Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[Jessica Booker]

Hello, @Jessica Booker hope you are well. Had a question regarding a work-ex entry. I interned with an Indian law firm which is insurance focussed and also shares a best-friends relationship with Kennedys. Does this UK connection make the work experience any different/convincing just because it was with a firm that shares a best-friends relationship with a UK firm? Does it show that I am interested in the UK legal market or do I have to talk about it explicitly (something along the lines of "I applied to firm X since I wanted an opportunity to work on matters that crossed into the UK jurisdiction)?

Q2 - Because 99% of my work was Insurance law related, does it disadvantage me in any manner if I use this work experience entry in applying to firms that do not do Insurance at a huge scale?

Thanks in advance.

The Indian firm having a UK connection on a best-friends network won't necessarily showcase a clearer reason why you are pursuing a career in the UK. You really need to talk about what it was about the work you did that would showcase this interest.

It is not an issue if this one internship was in insurance and the firm you are applying to does not have an insurance specialism.

 

[Wazflame]

Hi @Jessica Booker I hope you're doing well! I was wondering if you had any insight as to whether, past the initial stage, interviews are ever assessed on a rolling basis? I've got an interview for White & Case's winter vacation scheme (with an associate and member of the Graduate Resourcing team) and I have a few time slots to pick: either this coming Friday or next week Monday. I know they offer 25 places per scheme so was wondering if there's any advantage in choosing the earliest available time for an interview, or if it doesn't matter? I'm available for any of the time slots so there's no availability issues - thanks!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker I hope you're doing well! I was wondering if you had any insight as to whether, past the initial stage, interviews are ever assessed on a rolling basis? I've got an interview for White & Case's winter vacation scheme (with an associate and member of the Graduate Resourcing team) and I have a few time slots to pick: either this coming Friday or next week Monday. I know they offer 25 places per scheme so was wondering if there's any advantage in choosing the earliest available time for an interview, or if it doesn't matter? I'm available for any of the time slots so there's no availability issues - thanks!

There won't be any difference between one working day, so I would go with the date that works best for you.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker, so I applied to Travers for the winter scheme and I disclosed my disability on the application, and it says the firm operates an automatic interview policy for candidates that meet the minimum application criteria and have a disability. I kind of assumed I’d get an interview invite like with NRF but I haven’t heard anything and apparently they have said they will only be inviting candidates to interview until today? Not sure whether to get in touch or not

You may still hear back today. I wouldn’t necessarily follow up until at some point next week if they said they wouldn’t come back to people until today.

 

[Lastseasonwonder]

Hi @Jessica Booker

I just got a missed call and I think it was a firm calling to invite me to interview. Tried calling back but got no response, which is understandable because it is a Friday evening. What should I do? Am I going to have to wait until next Monday (14th) to find out?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker

I just got a missed call and I think it was a firm calling to invite me to interview. Tried calling back but got no response, which is understandable because it is a Friday evening. What should I do? Am I going to have to wait until next Monday (14th) to find out?

Nothing you can do, unfortunately - you will need to wait until Monday as people are unlikely to pick up emails/calls over the weekend.

 

[Lastseasonwonder]

Nothing you can do, unfortunately - you will need to wait until Monday as people are unlikely to pick up emails/calls over the weekend.

What worries me is that they will have just offered my interview spot to someone else! Does this happen?

 

[Jessica Booker]

What worries me is that they will have just offered my interview spot to someone else! Does this happen?

This won’t happen. Not getting hold of people when you first call them is exceptionally common. Recruiters don’t just give up on good candidates just because they don’t answer their phone. In many cases, the best candidates are often the most busy and so you’d lose out talent if you took this approach.

 

[Lastseasonwonder]

This won’t happen. Not getting hold of people when you first call them is exceptionally common. Recruiters don’t just give up on good candidates just because they don’t answer their phone. In many cases, the best candidates are often the most busy and so you’d lose out talent if you took this approach.

Thank you for this! You are an absolute gem, Jessica - literally the backbone of TCLA!

Going to be a long wait until Monday, but I will occupy myself with lots to do over the weekend.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you for this! You are an absolute gem, Jessica - literally the backbone of TCLA!

Going to be a long wait until Monday, but I will occupy myself with lots to do over the weekend.

I know it will be difficult - they will call back though, and if not, you can always try and call back on Monday.

Remember if you can’t get hold of them, no one else can (it’s the weekend after all) so nothing will have changed over the weekend and since they called you this evening!

 

[Lastseasonwonder]

I know it will be difficult - they will call back though, and if not, you can always try and call back on Monday.

Remember if you can’t get hold of them, no one else can (it’s the weekend after all) so nothing will have changed over the weekend and since they called you this evening!

You are absolutely right, Jessica. Thanks again!

 

[Crystal86]

Hi @Jessica Booker out of curiosity, if a candidate has secured a vacation scheme does that mean they are likely to get offers from other law firms?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker out of curiosity, if a candidate has secured a vacation scheme does that mean they are likely to get offers from other law firms?

No - it really isn’t as simple as that due to the differences between firms.

You can potentially showcase yourself as a competitive candidate, but different firms value different things in candidates, and your motivations for one firm will be different to the next. Combined with different recruitment processes, you could have just found the firm you are most aligned to with the firm you secured a VS with, and find it more difficult to secure other schemes.

However, many candidates secure multiple schemes across firms - but that will be because they can demonstrate they are a good candidate for each of these firms in the different ways they require.

 

[chillblue]

Hi. Hope I am in the right place to post this. I have been invited to an Open day in London with DWF. Three is a group coaching session where we will work in pairs, as part of the application/strengths - based interview coaching sessions. The interview coaching one was full so I had to book on the application one.

They have asked us to prepare prior to the activity at least 2-3 bullets on one of the application/ strength based interview questions for the coaching session I have booked onto, then it gives you the three questions from the original written application. (I have attached the guidelines)

I dont quite understand what they are looking for ? I wonder if you could help and guide me in the right direction as I am keen to do my very best on the day! @Jessica Booker, I also messaged you personally.

Many thanks!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Just hit a major milestone in the TCLA forums - my last post was my 10,000th post in the forums 😲🤯🥳!

 

[cls33]

Hi Jessica,
I've been successful in my Winter Workshop application with Slaughters and am therefore guaranteed a TC interview. However, i've read on multiple websites that if you are being considered they call both your referees to have extensive conversation/questioning, and that this is a more important step for Slaughters than other firms who normally just confirm grades/workplace with referees. I am unsure what to do as the references I have listed (personal tutor for academic and manager at workplace in my part time job) do not really know me or my personality or capabilities, as personal tutors aren't very involved with students at my uni and I only see my fairly new manager when I go home to work during uni holidays. Any advice would be highly appreciated!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,
I've been successful in my Winter Workshop application with Slaughters and am therefore guaranteed a TC interview. However, i've read on multiple websites that if you are being considered they call both your referees to have extensive conversation/questioning, and that this is a more important step for Slaughters than other firms who normally just confirm grades/workplace with referees. I am unsure what to do as the references I have listed (personal tutor for academic and manager at workplace in my part time job) do not really know me or my personality or capabilities, as personal tutors aren't very involved with students at my uni and I only see my fairly new manager when I go home to work during uni holidays. Any advice would be highly appreciated!

Slaughters may want an extended reference, but it doesn't mean they get one. Many employers and academic institutions will only be willing to provide details of the factual information they know about the individual - many won't be willing to get into conversations about your personality or capabilities.

I would speak to your graduate recruitment contact about this. Explain you are concerned your referees won't be able to provide detailed feedback on you and whether you should provide alternative referees, and see what they say about it.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi. Hope I am in the right place to post this. I have been invited to an Open day in London with DWF. Three is a group coaching session where we will work in pairs, as part of the application/strengths - based interview coaching sessions. The interview coaching one was full so I had to book on the application one.

They have asked us to prepare prior to the activity at least 2-3 bullets on one of the application/ strength based interview questions for the coaching session I have booked onto, then it gives you the three questions from the original written application. (I have attached the guidelines)

I dont quite understand what they are looking for ? I wonder if you could help and guide me in the right direction as I am keen to do my very best on the day! @Jessica Booker, I also messaged you personally.

Many thanks!

I had a look at the document - but it's not entirely clear. I am assuming they want you to bring 2-3 points that would constitute your answer for one of the application questions.

 

[chillblue]

I had a look at the document - but it's not entirely clear. I am assuming they want you to bring 2-3 points that would constitute your answer for one of the application questions.

Thanks Jessica, do you think it would be okay to confirm this with the emerging talent team, as I dont want to get it wrong, its just a bit odd as I have already answered these questions on the application. If I ask them will I be frowned upon do you think? Thanks for looking at the document and coming back to me. really appreciate that.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thanks Jessica, do you think it would be okay to confirm this with the emerging talent team, as I dont want to get it wrong, its just a bit odd as I have already answered these questions on the application. If I ask them will I be frowned upon do you think? Thanks for looking at the document and coming back to me. really appreciate that.

Yes, I would contact them for clarity on it. That won’t be a problem at all.