Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[Numerius Negidius]

Hi @Jessica Booker, I received an invitation yesterday for an interview on Friday, and I have another interview due to take place tomorrow for a firm that is lower on my list of priorities (arranged a few days ago). I'm worried I won't have time to prepare adequately for both, so I'm thinking of giving up my AC tomorrow. Do you think my chances would be destroyed if I tried to reschedule either of them?

 

[Lawgirl123]

Ideally yes. But you don’t need to go into full STAR format answers for each skill

Thank you very much!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker, I received an invitation yesterday for an interview on Friday, and I have another interview due to take place tomorrow for a firm that is lower on my list of priorities (arranged a few days ago). I'm worried I won't have time to prepare adequately for both, so I'm thinking of giving up my AC tomorrow. Do you think my chances would be destroyed if I tried to reschedule either of them?

I personally wouldn’t give up either of them.

I personally think it’s too late to try and reschedule the one tomorrow. They won’t be able to get someone in to replace you at such short notice.

I would see if you can arrange the invitation your received yesterday for another date. If they are booking you in in such short notice, they should be the ones with more flexibility. A full AC will be much harder to rearrange than one interview too.

Most of your preparation for both assessments will be the same anyway. If anything you could have a much better economies of scale by preparing for both together.

Just my opinion though, obviously you can do whatever you want.

 

[Legalmel_99]

Hi @Jessica Booker

I did a VI yesterday the questions were really good but the platform the firm used said at the start my connection was fine and then during the interview it was interrupted 😢

I can look back at my interview and my answers haven’t uploaded correctly. Is is fair to assumed PFO?

I’ve emailed the firm to tell them and they responded saying they will put a note on my file

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker

I did a VI yesterday the questions were really good but the platform the firm used said at the start my connection was fine and then during the interview it was interrupted 😢

I can look back at my interview and my answers haven’t uploaded correctly. Is is fair to assumed PFO?

I’ve emailed the firm to tell them and they responded saying they will put a note on my file

No - completely unfair to assume that

 

[Haz]

Hi @Jessica Booker - how long do firms usually give you to respond to a VS offer?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker - how long do firms usually give you to respond to a VS offer?

Could be anything from less than an hour through to 3-4 months....

Would say usually it is within in 7-8 working days though.

A question at the end of the interview/assessment centre should always be something like “when should I expect to hear back from you in regards to an outcome”. That will help manage your expectations.

 

[kmcc]

Hi @Jessica Booker

I'm due to complete a virtual assessment centre next week with Addleshaw Goddard. I've just received the itinerary for the day which includes a behavioural/commercial based interview, a group exercise and a partner review meeting.

Could you please shed some insight into what the partner review meeting will involve?

Many thanks,
Kirsty

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker

I'm due to complete a virtual assessment centre next week with Addleshaw Goddard. I've just received the itinerary for the day which includes a behavioural/commercial based interview, a group exercise and a partner review meeting.

Could you please shed some insight into what the partner review meeting will involve?

Many thanks,
Kirsty

I don’t know unfortunately.

 

[jcsaj]

Hi @Jessica Booker

If I withdraw from a firm's application process this year as their vac scheme dates clash with the scheme I have recently accepted, would this prevent me from reapplying to the firm during the next cycle if I fail to convert my vac scheme this summer? I wasn't sure how withdrawals are viewed by grad rec. Thank you!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker

If I withdraw from a firm's application process this year as their vac scheme dates clash with the scheme I have recently accepted, would this prevent me from reapplying to the firm during the next cycle if I fail to convert my vac scheme this summer? I wasn't sure how withdrawals are viewed by grad rec. Thank you!

Generally, no. If they haven’t made a decision on your application (eg offer/rejection) at any stage, you could withdraw and apply again.

 

[LEL]

Is it weird to add your interviewer on LinkedIn? Saying you enjoyed the interview and are looking forward to the scheme? lol

 

[Jessica Booker]

Is it weird to add your interviewer on LinkedIn? Saying you enjoyed the interview and are looking forward to the scheme? lol

It’s not weird if you are joining them on a vacation scheme. But it really isn’t necessary at the same time.

 

[Gabriella7498]

Hi Jessica! I am in the process of completing the Baker McKenzie training contract application and on the work experience section there's a space where they tell us to "list other work experience or career events you have attended (this can include open days)". I am wondering if it's okay to add here a couple of professional training programmes I participated in. They were both short programmes (one offered by a university about advocacy before international courts and the other offered by the Organisation of American States). Would these be considered career events?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica! I am in the process of completing the Baker McKenzie training contract application and on the work experience section there's a space where they tell us to "list other work experience or career events you have attended (this can include open days)". I am wondering if it's okay to add here a couple of professional training programmes I participated in. They were both short programmes (one offered by a university about advocacy before international courts and the other offered by the Organisation of American States). Would these be considered career events?

Yes - fine to cover things like that in this section.

 

[frow3n]

Hi Jessica,

I've got an AC tomorrow - slightly surprised as I interviewed there last year and was unsuccessful! Just wondering whether I should mention the fact that I interviewed there last year in the interview itself? It was included on my application form, but whether I need to raise it again?

Thanks!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

I've got an AC tomorrow - slightly surprised as I interviewed there last year and was unsuccessful! Just wondering whether I should mention the fact that I interviewed there last year in the interview itself? It was included on my application form, but whether I need to raise it again?

Thanks!

If you want to raise it you can, but you don’t have to. It may come up in conversation though, asking where else you have applied to etc, why you haven’t applied before now.

Just be prepared to explain why you think you are a much stronger candidate now.

 

[A12345]

Hi Jessica,

I hope you are well! I am due to start a paralegal role later this week and I have 2 ACs for vacation schemes coming up next Wednesday and the following Thursday.

I really don't want to create a bad impression as I've been applying for paralegal work for a while and had no luck and it's also in the field I want to practice in too.

Any advice on how best to approach this would be much appreciated! Is it really bad that I'll in essence be taking 2 days off in the first 2 weeks of starting a new role?

Thank you so much for your time!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

I hope you are well! I am due to start a paralegal role later this week and I have 2 ACs for vacation schemes coming up next Wednesday and the following Thursday.

I really don't want to create a bad impression as I've been applying for paralegal work for a while and had no luck and it's also in the field I want to practice in too.

Any advice on how best to approach this would be much appreciated! Is it really bad that I'll in essence be taking 2 days off in the first 2 weeks of starting a new role?

Thank you so much for your time!

It is by no means ideal.

Is it a permanent paralegal role, fixed term contract or temp role?

My concern is more that you may not be able to do the vacation schemes anyway, as depending on when you are working to, there is a significant chance your employer will give you time off to work for another law firm.

Is there any chance the two firms you have ACs with could offer you a later date? I personally wouldn’t take two days off less than two weeks into starting a new job unless I had asked for those days off prior to signing the contract.

 

[tractor12]

It is by no means ideal.

Is it a permanent paralegal role, fixed term contract or temp role?

My concern is more that you may not be able to do the vacation schemes anyway, as depending on when you are working to, there is a significant chance your employer will give you time off to work for another law firm.

Is there any chance the two firms you have ACs with could offer you a later date? I personally wouldn’t take two days off less than two weeks into starting a new job unless I had asked for those days off prior to signing the contract.

I know some firms do let their paralegals do Vac Schemes as part of their annual leave but it would obviously be firm dependant.

It might be worth asking to start the paralegal role a week later? I would probably at least try that.