Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[gg999]

Hi Jessica, questions re qualifications:

- In an application, when a firm asks ‘have you ever had to resist an exam’ - is this referring to all the exams I’ve ever done or just at degree level. Asking this because in my school it was quite common to have a few sits at exams especially at GCSE, so for example could sit maths once in year 9 then again in year 11. Degree transcripts show number of sits but GCSE and A-level do not so another factor to bear in mind.

- Secondly, after receiving an offer, are you required to provide proof of all qualifications including GCSEs or just A-Levels and degree?

Thanks!

Not sure about the first part of your question but I think they are referring to all the exams you have taken which include GCSES.

Yes, almost all firms will ask for and verify your GCSEs, A-levels and degree transcript. Usually a third party firm will undertake these verification checks on behalf of the firm.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica. When a firm asks if you require permission to the work in the UK in a vacation scheme application, are they referring to whether you need sponsorship for your training contract or just for the duration of the vacation scheme?
Furthermore if one does not need sponsorship during the training contract but need it for any post-TC/NQ positions, should they still disclose it at the application stage?

If it's a free text box, state something like ”Eligible to work outside of term time on my Tier 4 visa” on a vacation scheme application (assuming that is the case).

even with the new post study visa, you would need a visa for a training contract. The post study visa would expire part way through a training contract that’s two years long due to the gap between finishing your LPC and your TC starting.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica, questions re qualifications:

- In an application, when a firm asks ‘have you ever had to resit an exam’ - is this referring to all the exams I’ve ever done or just at degree level. Asking this because in my school it was quite common to have a few sits at exams especially at GCSE, so for example could sit maths once in year 9 then again in year 11 to improve my grade. Degree transcripts show number of sits but GCSE and A-level do not so another factor to bear in mind.

- Secondly, after receiving an offer, are you required to provide proof of all qualifications including GCSEs or just A-Levels and degree?

Thanks!

no - it doesn’t really mean these type of modular GCSE and A-level resits. It means more if you resat the whole course at that level.

you will have to provide any documentation that is requested. Many firms don’t ask for GCSEs - so you wouldn’t need to provide those then.

If a firm doesn’t have an A-level requirement, then it’s more likely you won’t have to provide your A-level certificates, even if you had to put the grades on the application.

You’d need to provide a full transcript and certificate for any degree/post graduate qualifications.

 

[amb98]

no - it doesn’t really mean these type of modular GCSE and A-level resits. It means more if you resat the whole course at that level.

you will have to provide any documentation that is requested. Many firms don’t ask for GCSEs - so you wouldn’t need to provide those then.

If a firm doesn’t have an A-level requirement, then it’s more likely you won’t have to provide your A-level certificates, even if you had to put the grades on the application.

You’d need to provide a full transcript and certificate for any degree/post graduate qualifications.

Thanks Jessica, I will dig out A-Level and GCSE transcripts/certificates as well in case they are needed by a firm!

 

[Asya]

Dear all,

Has anyone came across the below question:

'Lewis Silkin prides itself on delivering legal advice in a commercial way. What do you think it means to deliver legal advice in a commercial way?'

Thanking in advance.

 

[Will Jones]

Hi Jessica

A friend of mine was wondering if - as a general principle - one is better off applying for vacation schemes or training contracts at a firm? I realise a vac scheme is useful work experience plus most firms heavily recruit from their vac schemes, but equally wondered if you are past the usual application year (2nd for law; 3rd non law) if applying for vac schemes just mean you may unnecessarily delay yourself by another year? Plus I understand that vac schemes are actually more competitive to secure than TC offers themselves?

Thanks!

Will

 

[S321]

Hi Jessica

When I first sat my A-Levels in 2014, I completely failed with 2 U grades and an A. I then chose to go to a university that offered a foundation course in Law and I had enough UCAS points to get in. Whilst I was there I found the course poorly taught and applied to go back to college as I realised I would also struggle to get a career in Law with only one A-Level and I left that university in the second term before any submissions.

I then resat 2 of my A-Levels from 2015-2016 in an intensive one-year course at college and got into the university I originally wanted to and gained 2 B grades.

I just don't know how to explain this on an application at all, I disclose all my grades but haven't necessarily explained why there are gaps.

I know resits aren't great but could you advise me on how best to include this on my application?

Thank you

 

[Jessica Booker]

Dear all,

Has anyone came across the below question:

'Lewis Silkin prides itself on delivering legal advice in a commercial way. What do you think it means to deliver legal advice in a commercial way?'

Thanking in advance.

What are your thoughts on this so far?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica

A friend of mine was wondering if - as a general principle - one is better off applying for vacation schemes or training contracts at a firm? I realise a vac scheme is useful work experience plus most firms heavily recruit from their vac schemes, but equally wondered if you are past the usual application year (2nd for law; 3rd non law) if applying for vac schemes just mean you may unnecessarily delay yourself by another year? Plus I understand that vac schemes are actually more competitive to secure than TC offers themselves?

Thanks!

Will

There isn’t a general approach unfortunately.

The factors you need to consider:

- are you eligible for the vacation schemes
- what is the ratio of vacation scheme places to training contracts
- when you are applying/have you missed application deadlines, and how this may impact your start date (as you have suggested)
- whether you are able to commit to a vacation scheme

etc...

All of the above means it is a very individual decision that even varies with the same person but across different applications.

vacation schemes are not always more competitive than training contracts. It very much depends on the firm, the timing of the vacation scheme and how many places there are.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica

When I first sat my A-Levels in 2014, I completely failed with 2 U grades and an A. I then chose to go to a university that offered a foundation course in Law and I had enough UCAS points to get in. Whilst I was there I found the course poorly taught and applied to go back to college as I realised I would also struggle to get a career in Law with only one A-Level and I left that university in the second term before any submissions.

I then resat 2 of my A-Levels from 2015-2016 in an intensive one-year course at college and got into the university I originally wanted to and gained 2 B grades.

I just don't know how to explain this on an application at all, I disclose all my grades but haven't necessarily explained why there are gaps.

I know resits aren't great but could you advise me on how best to include this on my application?

Thank you

You need to provide the AUU grades from 2014. You will then need to say you got 2 x B grades in 2016 after a one year intense course.

In any additional information section explain you started but didn’t complete the foundation course as you didn’t think the tuition was of a good enough standard (to explain the gap between A-levels).

use any free text boxes or additional information sections to explain this.

Word of warning - some firms may not consider you where your A-levels are sat across different years. It is probably contacting each firm you want to apply to, to check your eligibility. Obviously not an issue if they have no A-level criteria

 

[S321]

You need to provide the AUU grades from 2014. You will then need to say you got 2 x B grades in 2016 after a one year intense course.

In any additional information section explain you started but didn’t complete the foundation course as you didn’t think the tuition was of a good enough standard (to explain the gap between A-levels).

use any free text boxes or additional information sections to explain this.

Word of warning - some firms may not consider you where your A-levels are sat across different years. It is probably contacting each firm you want to apply to, to check your eligibility. Obviously not an issue if they have no A-level criteria

Thank you for your response!

Just to add to this, one of the reasons I had failed was because I had dyslexia, but none of my school tutors recognised this, it was only when I went to college for an intense one year course it was recognised.

This is of course not by any means an excuse, just a reason why I didn't succeed as much as I could have. What are your opinions on disclosing that I am dyslexic? Will some firms just assume I'm incapable? I know how competitive the field is and I don't know whether disclosing dyslexia would hold me back even more.

 

[Changes]

Hi Jessica

I hope you are well?

Im having a bit of a nightmare trying to work out my 'overall degree percentage' for an application. It is not on my student transcript. I emailed my university and they told me to refer to my transcript to work it out which is not very helpful.

I have come out with two figures so far, 61% and 62% and I do not know which one is correct.

The first method I used was to just to work it out using my penultimate and final year scores which were 57.4 and 64.8. This came out at 61.2 which I assume would be rounded down to 61%.

But, if the two figures were rounded up and down before calculating (57% and 65%), it would work out to 61.8 and be rounded up to 62%.

I would be grateful for any input as to the most reasonable way to approach the calculation.

You may have done this already but I wouldn’t round the single year averages when calculating the overall average.

Personally I just did the calculation in one go:

(2nd year weighted average + 3rd year weighted average)

1/3(2nd year total/number of modules) + 2/3(3rd year total/number of modules)

Then round that total up ot down using the greater than or equal to .5 means rounding up rule.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you for your response!

Just to add to this, one of the reasons I had failed was because I had dyslexia, but none of my school tutors recognised this, it was only when I went to college for an intense one year course it was recognised.

This is of course not by any means an excuse, just a reason why I didn't succeed as much as I could have. What are your opinions on disclosing that I am dyslexic? Will some firms just assume I'm incapable? I know how competitive the field is and I don't know whether disclosing dyslexia would hold me back even more.

that’s legitimate extenuating circumstances and should be explained too.

there are plenty of lawyers who are dyslexic and are able to manage it. It is not an issue to declare it but in your instance you have to declare it to explain the U grades - if you don’t explain it, recruiters will think you are incapable based on U grades (which are exceptionally rare in applications).

 

[Camilla]

You may have done this already but I wouldn’t round the single year averages when calculating the overall average.

Personally I just did the calculation in one go:

(2nd year weighted average + 3rd year weighted average)

1/3(2nd year total/number of modules) + 2/3(3rd year total/number of modules)

Then round that total up ot down using the greater than or equal to .5 means rounding up rule.

Thanks! I emailed my law school and they told me what my percentage would be. The figure they gave (61.8) was the figure I arrived at when I rounded the single year averages.

I hope they are right... I wish it was on the transcript.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thanks! I emailed my law school and they told me what my percentage would be. The figure they gave (61.8) was the figure I arrived at when I rounded the single year averages.

I hope they are right... I wish it was on the transcript.

I wouldn’t over worry about this. If there was any discrepancy it would be easily explained to a reference check company and they wouldn’t be worried about such a difference anyway.

 

[Camilla]

I wouldn’t over worry about this. If there was any discrepancy it would be easily explained to a reference check company and they wouldn’t be worried about such a difference anyway.

Thanks Jessica!

 

[S321]

that’s legitimate extenuating circumstances and should be explained too.

there are plenty of lawyers who are dyslexic and are able to manage it. It is not an issue to declare it but in your instance you have to declare it to explain the U grades - if you don’t explain it, recruiters will think you are incapable based on U grades (which are exceptionally rare in applications).

Thankyou Jessica.

How much do you think this would hold me back when I’m applying to firms with no A-Level expectations?

Should I still contact the firms and explain?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thankyou Jessica.

How much do you think this would hold me back when I’m applying to firms with no A-Level expectations?

Should I still contact the firms and explain?

I don’t think that alone will hold you back. But the rest of your academics will need to be strong as you are relying on them more than the next candidate.

for someone in your position, I would put effort in trying to engage with the firms you are particularly interested in. By that I mean, it will be important to attend open days/virtual events/network. It means your name is more likely to be recognise than if you were applying cold.

For those you can’t engage with, where you can just explain all the circumstances on the application form, then contact them before hand to explain your circumstances and get their view on things.

 

[NCLaw]

Hiya @Jessica Booker,

I am answering a question which asks me to describe a challenging situation and what I learnt from it. I have quite a bit of paralegal experience so do you think it would be best to use an example from my legal experience rather than extra curricular/hobbies/previous non-legal experience? As long as my answer was as detailed/good as it would be for a non legal example of course.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hiya @Jessica Booker,

I am answering a question which asks me to describe a challenging situation and what I learnt from it. I have quite a bit of paralegal experience so do you think it would be best to use an example from my legal experience rather than extra curricular/hobbies/previous non-legal experience? As long as my answer was as detailed/good as it would be for a non legal example of course.

whatever is the best example in terms of personal challenge - it doesn’t really matter where it comes from, although I also recommend it should be relatively recent (eg in the last 3 years max).