Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

Should I simply rewrite the STAR bullet points of work experiences responsibilities and roles in the CV I uploaded into STAR short sentences, of about 150 words, on the work experience section of online applications?

Previous threads have said I shouldn't copy bullet points from my CV into the work experience section of applications. I'm wondering how else should the description of responsibilities and roles I write for the work experience section differ from my CV work experience to make the recruiter's job easier?

Should I repeat the same CV work experience information but add more details in the description of roles and responsibilities?

I personally wouldn’t.

STAR is not the appropriate approach to take for a CV or describing work experience.

STAR only is suitable if you are being asked about a specific competency eg “tell me about a time you have developed your team working skills”.

Ir definitely isn’t appropriate to format it in a STAR process if you only have 150 words. You just need to focus on the responsibilities you had, what you achieved/gained.

 

[JimTC]

Hi Jessica,

If STAR isn't appropriate in the CV for describing work experience. I'm wondering what is the suitable approach for describing work experiences in the CV?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

If STAR isn't appropriate in the CV for describing work experience. I'm wondering what is the suitable approach for describing work experiences in the CV?

focus on responsibilities and achievements in short and snappy bullet points.

 

[Lumree]

Hi Jessica,

In your experience, do spaces for vacation schemes regularly fill up before the deadline in firms that recruit on a rolling basis? Is there any sort of system to spread offers evenly across the deadline or is it just a matter of filling up based on the best candidates as and when they apply?

Thanks!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

In your experience, do spaces for vacation schemes regularly fill up before the deadline in firms that recruit on a rolling basis? Is there any sort of system to spread offers evenly across the deadline or is it just a matter of filling up based on the best candidates as and when they apply?

Thanks!

Typically interview slots fill up first. Firms will know they only need to do X number of interview to get to roughly Y hires. It’s rarely a case that a firm will still be screening applications and have filled all their vac scheme places.

 

[h2020]

Hi Jessica,

What would be the best way to answer this question? "Please use the space below to provide details of any careers events you have attended e.g. insight days, workshops, presentations etc. These do not need to be White & Case specific. (Max. 350 words)".

Do you think it's worth talking about each career event in detail and discussing what each event has taught me?

Thanks,
Hana

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

What would be the best way to answer this question? "Please use the space below to provide details of any careers events you have attended e.g. insight days, workshops, presentations etc. These do not need to be White & Case specific. (Max. 350 words)".

Do you think it's worth talking about each career event in detail and discussing what each event has taught me?

Thanks,
Hana

no don’t detail the events - people know what a careers event is. Just list them out and maybe a brief sentence or two on what you learnt from them/how they have shaped your career motivation (collectively).

 

[DavidJC]

Hi Jessica, is it normally necessary to include addresses and dates in a cover letter if it's submitted with an application form and would it also be necessary if firms leave big blank boxes in which to write your cover letter on the application form?

Thanks!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica, is it normally necessary to include addresses and dates in a cover letter if it's submitted with an application form and would it also be necessary if firms leave big blank boxes in which to write your cover letter on the application form?

Thanks!

If you can format the text box yes, if you can’t format the text box, no

 

[h2020]

no don’t detail the events - people know what a careers event is. Just list them out and maybe a brief sentence or two on what you learnt from them/how they have shaped your career motivation (collectively).

Thank you Jessica for your help.

 

[Elizabeth@1999]

I have had two vac schemes at firms and have been unsuccessful in getting a training contract at both. It's not great, but they both had bad odds (i.e. they run 3 or 4 vacation schemes a year with 18 people on each and accept direct TC apps too but only have 25-30 TC spaces pa). I now want to apply for direct TCs but I am worried recruiters will look at my two vac schemes and not want to hire me because I've been rejected following two vac schemes. I especially think this if they are firms that take quite a high percentage of people from their own vac schemes as they might assume I had done something really bad.

Should this be something I am concerned about?

 

[Jaysen]

I have had two vac schemes at firms and have been unsuccessful in getting a training contract at both. It's not great, but they both had bad odds (i.e. they run 3 or 4 vacation schemes a year with 18 people on each and accept direct TC apps too but only have 25-30 TC spaces pa). I now want to apply for direct TCs but I am worried recruiters will look at my two vac schemes and not want to hire me because I've been rejected following two vac schemes. I especially think this if they are firms that take quite a high percentage of people from their own vac schemes as they might assume I had done something really bad.

Should this be something I am concerned about?

No, you shouldn't worry about this. Firms know how competitive vacation schemes are and that candidates may improve over time. If anything, it'll look great that you've managed to secure two. Sometimes they'll ask in interviews why you didn't convert your scheme but that's something you can just prepare an answer to.

 

[Jessica Booker]

I have had two vac schemes at firms and have been unsuccessful in getting a training contract at both. It's not great, but they both had bad odds (i.e. they run 3 or 4 vacation schemes a year with 18 people on each and accept direct TC apps too but only have 25-30 TC spaces pa). I now want to apply for direct TCs but I am worried recruiters will look at my two vac schemes and not want to hire me because I've been rejected following two vac schemes. I especially think this if they are firms that take quite a high percentage of people from their own vac schemes as they might assume I had done something really bad.

Should this be something I am concerned about?

no - you shouldn’t worry about this.

1) unless you are explicitly asked to declare why you did not secure a TC with them, it’s an assumption that you were rejected - you could be holding their offer or have turned them down still

2) even if it is clear that you were rejected the reasons for being so could not apply to subsequent firms you apply to (eg cultural and team fit, interest in certain practice areas)

Loads of people in your situation go on the secure TC with firms - I’d try not to get hung up on it, and instead focus on how you can showcase how you have taken feedback from those two Vac schemes on.

 

[Kathryn]

Hi Jessica

One application I am applying to limits you to 4 work experience sections and 4 voluntary experience sections. They've given no explanation alongside, so presumably the voluntary is pure charitable/ pro bono stuff, and the work experience is any time spent in the workplace.

My experience consists of 7 legal work experiences and 2 non legal, but only 2 pure charitable bits.

I would be able to speak about far more if I split my activities across these sections by putting paid work in WE and unpaid in VE (since a number of my legal work experiences were unpaid). Is that a no no?

Thanks ever so much.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica

One application I am applying to limits you to 4 work experience sections and 4 voluntary experience sections. They've given no explanation alongside, so presumably the voluntary is pure charitable/ pro bono stuff, and the work experience is any time spent in the workplace.

My experience consists of 7 legal work experiences and 2 non legal, but only 2 pure charitable bits.

I would be able to speak about far more if I split my activities across these sections by putting paid work in WE and unpaid in VE (since a number of my legal work experiences were unpaid). Is that a no no?

Thanks ever so much.

personally, I’d try and stick to the categories - there is a reason they have limited it in the way they have. Don’t try and force information in sections - it won’t be viewed well.

voluntary work isn’t really “unpaid internships”. But if you are going to put them in this section make it very clear that they were unpaid, as it is a slight grey area.

 

[Lawyerwithadream]

Hi @Jessica Booker

Would it be appropriate to list legal events I attended in the work experience section?

Thank you,

Judy

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker

Would it be appropriate to list legal events I attended in the work experience section?

Thank you,

Judy

Personally I wouldn’t, although some firms seem to actively encourage it.

To me an event is not work experience, you have no responsibilities on the day.

to me work experience is something where you have responsibility to deliver something.

 

[Lawyerwithadream]

Personally I wouldn’t, although some firms seem to actively encourage it.

To me an event is not work experience, you have no responsibilities on the day.

to me work experience is something where you have responsibility to deliver something.

Thank you Jessica

 

[WinnieAnn]

Hi Jessica,
A firm that I’m really interested in is having a Brexit event/talk. I’d really like to go but the website says “This event is suitable for anyone in the business community who wants to understand the landscape of Brexit“. Not sure the etiquette is for this, does this mean students can attend?

 

[Daniel Boden]

Hi Jessica,
A firm that I’m really interested in is having a Brexit event/talk. I’d really like to go but the website says “This event is suitable for anyone in the business community who wants to understand the landscape of Brexit“. Not sure the etiquette is for this, does this mean students can attend?

Easiest way to find out would be to just call or email the firm!