Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[Jessica Booker]

no....

However, written skills are assessed by the LPC, (and will be assessed by the SQE), so anyone who failed that wouldn’t be able to start a TC...

Sorry I misread this - I thought it said after the AC for some reason.

Yes - plenty of firms use these type of assessments in the assessment centre. If it’s not spotting error, then it could easily be assessing your own writing.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Thanks everyone!

 

[goonhoon2]

What type of vacation scheme (winter, spring, summer) is generally the most open towards 3rd-year students?

Thanks!

 

[hktr]

What type of vacation scheme (winter, spring, summer) is generally the most open towards 3rd-year students?

Thanks!

Winter is often geared to finalists and graduates. But every firm will state the eligibility for schemes on their website, so it's just a matter of looking up which schemes are open to you.

 

[Jessica Booker]

What type of vacation scheme (winter, spring, summer) is generally the most open towards 3rd-year students?

Thanks!

generally....

Winter if you are a finalist or a graduate

Spring/Summer for penultimate years

That isn’t a set rule though and there’s a fair number of firms whose eligibility is different to the above.

Some firms also do eligibility by degree subject too.

 

[Samar]

Hi Jessica,

Just wondering what approach to take on this question: "What are the most important rewards you expect in your career?"

Not really thought about this before and don't want to misinterpret.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

Just wondering what approach to take on this question: "What are the most important rewards you expect in your career?"

Not really thought about this before and don't want to misinterpret.

It isn’t a trick question. You need to talk about the things that will motivate you to do the job - eg what you will find rewarding and therefore get you motivated to get out of bed on a cold and dark Monday morning in December, to do a 7.00am conference call with someone in Asia.

 

[Karin]

Hi Jessica, I just saw a question about languages and thought I would ask.

When I am entering my level of English - there is always native, business proficiency, etc. English is my second language, but given that I have lived in the UK for quite some time and had English as my first language when doing IB Diploma, I am not sure what category to choose as I always thought business proficiency is around b2/c1 level but then putting native seems like lying!

Thank you!

 

[Karin]

Thank you Ma'am, last question- any firm you know which conducts a ' spot the grammatical error' test as part of the AC ?

I had this as part of my paralegal job assessment!

 

[Daniel Boden]

Hi Jessica, I just saw a question about languages and thought I would ask.

When I am entering my level of English - there is always native, business proficiency, etc. English is my second language, but given that I have lived in the UK for quite some time and had English as my first language when doing IB Diploma, I am not sure what category to choose as I always thought business proficiency is around b2/c1 level but then putting native seems like lying!

Thank you!

If you studied the IB Diploma in English as your first language then I'd put yourself down as 'native' because you clearly speak and understand it as well as fellow-Englishmen and women imo

EDIT: if fluency was an option then I would put that but some forms don't give you a great deal of options regarding languages in my experience, hence why I would choose native if there wasn't a more appropriate option

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica, I just saw a question about languages and thought I would ask.

When I am entering my level of English - there is always native, business proficiency, etc. English is my second language, but given that I have lived in the UK for quite some time and had English as my first language when doing IB Diploma, I am not sure what category to choose as I always thought business proficiency is around b2/c1 level but then putting native seems like lying!

Thank you!

Native isn’t the right option to use as it isn’t your native language. That would need to be your home country’s language.

Fluency on some level will be appropriate. It is you to a gauge whether you feel business fluency is appropriate or not - academic language qualification do not translate well to real life in all honesty, although you can always provide some clarity of knowledge of a language in an “additional information” section

 

[TYP]

Hi @Jessica Booker

I have a question regarding the LPC. If I was to leave my current provider (ULaw) and wait until I receive a TC to restart the LPC would I have to disclose this to the firm? I would not have sat any of the core exams (January start).

In addition, do firms prefer candidates without the LPC, additionally, would they prefer candidates who have sat the LPC at their preferred university (BPP/ULaw)

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker

I have a question regarding the LPC. If I was to leave my current provider (ULaw) and wait until I receive a TC to restart the LPC would I have to disclose this to the firm? I would not have sat any of the core exams (January start).

In addition, do firms prefer candidates without the LPC, additionally, would they prefer candidates who have sat the LPC at their preferred university (BPP/ULaw)

you would probably need to disclose that you have started the course but not taken your assessments, otherwise it is going to look like a gap in your CV anyway, which would be questioned anyway.

There’s generally no preference for candidates as to whether they have started/not started/completed the LPC. However there can be a question around what you are going to do with the time out - as firms are recruiting 2-3 years in advance, they can question what you are going to do with that time.

generally they don’t have a preference where you do the LPC either. Firms who have their bespoke LPCs with particular providers only do really do so because it is a cost saving. They can obviously tailor the content too but this means very little in the grand scheme of things.

 

[NCLaw]

Hi @Jessica Booker

I am answering a "why this firm?" question and I was wondering how much I still need to relate the answer to myself if the answer is meant to be about the firm? For example, I want to say that the firm stands out due to its reputation for outstanding private client work, and I am interested in it as it is intrinsically client-focused, dealing with people in sometimes a particularly tricky/emotional time in their lives.

Do you think the reader would like to know exactly why I would find that aspect rewarding in that answer about the firm, even if I have explained that in other answers in the application about myself?

Thank you!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker

I am answering a "why this firm?" question and I was wondering how much I still need to relate the answer to myself if the answer is meant to be about the firm? For example, I want to say that the firm stands out due to its reputation for outstanding private client work, and I am interested in it as it is intrinsically client-focused, dealing with people in sometimes a particularly tricky/emotional time in their lives.

Do you think the reader would like to know exactly why I would find that aspect rewarding in that answer about the firm, even if I have explained that in other answers in the application about myself?

Thank you!

no repetition required - if it is explained elsewhere, then no need to repeat that detail.

think of your application as a whole, not individual questions.

 

[Karin]

Native isn’t the right option to use as it isn’t your native language. That would need to be your home country’s language.

Fluency on some level will be appropriate. It is you to a gauge whether you feel business fluency is appropriate or not - academic language qualification do not translate well to real life in all honesty, although you can always provide some clarity of knowledge of a language in an “additional information” section

Thanks Jessica!

 

[sara.r.totton]

Hi Jessica,

How important is the firm in which a candidate has completed their TC to top tier city firms when considering NQ applications?

I am currently completing my TC with a mid-tier regional firm and though I have enjoyed working with them, my aspiration is to move to London and work for a top tier/magic circle firm. I believe I would make a strong candidate having attained a first class law degree from a top university and a distinction on the LPC. I am just nervous that my hard work would be overshadowed if a recruiter reviewing my NQ application were to decide that training with a smaller, regional firm makes me an unsuitable candidate.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

How important is the firm in which a candidate has completed their TC to top tier city firms when considering NQ applications?

I am currently completing my TC with a mid-tier regional firm and though I have enjoyed working with them, my aspiration is to move to London and work for a top tier/magic circle firm. I believe I would make a strong candidate having attained a first class law degree from a top university and a distinction on the LPC. I am just nervous that my hard work would be overshadowed if a recruiter reviewing my NQ application were to decide that training with a smaller, regional firm makes me an unsuitable candidate.

Thanks in advance.

It will depend on the work you are doing now, your seat choices, and where you want to qualify into. If you are working on matters that a trainee at a top tier firm would be working on, it will be a lot easier. If you aren’t, it will be very tricky.

People do move but they tend to get “in demand” client/sector experience from their regional firm that city firms need (Eg growing sectors) that maybe trainees don’t have or don’t want to qualify into that area.

For instance, it would be practically impossible to get a NQ role in international arbitration if you are moving from a regional firm. It might be easier to move in something like tax/real estate.

The degree and LPC will mean very little by the time you get to NQ stage. It will all come down to what happens during your TC.

 

[Mia97]

Would you recommend disclosing that you have received a TC offer on your CV when applying elsewhere?

I have received a offer but have until sept to accept. I want to apply elsewhere to see if I could have options not sure if I disclosing my TC offer would make me more appealing as an applicant or the opposite.

 

[Alan]

Hi @Jessica Booker ,

As part of my upcoming vac scheme I've been asked to write a mini bio about myself that will be circulated around. I'm not quite sure what this should include.
Any advice would be amazing on what sort of content I should include!

Thank you!