Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[avocadotoast]

Hi Jessica,

I hope you're well.

I recently finished my TC application for White & Case, only to realise that I ended my cover letter with 'Yours Sincerely' instead of 'Yours sincerely'.

Have I completely ruined my chances? Or is there hope?

 

[IntrepidL]

A commercial article will have a very different approach to a commercial case study. Which one will you be doing?

A commercial article please

 

[S321]

Hello! I’m currently a paralegal for GLP and I imagine what they are looking for is as Jessica says more about your interest in the work. Express why you are interested in government work, doing things like drafting bills and shaping policy. It’s very different to law firms, as lawyers’ clients are mostly policy/fellow civil service professionals (as well as ultimately ministers). Could also write about why you are interested in the civil service in general and why a profession with a duty to uphold the rule of law appeals to you. Just a few ideas, hope this helps. Do drop me a message if you’d like

Also just for info for anyone applying, it recently became GLP rather than GLS so do avoid using GLS if possible!

Thank you! Thats also very helpful

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

I hope you're well.

I recently finished my TC application for White & Case, only to realise that I ended my cover letter with 'Yours Sincerely' instead of 'Yours sincerely'.

Have I completely ruined my chances? Or is there hope?

no - exceptionally minor error that wouldn’t concern people solely own its own.

 

[James Smith]

Hi Jessica!

I’ve a TC interview with a Silver Circle firm early next week, which will include a business case study. We haven’t been given additional information on it, so I suppose no specific preparation is possible, such as reading up on M&A. What’re your tips on how to approach a business case study? What do you recommend on how to structure my thinking and answer, for instance with “PESTLE”? etc.


I agree this is a very board question, but any tip would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks in advance!!


James

 

[avocadotoast]

no - exceptionally minor error that wouldn’t concern people solely own its own.

Okay, thank you so much!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica!

I’ve a TC interview with a Silver Circle firm early next week, which will include a business case study. We haven’t been given additional information on it, so I suppose no specific preparation is possible, such as reading up on M&A. What’re your tips on how to approach a business case study? What do you recommend on how to structure my thinking and answer, for instance with “PESTLE”? etc.


I agree this is a very board question, but any tip would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks in advance!!


James

PESTLE may not be the best approach to take unless you are asked to do it/are asked to consider those factors.

Many case studies are simulations of client work, so if you get one with this format you need to think about the client carefully. You will probably be given a lot of information, some of it more relevant than other parts, and it’s your job to distil the information and then present the most relevant points to the client (or your interviewers).

Think carefully about the following type of questions:

- what will/is the client be most concerned about
- what should the client be most convented about
- what actions need to be prioritised (by the firm, by the client, by any other parties)

 

[dosblancos7]

What did they say in their response?

I suspect it to be strict and that if you can wait until October, you should.

Hi, I just saw this now.

The email i received in March was "
Hi Dos,

Thanks for reaching out. Yes, you will be permitted to apply for this programme when the application window opens in August.
Please let me know if you have any additional queries."

Whilst reassuring, this goes against the website of the 12 months statement.

I sent them another email about a TC application specifically, and they only said that "you will be permitted" to re-apply.(though didn't make any mention of the dates I said earlier).

 

[Talha]

Hello @Jessica Booker,

I hopw you are well and thankyou for taking time to read my question.

I need an opinion from you as you have experienced the recruitment.

So the scenario is that I have applied to some big names, and in my cover letter I have mentioned that i have secured a place in LLM program of a University where I will commence my studies in September, 2020. I linked this particular LLM specializations to their practice areas.

Now the situation is changed/different, the teaching is going online and I am not very much inclined to go for online LLM.

So now I at this point decide to skip the LLM or defer the same and I applied for TC in 2022.

Then later I am shorlisted for Interview and then I tell them about ny situation.

So due the aforementioned scenario what is the likely effect of this on my recruitment and TC decision? Is it going to have a impact because they might have shortlisted me just because I had to commence LLM.

I shall be very grateful for your guidance and opinion. Looking forward to hearing from you soon.


Thanks.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi, I just saw this now.

The email i received in March was "
Hi Dos,

Thanks for reaching out. Yes, you will be permitted to apply for this programme when the application window opens in August.
Please let me know if you have any additional queries."

Whilst reassuring, this goes against the website of the 12 months statement.

I sent them another email about a TC application specifically, and they only said that "you will be permitted" to re-apply.(though didn't make any mention of the dates I said earlier).

I would apply based on what they have said.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hello @Jessica Booker,

I hopw you are well and thankyou for taking time to read my question.

I need an opinion from you as you have experienced the recruitment.

So the scenario is that I have applied to some big names, and in my cover letter I have mentioned that i have secured a place in LLM program of a University where I will commence my studies in September, 2020. I linked this particular LLM specializations to their practice areas.

Now the situation is changed/different, the teaching is going online and I am not very much inclined to go for online LLM.

So now I at this point decide to skip the LLM or defer the same and I applied for TC in 2022.

Then later I am shorlisted for Interview and then I tell them about ny situation.

So due the aforementioned scenario what is the likely effect of this on my recruitment and TC decision? Is it going to have a impact because they might have shortlisted me just because I had to commence LLM.

I shall be very grateful for your guidance and opinion. Looking forward to hearing from you soon.


Thanks.

It won’t affect any decision on your application - there is complete logic in why you would choose to not pursue it or defer it for an additional year. The only way it would is if you wanted to defer for a year later than the current vacancy they are currently recruiting for. Deferrals pre offer in the current market and with the SQE coming in are probably less likely to be supported.

 

[Talha]

It won’t affect any decision on your application - there is complete logic in why you would choose to not pursue it or defer it for an additional year. The only way it would is if you wanted to defer for a year later than the current vacancy they are currently recruiting for. Deferrals pre offer in the current market and with the SQE coming in are probably less likely to be supported.

Thankyou so much for your response. Much appreciated.

 

[B474]

I'm a mature student from Europe, interested in studying and practicing Law as a Solicitor in the UK. I am concerned about my job prospects since I don't have any A levels.

I took a "Science" direction while in high school and the graduation grade average isn't high. In order to gain admission to a university, I will either have to study and sit the A level examinations which isn't an option for me at this point, or do an Access Course/Foundation year.

I am aware of the fact that some of the Law firms are using the UCAS points system to filter applicants and being a foreign student, I am wondering, will my ability to gain employment in these firms depend on if I have any A levels or strong high school grades?

I'm trying to decide whether should I pursue that path, as I don't want to have limited career opportunities.

 

[Jessica Booker]

I am struggling to answer the question "Have you ever had to resit an exam?". My issue is that I failed one exam in my first year at uni but I didn't "have to" resit it as it was only an optional module and I passed the year without resiting it. Should I just press "No" and they can basically see from the mark I got that I failed.

Exactly - do what you have said.

 

[Jessica Booker]

I'm a mature student from Europe, interested in studying and practicing Law as a Solicitor in the UK. I am concerned about my job prospects since I don't have any A levels.

I took a "Science" direction while in high school and the graduation grade average isn't high. In order to gain admission to a university, I will either have to study and sit the A level examinations which isn't an option for me at this point, or do an Access Course/Foundation year.

I am aware of the fact that some of the Law firms are using the UCAS points system to filter applicants and being a foreign student, I am wondering, will my ability to gain employment in these firms depend on if I have any A levels or strong high school grades?

I'm trying to decide whether should I pursue that path, as I don't want to have limited career opportunities.

it’s not an issue that you haven’t studied a-levels - lots of people in the U.K. don’t study a levels it is just an easy way for firms to give guidance on the academic grades they will be expecting. There will be an approximate equivalent to your high school grades But it sounds like if you have to do an access course, these won’t be comparable to firms who need to see As or Bs at A-level.

Some firms may consider your Access Course though as an equivalent as they now have a UCAS tariff attached to them. So if you did well in your access course and this equated to the equivalent of A-levels requirements, you could apply to firms.

 

[B474]

it’s not an issue that you haven’t studied a-levels - lots of people in the U.K. don’t study a levels it is just an easy way for firms to give guidance on the academic grades they will be expecting. There will be an approximate equivalent to your high school grades But it sounds like if you have to do an access course, these won’t be comparable to firms who need to see As or Bs at A-level.

Some firms may consider your Access Course though as an equivalent as they now have a UCAS tariff attached to them. So if you did well in your access course and this equated to the equivalent of A-levels requirements, you could apply to firms.

I will do an Access Course then. Thank you very much!

 

[jan28]

Hi Jessica,

How similar/dissimilar should our answers for the conversion interview be from our vac scheme interviews? With questions regarding why that firm and why commercial law, for instance, I would be able to talk about my experience at the firm. But for other competency questions I'd probably talk about the same thing and not sure if this is ok or not as grad rec probably looked at the notes given by the vac scheme interviewers?

(I'm pretty sure this has been asked before but I can't seem to find it so apologies!)

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

How similar/dissimilar should our answers for the conversion interview be from our vac scheme interviews? With questions regarding why that firm and why commercial law, for instance, I would be able to talk about my experience at the firm. But for other competency questions I'd probably talk about the same thing and not sure if this is ok or not as grad rec probably looked at the notes given by the vac scheme interviewers?

(I'm pretty sure this has been asked before but I can't seem to find it so apologies!)

I’d expect questions to be different - so answers are likely to be too.

You are going to have to discuss much more about what you have done since your VS application/interview - what you have learnt/what skills you have developed/what you have gained from your vac scheme. I suspect any motivational questions to be a bit more thorough too.

I very much doubt you will be asked the same competency type questions, as these will have been covered in your earlier assessments. If you were, then you wouldn’t be interviewed by the same people and they are unlikely to have your interview notes, so wouldn’t really know whether your answers were the same or not. Even if they were, I’m not convinced interview notes would be that thorough enough for someone to even be able to see your examples. And even if they were, again I am not sure your interviewers would care (to be frank).

 

[jan28]

I’d expect questions to be different - so answers are likely to be too.

You are going to have to discuss much more about what you have done since your VS application/interview - what you have learnt/what skills you have developed/what you have gained from your vac scheme. I suspect any motivational questions to be a bit more thorough too.

I very much doubt you will be asked the same competency type questions, as these will have been covered in your earlier assessments. If you were, then you wouldn’t be interviewed by the same people and they are unlikely to have your interview notes, so wouldn’t really know whether your answers were the same or not. Even if they were, I’m not convinced interview notes would be that thorough enough for someone to even be able to see your examples. And even if they were, again I am not sure your interviewers would care (to be frank).

Great, thank you!

 

[Dannys]

Just a quick question about typo in an app that I just submitted!

Right after submitting an application I realised I wrote that I previously applied for ‘Vacation Scheme summer 2022’ when it should read ‘Summer 2020.’ The application doesn’t close for another month and I checked over the rest of the application 100 times before submitting!

Would it be worth contacting grad rec to clarify or is it obvious/they might not realise? Deadline for applying is July 31.

Thanks for your help!