely being exposed to law ( this is feedback I have had from some of my interviews)

Just my opinion on this having been in a similar position in the past – but of course others may share a very different view!

 

[aspiringlawyer22]

Day 717373 of asking if anyone has heard from W&C

 

[HorsesForCoursesNeighNeighNeigh]

I just had the WEIRDEST missed call experience--I'm waiting to hear back post-AC so I was hoping it was them.

Called the number back (pressed it, so definitely didn't get it wrong) and ended up going straight through to a (very) senior judge who also has the same first name as me. So I was like "it's Horses Neighs" and he's like "No I'M horses" and he said he'd never called me 🤣 and has no association as far as I can see with any law firms, let alone any I applied for 🤷‍♀️

 

[S87]

I just had the WEIRDEST missed call experience--I'm waiting to hear back post-AC so I was hoping it was them.

Called the number back (pressed it, so definitely didn't get it wrong) and ended up going straight through to a (very) senior judge who also has the same first name as me. So I was like "it's Horses Neighs" and he's like "No I'M horses" and he said he'd never called me 🤣 and has no association as far as I can see with any law firms, let alone any I applied for 🤷‍♀️

Well you are lucky..I got two scam calls and one message saying that I forgot to pay a fee! I can't 💆‍♀️

 

[Lillith]

if I’ve been offered a vacation scheme and have been asked for dates, is it normal to mention that I’m waiting for an outcome from a different firm’s vac scheme AC or would that seem rude? I’m probably overthinking this but I just want to make a good impression!

 

[Dheepa]

if I’ve been offered a vacation scheme and have been asked for dates, is it normal to mention that I’m waiting for an outcome from a different firm’s vac scheme AC or would that seem rude? I’m probably overthinking this but I just want to make a good impression!

Not rude! Very normal, just let the firm know tentatively when you’d hear back from the post AC outcome and that you’ll be in touch as soon as you know.

 

[FM302989]

Invitation to Fox Williams' verbal reasoning and error checking tests

 

[djqb]

If I've failed to get past the Watson Glaser test for a particular firm, is it alright to ask them for my exact score or a report?

All they've told me is that I've failed to score enough to meet their criteria, and that they won't be progressing my application

 

[Lillith]

Not rude! Very normal, just let the firm know tentatively when you’d hear back from the post AC outcome and that you’ll be in touch as soon as you know.

Thank you!

 

[SamTam99]

Invitation to Fox Williams' verbal reasoning and error checking tests

Same!

 

[Jessica Booker]

if I’ve been offered a vacation scheme and have been asked for dates, is it normal to mention that I’m waiting for an outcome from a different firm’s vac scheme AC or would that seem rude? I’m probably overthinking this but I just want to make a good impression!

You could say you have a preference for X-Y dates as there is a chance you may secure another scheme that would run A-B dates if that is the case.

It’s not rude, it’s managing expectations (which is much better than any other outcome really).

Just be prepared for the firm to say no and give you the “worst case” dates.

 

[djqb]

Is there a thread outlining a list of firms that allow you to apply for their direct TC if you've failed with a VS application (in the same cycle)?

 

[E1998]

is cob 5pm?