Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

Today I received an AC invite from CMS for the 11th of January. However, I start a new job on the 8th of January, which is law-related but not something I want to do for the long term, as I am hoping to secure a training contract. From an HR and recruiter perspective, what is the best way to communicate that I have an AC to my employer, so soon after starting the job? Do you think it will be seen as unprofessional?

Many thanks

I personally wouldn’t suggest this. I would speak to CMS if they can provide you an alternative date in the first instance, and explain it is your first week in a new job and it will be very difficult for you to get the time off work.

I would be expecting CMS to be running a series of AC dates are are likely to have alternative dates you could attend instead.

 

[mariistm]

I personally wouldn’t suggest this. I would speak to CMS if they can provide you an alternative date in the first instance, and explain it is your first week in a new job and it will be very difficult for you to get the time off work.

I would be expecting CMS to be running a series of AC dates are are likely to have alternative dates you could attend instead.

Great, thank you! There was only one date available to choose from on the website, which is why I thought I only have that as an option, but I will contact them to enquire about it.

 

[trainee25_]

How would you go about asking to change the location of your TC?

My partner has a TC in Ireland with a firm, which he got via a vac scheme. He accepted this however his family circumstances have changed, one member being unwell, and he is reluctant to go now as family are in England. The firm has a London office and offers TCs there. Do you have any advice on how to approach asking for this?

 

[Jessica Booker]

How would you go about asking to change the location of your TC?

My partner has a TC in Ireland with a firm, which he got via a vac scheme. He accepted this however his family circumstances have changed, one member being unwell, and he is reluctant to go now as family are in England. The firm has a London office and offers TCs there. Do you have any advice on how to approach asking for this?

You can ask and explain the reasoning but the firm has no responsibility to move the opportunity to London, and they could easily say no or at least ask your partner to complete the process again for London.

My advice is to go in asking what the options are to look into the possibility of moving, rather than asking for the TC to be moved.

 

[trainee25_]

You can ask and explain the reasoning but the firm has no responsibility to move the opportunity to London, and they could easily say no or at least ask your partner to complete the process again for London.

My advice is to go in asking what the options are to look into the possibility of moving, rather than asking for the TC to be moved.

Thank you for the advice! Really helpful

 

[evie99]

Hi Jess, I am currently finishing off a graduate scheme at a Big 4 and have decided I want to move into to law. Since a lot of firms recruit solely/ mainly from vacation schemes and I have no legal work experience, applying for vacation schemes seemed like the good idea but now I'm wondering how/if I'll be able to attend one. I've been told by people just to take annual leave and not tell anyone at the firm but that just seems too risky. Are vacation schemes even a feasible option for someone in my position or should I be focussing on direct TC applications?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jess, I am currently finishing off a graduate scheme at a Big 4 and have decided I want to move into to law. Since a lot of firms recruit solely/ mainly from vacation schemes and I have no legal work experience, applying for vacation schemes seemed like the good idea but now I'm wondering how/if I'll be able to attend one. I've been told by people just to take annual leave and not tell anyone at the firm but that just seems too risky. Are vacation schemes even a feasible option for someone in my position or should I be focussing on direct TC applications?

Definitely not a good idea to not disclose it - conflict checks alone mean you’ll need to disclose this to both your current employer and the law firm you do a vacation scheme with.

I have seen people do vacation schemes but they have either

1) got approval from their current employer

Or

2) Left their job to attend the vacation scheme (extreme but have seen people do this)

Most people will just apply to direct TC opportunities instead though.

 

[hungry_for_TC]

Can a mitigating circumstance be having to defend my houseshare of 7 against our landlord, who was not awarding us warm water, working gas, nor wanted to remove black mould from our house? I spend a considerable amount of time (months during my PDGL) dealing with the estate agents and trying to make our living conditions improve... I don't really know how to say this in a way that sounds 'professional' and not petty against landlords, additionally I feel like I come across as not coming from a good enough background for these elite firms due to living in a squalor-house. Lol.

 

[F12M34L]

When a firm asks your key strengths - is it skills or qualities? can we mention both of them? @Jessica Booker

 

[Patrick]

Hi Jessica,

I am a non-law student wondering about the TC process.

If a firm offers the city consortium programme with BPP how does this fit into the PGDL / SQE preparation?

thank you

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

I am a non-law student wondering about the TC process.

If a firm offers the city consortium programme with BPP how does this fit into the PGDL / SQE preparation?

thank you

There’s a really useful diagram as to how it works and the timescales here:

https://www.slaughterandmay.com/media/rs2jvepv/the-city-consortium-solicitor-training-programme.pdf

You would complete the PGDL before the CC course though.

 

[futuretraineecity]

@Jessica Booker how likely are you to be able to take a few months off (either sabbatical or between jobs) as an associate? Is it unlikely when you are more junior?

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker how likely are you to be able to take a few months off (either sabbatical or between jobs) as an associate? Is it unlikely when you are more junior?

Many firms give a period of NQ leave upon qualification.

Typically a sabbatical will be offered on the basis of you accumulating enough service - this will be somewhere between a minimum of 3-5 years for most firms. Some firms let you buy sabbatical leave each year with the view that this is saved up over a number of years and then you are paid when you take the leave, rather than it being unpaid.

If this is something you want to explore, it is worthwhile asking the firm about its policy, whether that is via HR or more informally via lawyers who have been at the firm for 5+ years.

I have only known sabbatical leave though - the firm wouldn’t let you leave to work elsewhere, unless it was on a secondment basis/they knew you’d return to the firm.

 

[futuretraineecity]

Many firms give a period of NQ leave upon qualification.

Typically a sabbatical will be offered on the basis of you accumulating enough service - this will be somewhere between a minimum of 3-5 years for most firms. Some firms let you buy sabbatical leave each year with the view that this is saved up over a number of years and then you are paid when you take the leave, rather than it being unpaid.

If this is something you want to explore, it is worthwhile asking the firm about its policy, whether that is via HR or more informally via lawyers who have been at the firm for 5+ years.

I have only known sabbatical leave though - the firm wouldn’t let you leave to work elsewhere, unless it was on a secondment basis/they knew you’d return to the firm.

Thank you!

 

[Lastseasonwonder]

Hi @Jessica Booker, I have an upcoming AC with a firm who have mentioned a written exercise. I have no idea what the written exercise will be about nor what the rest of the day looks like (I assume interviews). How should I prepare for it? It is not my first AC, but usually I can find out about the AC online but not with this firm.

@axelbeugre - curious what you also think?

 

[axelbeugre]

Hi @Jessica Booker, I have an upcoming AC with a firm who have mentioned a written exercise. I have no idea what the written exercise will be about nor what the rest of the day looks like (I assume interviews). How should I prepare for it? It is not my first AC, but usually I can find out about the AC online but not with this firm.

@axelbeugre - curious what you also think?

Congratulations on obtaining an assessment centre in the first place!

The best way to deal with situations like these is reach out to people who are future trainees at the firm who have recently gone through the process.

Every law firm does things very differently and the only way you have to understand what you are going to face is if you speak to people that did the assessment centre and are able to share the experiences they had on it with you.

I did write some tips on assessment centres and written exercises that might be helpful to you: https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....ns-discussion-thread-2023-24.8037/post-167210
https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....ns-discussion-thread-2023-24.8037/post-156677

I hope these are useful and good luck with your assessment!

 

[Lastseasonwonder]

Congratulations on obtaining an assessment centre in the first place!

The best way to deal with situations like these is reach out to people who are future trainees at the firm who have recently gone through the process.

Every law firm does things very differently and the only way you have to understand what you are going to face is if you speak to people that did the assessment centre and are able to share the experiences they had on it with you.

I did write some tips on assessment centres and written exercises that might be helpful to you: https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....ns-discussion-thread-2023-24.8037/post-167210
https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....ns-discussion-thread-2023-24.8037/post-156677

I hope these are useful and good luck with your assessment!

Thank you, I will take a look.

 

[CHLTC]

Hi @Jessica Booker ,

I just got off the phone with a Silver Circle firm I went to the AC for, but got rejected post AC. This was a feedback call.

I learnt from the call that if you get to an AC but then don't get the VS, you can never re apply? I find that so incredibly harsh. Honestly, that has deflated me so much. You come so close, get such strong contract with the firm, you spend a whole day there, and then just when you are in touching distance, that's it? You can never try again.

This therefore means, every time you get an AC, and then get rejected post AC, that it, that firm is banned 'for life'.

Honestly gutting.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker ,

I just got off the phone with a Silver Circle firm I went to the AC for, but got rejected post AC. This was a feedback call.

I learnt from the call that if you get to an AC but then don't get the VS, you can never re apply? I find that so incredibly harsh. Honestly, that has deflated me so much. You come so close, get such strong contract with the firm, you spend a whole day there, and then just when you are in touching distance, that's it? You can never try again.

This therefore means, every time you get an AC, and then get rejected post AC, that it, that firm is banned 'for life'.

Honestly gutting.

I don’t agree with the policy but it is unfortunately what that specific firm has in place. Most other firms will not have that policy at all, so although it is frustrating particularly for this one firm, not every other firm will treat you in this same way.

 

[ellabasing]

Hi Jess,
I have been applying to Vacation Schemes for this summer with the hope of securing a TC, but unfortunately, have not yet been successful. While I am waiting to hear back from the remaining few, I have also been looking into applying for Paralegal/Legal Secretary roles in the case that I am not able to secure a VS. I originally planned to start my PGDL this September, however would you recommend to just apply for these roles despite not having completed this qualification yet or is that something I can’t do until I complete the PGDL and SQE? I have tried to do some research on this, but it seems that some firms explicitly state these qualifications as prerequisites, while others do not. Any advice or information you have would be greatly appreciated!