Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[small_turtle]

They would be breaking the law if they did, so no.

Thanks @Jessica Booker ! I replied to their grad rec email today morning, but received an automated email with a list of 'FAQs'. The email stated to contact them directly via telephone if my query wasn't answered. But my email was not a query; I sent them a reply to a question they had regarding my application. Should I telephone them? Would they read my email reply? Or should I wait for a few working days before calling them? thank you!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thanks @Jessica Booker ! I replied to their grad rec email today morning, but received an automated email with a list of 'FAQs'. The email stated to contact them directly via telephone if my query wasn't answered. But my email was not a query; I sent them a reply to a question they had regarding my application. Should I telephone them? Would they read my email reply? Or should I wait for a few working days before calling them? thank you!

Your email was a query - give them a call this morning.

 

[Casual]

Good afternoon @Jessica Booker.

The 'referees' section of one of the applications asks 'How does this person know you?' instead of a typical 'Relationship to you'. Would it suffice to write 'Academic Tutor' or is it better to say something like 'Dr. X was my academic tutor in organisation Y'?

Also huge thanks again for answering our questions, I honestly find this thread incredibly helpful!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Good afternoon @Jessica Booker.

The 'referees' section of one of the applications asks 'How does this person know you?' instead of a typical 'Relationship to you'. Would it suffice to write 'Academic Tutor' or is it better to say something like 'Dr. X was my academic tutor in organisation Y'?

Also huge thanks again for answering our questions, I honestly find this thread incredibly helpful!

“Academic tutor at Joe Bloggs University” will be sufficient

 

[small_turtle]

Your email was a query - give them a call this morning.

Hi @Jessica Booker , thanks for your help thus far! I tried calling grad rec numerous times this morning but their line was busy (it went straight to an automated voicemail. Will the grad rec team be very annoyed if they've seen that i telephoned them so many times?). I left a voice message (but my message was, unfortunately, sent before I could complete the message😢). What should I do?😭 thank you!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker , thanks for your help thus far! I tried calling grad rec numerous times this morning but their line was busy (it went straight to an automated voicemail. Will the grad rec team be very annoyed if they've seen that i telephoned them so many times?). I left a voice message (but my message was, unfortunately, sent before I could complete the message😢). What should I do?😭 thank you!

They won’t know you have called multiple times.

Edit - sorry just gone back to remind myself of what you were contacting them about. I don’t think it will get a response back. There isn’t really a need for them to come back to you.

If your your voicemail message was unclear, then send another one, but I think with the email and the voicemail you’ll be fine.

 

[small_turtle]

They won’t know you have called multiple times.

Edit - sorry just gone back to remind myself of what you were contacting them about. I don’t think it will get a response back. There isn’t really a need for them to come back to you.

If your your voicemail message was unclear, then send another one, but I think with the email and the voicemail you’ll be fine.

Phew - thank you so much @Jessica Booker !

 

[WiseOwl]

Hi @Jessica Booker - would you have any advice for Clifford Chance's TC application? The question requires applicants to write about their extra-curricular activities and positions of responsibility within a word limit of 600 words. What would be an appropriate number of words to write (as 600 is a very large amount)?

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hello @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Could you please tell me what's the right version of the word "judgment"? Is it without an 'e' or with an 'e'? I've read a few articles and there is a lot of conflicting information out there.

Thanks.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker - would you have any advice for Clifford Chance's TC application? The question requires applicants to write about their extra-curricular activities and positions of responsibility within a word limit of 600 words. What would be an appropriate number of words to write (as 600 is a very large amount)?

I’d aim for as close to 600 words as possible. Use the STAR method to explain key achievements in those activities and you’ll get to the 600 word limit.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hello @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Could you please tell me what's the right version of the word "judgment"? Is it without an 'e' or with an 'e'? I've read a few articles and there is a lot of conflicting information out there.

Thanks.

They are both technically correct. If you want to be super diligent, look at how the firm spells it on their website.

 

[Hamilton]

Hi @Jessica Booker, I have a quick query regarding strengths-based assessments, like the one offered by Reed Smith. When they assess each test result, is it standard practice in the industry to have a combination of three specific strengths which they will accept (for example, commercial awareness, attention to detail and sociability) and no others? Or is there a slightly broader combination that they will accept, like the previous three examples and one or two additional strengths? It would be valuable to understand how this works. Thank you

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker, I have a quick query regarding strengths-based assessments, like the one offered by Reed Smith. When they assess each test result, is it standard practice in the industry to have a combination of three specific strengths which they will accept (for example, commercial awareness, attention to detail and sociability) and no others? Or is there a slightly broader combination that they will accept, like the previous three examples and one or two additional strengths? It would be valuable to understand how this works. Thank you

It will be varied combinations, but each firm will have their own emphasis. For instance you could face very similar questions for different firms, but they could be looking for the opposite combinations - so there isn’t really an “industry” standard, just individual firm standards.

 

[Hamilton]

It will be varied combinations, but each firm will have their own emphasis. For instance you could face very similar questions for different firms, but they could be looking for the opposite combinations - so there isn’t really an “industry” standard, just individual firm standards.

Thanks a lot!

 

[syw]

Hi @Jessica Booker , for the question ''Based on your research, what do you understand to be the biggest opportunity for one of the sectors in which we specialise? '' (150w) - do you think a discussion around the opportunities related to responding to increased threats of chemical warfare for private/public sector authorities in the defence & security sector is fine? (This is one of Bird & Birds sectors). I was thinking of going along the lines of opportunities relating to the need for more preventative research/increased cross-industry collaboration (tech,science, air, space etc, greater financial budgets etc).

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker , for the question ''Based on your research, what do you understand to be the biggest opportunity for one of the sectors in which we specialise? '' (150w) - do you think a discussion around the opportunities related to responding to increased threats of chemical warfare for private/public sector authorities in the defence & security sector is fine? (This is one of Bird & Birds sectors). I was thinking of going along the lines of opportunities relating to the need for more preventative research/increased cross-industry collaboration (tech,science, air, space etc, greater financial budgets etc).

I can’t say I am an expert in the topic to know whether this is appropriate or not unfortunately.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hello, @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Could you please tell me, while answering "Please share the month you graduate from your degree?", do we put the month in which we take our last exam or do we put the month in which we will get our provisional degree? For me, the former is May and the latter is August. Also, does this answer impact anything at all? It's a compulsory question and I don't want the Grad Rec team to defer anything just because I put August.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hello, @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Could you please tell me, while answering "Please share the month you graduate from your degree?", do we put the month in which we take our last exam or do we put the month in which we will get our provisional degree? For me, the former is May and the latter is August. Also, does this answer impact anything at all? It's a compulsory question and I don't want the Grad Rec team to defer anything just because I put August.

You go with your graduation date. It won’t have any impact on your application.

 

[Bevtee]

Hi @Jessica Booker in your experience, do law firms ever give someone a training contract if they answered some tough questions stupidly wrong in interview? If say, everything else went well/ they liked the person? Not sure if firms look for potential in applicants or they want they to be perfect - after a bad interview wondering if there’s any hope😅

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker in your experience, do law firms ever give someone a training contract if they answered some tough questions stupidly wrong in interview? If say, everything else went well/ they liked the person? Not sure if firms look for potential in applicants or they want they to be perfect - after a bad interview wondering if there’s any hope😅

It depends on how many is “some” - an occasional completely wrong answer could be over looked. Multiple answers are less likely to be.

I suspect your answers are no where near as bad as you think they are though.