General Discussion Thread 2020-21

[DrowninginSQE]

Has anyone heard from jones day winter vac? Especially if you’ve submitted in the past week. Getting kind of worried!

Hey I had an interview with Jones Day last Friday. Got it two weeks after submitting.

 

[M1999]

Hey I had an interview with Jones Day last Friday. Got it two weeks after submitting.

Okay thankyou! I only submitted it a week ago, but every day that goes by I keep thinking it’s a rejection! How did It go?

 

[DrowninginSQE]

Okay thankyou! I only submitted it a week ago, but every day that goes by I keep thinking it’s a rejection! How did It go?

Unsure, I haven’t heard back yet. Also, law firms don’t send out ACs that quickly so now it’s a waiting game!

 

[bel123456]

Unsure, I haven’t heard back yet. Also, law firms don’t send out ACs that quickly so now it’s a waiting game!

hope it's good news for you!! All the best

 

[DrowninginSQE]

hope it's good news for you!! All the best

Thanks!

 

[Staples]

Has anyone heard from jones day winter vac? Especially if you’ve submitted in the past week. Getting kind of worried!

Ha yes, they rejected me pretty quickly I applied on the 7th and heard on the 16th.

 

[Deleted member 5185]

Employment contracts will have a clause where you have to declare other forms of employment. This is pretty standard for anything that isn’t informal/part time work/ad hoc work.

Most employment contracts will even clearly state you cannot engage in any other forms of employment unless it is approved by your employer. There are a multitude of reasons for this - but mainly it is to ensure there are no conflicts of interest.

Some people do manage to get approval from their employers to attend things like vacation schemes. But many more won’t. Particular issues will be civil service (or are much more highly regulated/audited and have a higher number of risks) and also if you are working in competitor law firms. These are much more likely to cause conflicts of interest and therefore your current employer is less likely to approve, and your vacation scheme employer may also have concerns too.

It’s a bit like being married and then saying to your spouse is it ok if you have a two week relationship with someone else, as you think they may be your future spouse because they are better. You can choose to take the time out to do this, just don’t expect those you have committed to approve of it, and expect some potential consequences if you go behind their back and do it anyway (you would be in breach of your employment contract).

Sorry Jessica I didn’t mean to click the disagree button, I was trying to click the laughter button whilst I was laughing

 

[Deleted member 4851]

Gosh, I had an open day and somehow managed to type "then" instead of "than" in the chatbox. (I corrected it immediately) Do you guys think, I ruined my chances with the firm? Are they going to remember it? Later during the open day, we literally got told that 40% of the candidates get rejected simply because of spelling and grammar mistakes.

 

[Lawbour]

Gosh, I had an open day and somehow managed to type "then" instead of "than" in the chatbox. (I corrected it immediately) Do you guys think, I ruined my chances with the firm? Are they going to remember it? Later during the open day, we literally got told that 40% of the candidates get rejected simply because of spelling and grammar mistakes.

I don't think they will judge you on that! You didn't make the mistake on an application. don't worry about it

 

[Jessica Booker]

Gosh, I had an open day and somehow managed to type "then" instead of "than" in the chatbox. (I corrected it immediately) Do you guys think, I ruined my chances with the firm? Are they going to remember it? Later during the open day, we literally got told that 40% of the candidates get rejected simply because of spelling and grammar mistakes.

no - chatting online is a lot different to an application

 

[Lawbour]

I was at an event a couple of years ago where a recruiter said "relish goes on burgers, not on applications". She's head of gradrec at a firm that's been referred to on this thread in last day.

It's funny because I've just attended a virtual event where the grad recruiter said the same thing, plus that its one of those relic words that no one uses on a day to day, but not 20 minutes earlier she had used the word whilst talking about her work I am confusion

 

[Velikilawyer123]

If you can format it - for instance if it is an uploaded document

Or you can align it like you can on this forum​

General rule is to go with all the formalities, even if it cuts down your space.

You can write multiple lines of your address on the same line if you are really scrambling for an extra line or two - eg:

Flat 8, 24 Sun Road
London, W14 8BV

Also play around with your line spacing. That sometimes helps if you need a little extra space.

Got it, thank you! Would you suggest including only the firm's address or my address as well?

 

[Velikilawyer123]

@Jessica Booker also, unrelated question, when describing our previous work experiences in a work experience section / CV, should we use full sentences or elliptical ones? E.g., should I say "My responsibilities included X and Y, and I also particularly focused on Z" or "Responsibilities included X and Y, with particular focus placed on Z"?

Does it make a difference whether we're writing in a CV (or other document we ourselves can upload) or on the application form's work experience section?

Final sub-question related to this - sorry I just realised I might've been sending off my apps with the wrongly formatted work exp sections all along so I'm just trying to clear up my own confusion! Norton Rose's VS app has exactly 4 slots for work experience (with organisation name, dates, position title, responsibilities, etc. all included), and then there's a 200-word question right after that that just says "Other Work Experience (200 words max)". How would you tackle this, what's the difference between what this question is asking and why I'd normally put in a work experience description?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Got it, thank you! Would you suggest including only the firm's address or my address as well?

I’d generally go with all formalities. I have seen some people use their telephone number and email address instead of an address though.

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker also, unrelated question, when describing our previous work experiences in a work experience section / CV, should we use full sentences or elliptical ones? E.g., should I say "My responsibilities included X and Y, and I also particularly focused on Z" or "Responsibilities included X and Y, with particular focus placed on Z"?

Does it make a difference whether we're writing in a CV (or other document we ourselves can upload) or on the application form's work experience section?

Final sub-question related to this - sorry I just realised I might've been sending off my apps with the wrongly formatted work exp sections all along so I'm just trying to clear up my own confusion! Norton Rose's VS app has exactly 4 slots for work experience (with organisation name, dates, position title, responsibilities, etc. all included), and then there's a 200-word question right after that that just says "Other Work Experience (200 words max)". How would you tackle this, what's the difference between what this question is asking and why I'd normally put in a work experience description?

I’d only use short sentences if you can format bullet points. In a CV you can use bullet points more as you can format the document and then you upload it or send it as an attachment.

Some application systems will allow you to format the text

• like you can do in this forum.
• Then use bullet points
• And short sentences

But If you cannot format the text, go with full sentences and prose.

NRF - you select your best four work experiences for the four slots. If you have any other experiences you put them together in the other description.

 

[0603]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone knows/ heard back from CMS after finishing the WG test? I believe the next stage is the Video Interview - do CMS send those out on a rolling basis too or after the deadline has passed?

 

[DrowninginSQE]

Hi, has anyone done a video interview for Simmons & Simmons and have some advice on it? Thanks!

 

[haylaw]

Hi all, is there a list anywhere or does anyone have any good resources that detail whether firms' winter vacation schemes are running virtually or in person? Or does anyone know specifically about any firms? For example, I am unsure if Stephenson Harwood is continuing as planned or swapping to virtual but I know that Shearman & Sterling has moved the winter to spring in hope of being able to run as originally planned.

 

[WannabeSolicitor24]

Hi all, is there a list anywhere or does anyone have any good resources that detail whether firms' winter vacation schemes are running virtually or in person? Or does anyone know specifically about any firms? For example, I am unsure if Stephenson Harwood is continuing as planned or swapping to virtual but I know that Shearman & Sterling has moved the winter to spring in hope of being able to run as originally planned.

As a rule of thumb, I would say Winter Vac Schemes are going to be online, and Spring/Summer 2021 Schemes are planning to be in person, but that is Covid permitting.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi all, is there a list anywhere or does anyone have any good resources that detail whether firms' winter vacation schemes are running virtually or in person? Or does anyone know specifically about any firms? For example, I am unsure if Stephenson Harwood is continuing as planned or swapping to virtual but I know that Shearman & Sterling has moved the winter to spring in hope of being able to run as originally planned.

We requested this information from firms and unfortunately very few would confirm their stance to us.

I wouldn't expect any winter schemes to run face-to-face though given what is happening at the moment. Given firms have to plan and organise them, it is much easier to organise them to be online rather than plan face-to-face and then have to change them last minute. Even if London isn't in a lockdown, given many students/candidates could be in Tier 3 lockdown in their home/uni town, firms will need to consider an online version anyway.

I don't any firm wants to risk being the firm that is on the front page of Legal Cheek/RollonFriday saying their cohort of vac schemers got Covid-19.