Clash between 1 day of VS and day-long TC AC?

[Newcomer14]

Hi! I have a place on a vac scheme at a law firm (firm #1) for 2 weeks in June. I received another vac scheme offer (firm #2), but can't attend it as it clashes with the first one. The grad rec team from firm #2 has kindly invited me to a day-long assessment centre (0930-1730) instead. However, this day-long assessment centre clashes with one of the days of the vac scheme at firm #1. I'm v concerned that even if I just email the grad rec team at firm #1 to ask if it's possible to miss a day to attend firm #2's AC (tho I would emphasise in any email to firm #1 that I'm def more interested in firm #1), that'll totally defeat my chances of converting the VS at firm #1 into a TC. I'm not sure what to do.

Sorry for a long query, any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi! I have a place on a vac scheme at a law firm (firm #1) for 2 weeks in June. I received another vac scheme offer (firm #2), but can't attend it as it clashes with the first one. The grad rec team from firm #2 has kindly invited me to a day-long assessment centre (0930-1730) instead. However, this day-long assessment centre clashes with one of the days of the vac scheme at firm #1. I'm v concerned that even if I just email the grad rec team at firm #1 to ask if it's possible to miss a day to attend firm #2's AC (tho I would emphasise in any email to firm #1 that I'm def more interested in firm #1), that'll totally defeat my chances of converting the VS at firm #1 into a TC. I'm not sure what to do.

Sorry for a long query, any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks

I’d ask firm 2 if there are any alternative days first for the AC.

If they are not, you could ask the VS firm whether you can take the day off to attend. The firms will have been asked before and will have a stance on whether they will or won’t let you. This might also depend on what day you need off - all it takes is for there to be something important in your VS schedule on that day, and the firm could say no even if they are typically supportive of people attending other ACs.

 

[Newcomer14]

I’d ask firm 2 if there are any alternative days first for the AC.

If they are not, you could ask the VS firm whether you can take the day off to attend. The firms will have been asked before and will have a stance on whether they will or won’t let you. This might also depend on what day you need off - all it takes is for there to be something important in your VS schedule on that day, and the firm could say no even if they are typically supportive of people attending other ACs.

Hi! Thank you so much for the reply, this is v helpful. Still waiting to hear back from firm #2 about the exact days for the AC.

One follow-up question, because this is what's worrying me. If I ask firm #1 if I can miss a day of the VS to attend the AC at firm #2, even if they say no, and I then drop out of the process for firm #2 (which would be okay, as I'm more interested in firm #1), will this totally jeopardise my chances with firm #1, even if every other part of my VS performance there is good? Just concerned that even a request might count against me.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi! Thank you so much for the reply, this is v helpful. Still waiting to hear back from firm #2 about the exact days for the AC.

One follow-up question, because this is what's worrying me. If I ask firm #1 if I can miss a day of the VS to attend the AC at firm #2, even if they say no, and I then drop out of the process for firm #2 (which would be okay, as I'm more interested in firm #1), will this totally jeopardise my chances with firm #1, even if every other part of my VS performance there is good? Just concerned that even a request might count against me.

No - it would only be jeopardised if they said no, and then you took the time off anyway.

If they say you can take the time off, just make the time up across the rest of the week (just do an extra 2 hours each day) to make sure you can perform to the same level as you would over the week.