Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[mm26]

I’d wait until Friday morning before contacting them.

Thank you!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Could I also make the declaration about the module that needs more explanation in the same mail?

No - if all the grades are missing then there is no reason to explain the module you didn’t include.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

No - if all the grades are missing then there is no reason to explain the module you didn’t include.

Sorry but just to clarify that the specific module was from my university academics and the ones that are missing were from my school.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Sorry but just to clarify that the specific module was from my university academics and the ones that are missing were from my school.

It doesn’t matter about the missing ones - all your grades are currently missing.

Feel free to provide any context/clarity to grades if you feel this helps in your email but it is not necessary unless it is regarding mitigating circumstance that haven’t been included in your application form elsewhere.

 

[CC03]

Hi @Jessica Booker - I recently had an unsuccessful interview with HL. They mentioned I was very robotic in my answers. How can I overcome this? As I have a bad habit of over preparing for interviews because I get nervous if I under prepare as I won’t know what to say!

 

[Lastseasonwonder]

Hi @Jessica Booker,

I have 2 questions:

(1) Do I put a seat in capital letters. For example, if I want to say: 'During my vacation scheme at [FIRM], I sat in [SEAT]'. So if the seat was real estate, would it need to be in capital letters?

(2) A lot of firms ask candidates to answer some questions as part of rare contextual recruitment to be assessed in a specific way. Will I, in any way, be disadvantaged if I don't participate in this rare recruitment approach?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker,

I have 2 questions:

(1) Do I put a seat in capital letters. For example, if I want to say: 'During my vacation scheme at [FIRM], I sat in [SEAT]'. So if the seat was real estate, would it need to be in capital letters?

(2) A lot of firms ask candidates to answer some questions as part of rare contextual recruitment to be assessed in a specific way. Will I, in any way, be disadvantaged if I don't participate in this rare recruitment approach?

My advice is to look at how the firm writes it in body copy on their website (eg not in headings/titles) and mirror that, but it does really depend in the context of how you write it. The above example isn’t capitalised, while if you said someone’s job title “Joe Bloggs, Real Estate” it would be.

The only way you will be disadvantaged is if you feel you would fall into any of the categories, and therefore wouldn’t be flagged. This could be anything from the postcode you live in, to the school you attended, through to the specific questions asked (like have you been a carer, did you work during term time etc).

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

My advice is to look at how the firm writes it in body copy on their website (eg not in headings/titles) and mirror that, but it does really depend in the context of how you write it. The above example isn’t capitalised, while if you said someone’s job title “Joe Bloggs, Real Estate” it would be.

The only way you will be disadvantaged is if you feel you would fall into any of the categories, and therefore wouldn’t be flagged. This could be anything from the postcode you live in, to the school you attended, through to the specific questions asked (like have you been a carer, did you work during term time etc).

Just a follow-up here please, the Rare system doesn't apply to students who have done their schooling and university outside of the UK, right? I mean I remember a question that asked for my postcode but obviously, I don't think it is going to matter to them since they aren't going to be well-versed with Indian postcodes.

Thanks

 

[Jessica Booker]

Just a follow-up here please, the Rare system doesn't apply to students who have done their schooling and university outside of the UK, right?

Thanks

You can still answer the questions, particularly around refugee status, working during education and caring responsbilities, but the algorithm won’t be able to factor in your postcode or school.

 

[George Maxwell]

Hello @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Actually I was completing the Linklaters application and had 2 issues and I'm considering withdrawing and submitting it again.

1: I am having issues with the portal. I've tried entering my class 10 and 12 marks multiple times but when I log out and log in again, they're just not there. To remedy this, I thought I'd finish the app in one go. Once I did that and hit 'submit', I did get a message that it had been submitted and I was required to take the CAPP and the Watson glaser to complete my application. When I tried looking at my responses again, my grades were not there.

2: I forgot to add information about a module that I had done borderline in and that information was very important in my eyes. It can definitely look like I am trying to hide something and I don't want to portray that because they've clearly mentioned that we should be very explicit about these things and hiding stuff will impact our chances.

Do you think I should withdraw given that it is still showing me the 'withdraw' button and my application isn't 100% submitted right now. The email I got after completing the basic information said "Please note, you must complete the Linklaters online assessment before the application deadline. You will have 5 days after completing your application to take the Watson Glaser test. Your application is not complete and will not be considered until you have taken both tests."

I have also notified the grad rec team about the technical glitches so maybe withdrawing and resubmitting won't be an issue?

Thanks in advance.

Hi @futuretraineesolicitor,

I know that @Jessica Booker has responded to this already. However, to provide a little insight from my experience, in these situations, I would just email GR directly. They can manually input/alter things if required and they always seemed very aware that, on occasion, the application system did not play ball 🏀. It also demonstrates that you are not hiding something if that is what you are concerned about

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hi @futuretraineesolicitor,

I know that @Jessica Booker has responded to this already. However, to provide a little insight from my experience, in these situations, I would just email GR directly. They can manually input/alter things if required and they always seemed very aware that, on occasion, the application system did not play ball 🏀. It also demonstrates that you are not hiding something if that is what you are concerned about

Thank you so much, George. Very reassuring to hear that the portal does go crazy sometimes. However, I did email the GR but unfortunately haven't heard back from them so I don't know what situation I'm in at the moment. What would you suggest?

Thanks again.

 

[George Maxwell]

Thank you so much, George. Very reassuring to hear that the portal does go crazy sometimes. However, I did email the GR but unfortunately haven't heard back from them so I don't know what situation I'm in at the moment. What would you suggest?

Thanks again.

@futuretraineesolicitor not to worry at all! When did you email them about it?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you so much, George. Very reassuring to hear that the portal does go crazy sometimes. However, I did email the GR but unfortunately haven't heard back from them so I don't know what situation I'm in at the moment. What would you suggest?

Thanks again.

If you have sent them the relevant information to add to your application, there’s not much else you can do but be patient at this stage. It can easily take 10 working days for them to pick up something like this.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

@futuretraineesolicitor not to worry at all! When did you email them about it?

I did that yesterday, George.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

If you have sent them the relevant information to add to your application, there’s not much else you can do but be patient at this stage. It can easily take 10 working days for them to pick up something like this.

I also need to send them the letter from my school to support my mitigating circumstances but I was waiting for them to reply to my previous mails. Do you think I should send them the letter regardless? (there was absolutely no place on the application portal to attach a pdf/word document)

 

[Jessica Booker]

I also need to send them the letter from my school to support my mitigating circumstances but I was waiting for them to reply to my previous mails. Do you think I should send them the letter regardless? (there was absolutely no place on the application portal to attach a pdf/word document)

I’d personally wait now. There is a risk you are inundating them with correspondence. Next time, my advice is to ensure you have all this information in one go and then email them.

 

[George Maxwell]

I also need to send them the letter from my school to support my mitigating circumstances but I was waiting for them to reply to my previous mails. Do you think I should send them the letter regardless? (there was absolutely no place on the application portal to attach a pdf/word document)

I’d personally wait now. There is a risk you are inundating them with correspondence. Next time, my advice is to ensure you have all this information in one go and then email them.

I agree with @Jessica Booker here. I know how difficult it can be to wait on these things, but they will get back to you. If you have not heard by the same time next week I would follow up!

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

I agree with @Jessica Booker here. I know how difficult it can be to wait on these things, but they will get back to you. If you have not heard by the same time next week I would follow up!

Thanks for your answer @George Maxwell

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hello @Jessica Booker , hope you are doing well. Could you please help me with some questions from the Freshfields' application. I have tried looking for answers on the "Ask Alice" thread but I think I still don't understand how to go about answering some of these questions.

1: This is regarding " Please tell us about any awards, scholarships or prizes you have been given in no more than 100 words."
a) This only requires a list of achievements/awards/scholarships and no explanation of those things whatsoever, right?
b) Can we add the TCLA scholarship here?

2: Are you, or do you expect by virtue of your degree to be, exempt from the GDL/PGDL?
No idea what they mean here since under the CCP, it's going to be mandatory for everyone to undertake the PGDL. Should I say yes or no?

3: " If the LPC or SQE remains to be taken, when do you intend to start it? Please state which course you intend to start if self-funding (enter N/A if not relevant)" - Again, I think N/A would fit the best here?

4: "In no more than 100 words, please let us know anything further which you think is relevant to your application, for example any mitigating circumstances which may have impacted your grades, time in education, opportunities for work experience or extracurricular activities. Otherwise, please enter N/A." My mitigating circumstances are more than a 100 words in word count and I also have an attachment with it. Again, there is no way to attach this kind of document in the portal itself. So, should I write N/A here or leave it blank as I won't be able to use this box to convey anything and in all probability, I'd have to mail them.

5: " Freshfields offers two intakes in each recruitment year (spring and autumn). Which intake would you prefer to join? (Please note that while we will do our best to accommodate your preference, we cannot guarantee that you will be offered a place in the intake of your choice.)" Again, no idea how to answer this at all.

Thanks in advance.

 

[George Maxwell]

Hello @Jessica Booker , hope you are doing well. Could you please help me with some questions from the Freshfields' application. I have tried looking for answers on the "Ask Alice" thread but I think I still don't understand how to go about answering some of these questions.

1: This is regarding " Please tell us about any awards, scholarships or prizes you have been given in no more than 100 words."
a) This only requires a list of achievements/awards/scholarships and no explanation of those things whatsoever, right?
b) Can we add the TCLA scholarship here?

2: Are you, or do you expect by virtue of your degree to be, exempt from the GDL/PGDL?
No idea what they mean here since under the CCP, it's going to be mandatory for everyone to undertake the PGDL. Should I say yes or no?

3: " If the LPC or SQE remains to be taken, when do you intend to start it? Please state which course you intend to start if self-funding (enter N/A if not relevant)" - Again, I think N/A would fit the best here?

4: "In no more than 100 words, please let us know anything further which you think is relevant to your application, for example any mitigating circumstances which may have impacted your grades, time in education, opportunities for work experience or extracurricular activities. Otherwise, please enter N/A." My mitigating circumstances are more than a 100 words in word count and I also have an attachment with it. Again, there is no way to attach this kind of document in the portal itself. So, should I write N/A here or leave it blank as I won't be able to use this box to convey anything and in all probability, I'd have to mail them.

5: " Freshfields offers two intakes in each recruitment year (spring and autumn). Which intake would you prefer to join? (Please note that while we will do our best to accommodate your preference, we cannot guarantee that you will be offered a place in the intake of your choice.)" Again, no idea how to answer this at all.

Thanks in advance.

Hi @futuretraineesolicitor,

Just some thoughts on the above:

1a. I think this depends on how much you have to talk about. It would be helpful to describe, briefly/to give context for specific achievements (unless they are self-explanatory). It really is a matter of word count and how many achievements you have to talk about.

1b. I would think a TCLA scholarship would be suitable. Which scholarship are you referring to specifically?

2. This is dependent on whether or not you have done a qualifying law degree at undergraduate. If you have not done one, then you will not be exempt.

3. Without context I am a little unclear why N/A fits best here.

4. I would detail that you have sent GR an attachment detailing your mitigating circumstances. Then give a brief summary of what your MCs are.

5. This really is a matter of your personal preference. You will be able to, I would have thought, change this preference later down the line, so I would not stress too much about it!

Hope that helps