Hi Yuki! I have done this before — they had to put me on a waiting list because both were full but got back to me a few days later saying they could move me. If you need to change it I think nothing to lose if you just ask )Hi all! Just curious if you can request changing the date of your vacation scheme (the firm runs two schemes over the summer) after signing the offer letter?
I always did - maybe this is a US thing but all my friends who did consulting recruitment in the US were told that interviewers looked to see if they received a thank you e-mail and that it could make the difference between two very equal candidates. That said, I do get the sense that it is not such an important thing in London TC/VS recruitment.After an AC, is it common practice to send an email to the interviewers thanking them for their time?
Great to hear your insight regarding the US recruitment process James(!).I always did - maybe this is a US thing but all my friends who did consulting recruitment in the US were told that interviewers looked to see if they received a thank you e-mail and that it could make the difference between two very equal candidates. That said, I do get the sense that it is not such an important thing in London TC/VS recruitment.
Regardless, I always believed that it was a polite gesture to send a kind note thanking the interviewer for their time. I also do this whenever anyone has a call with me or helps me out with something - it is good practice throughout one's career to recognise when others have invested their time on your behalf and thank them for it. I often received some really lovely responses (some even telling me how well they thought my interview went which I feel like they were not supposed to reveal)!
Strategically speaking, is it better to apply to the London office or other regional office of a firm for better chances at a TC? Regional offices have less vacancies but I assume they have less applicants as well.
Yes I think with all the firms you are applying to, the statistics are pretty irrelevant. They already have so few TCs per applicant that the actual number of TCs per applicant does not really make a difference to how hard you will find it getting a TC, even if one firm has three times more places per applicant than another firm.Although on paper the odds might look better I'm not sure how successful this approach would be. How can you demonstrate how passionate you are for that job and that TC when the reality is that you are not you just want any TC. I can say that I get a lot more success with my apps when I can demonstrate I want that TC and that firm and that office by focusing on the sectors because its pretty clear I want to do tech transactions work than when I apply to just a city firm in general. Arguably I've had better odds on paper with the big firms as they offer more TCs per applicant but I've got much further through the process with US firms that have many more applicants per available TC when I can evidence why that particular TC and firm is the one I want.
Actually, politeness and manners can play a great role, you don't need to be overly polite which sounds annoying but just give hints.Great to hear your insight regarding the US recruitment process James(!).
I never even considered that interviewers might incorporate this into their decision-making process. That being said, I think you are right about emails and UK firms.
I think they don't really here at all and I certainly didn't send e-mails with the goal of it helping me out! The US is keen on a lot of strange formalities and since careers advisers always said to write thank you e-mails (they are actually a lot more old-school than the UK in many ways) I got into the habit when I was there.Great to hear your insight regarding the US recruitment process James(!).
I never even considered that interviewers might incorporate this into their decision-making process. That being said, I think you are right about emails and UK firms.
This may just be a rumour, but I have heard that the managing partners of each magic circle firm liaise closely with taco bell to see which candidates have sent them thank-you e-mails...I'll be sending TCLA moderators thank you notes and taco bell when I get my training contract - for putting up with all my application psychodrama on this forum.
I actually have an interview with an American company on Monday and currently drafting my interview answers. I think am going to use your approach.I think they don't really here at all and I certainly didn't send e-mails with the goal of it helping me out! The US is keen on a lot of strange formalities and since careers advisers always said to write thank you e-mails (they are actually a lot more old-school than the UK in many ways) I got into the habit when I was there.
I just do it as a matter of practice and often I get no response, sometimes I get a one-line response and sometimes I get an e-mail that is just lovely and makes me really glad that I reached out! I can say that I never regretted sending a thank you e-mail and it only takes like 5 minutes
Again I do sense that it's not a culture here so I certainly would not feel any pressure to do so! But as you said in your previous post, being polite can never hurtI actually have an interview with an American company on Monday and currently drafting my interview answers. I think am going to use your approach.
combination, hope your VIs of go well <3I'm curious.
Assuming I need to re-apply for VS/TCs (a very plausible assumption given that I've bombed the only two VIs I've received), how bad does it look if I make points that are similar to those I made in a previous written application to the same firm? For instance, do I need to have entirely different rationales for 'why law' or 'why this firm'? Or is it simply that I should use more recent/different evidence to substantiate the same points that I made in a previous application? (Or maybe some combination of both of these).
combination, hope your VIs of go well <3
I think its always good to incorporate new experiences if you have them and develop/edit your applications but in my case I've had success at the same firm by only slightly editing my applications. I would say, however, that it helps to try and evaluate what you think went wrong with your applications this year and explore your interest in law if you can just so your answers are the best they can beI'm curious.
Assuming I need to re-apply for VS/TCs (a very plausible assumption given that I've bombed the only two VIs I've received), how bad does it look if I make points that are similar to those I made in a previous written application to the same firm? For instance, do I need to have entirely different rationales for 'why law' or 'why this firm'? Or is it simply that I should use more recent/different evidence to substantiate the same points that I made in a previous application? (Or maybe some combination of both of these).
The law firm recruitment process in the US probably wouldn't go down super well here either:I think they don't really here at all and I certainly didn't send e-mails with the goal of it helping me out! The US is keen on a lot of strange formalities and since careers advisers always said to write thank you e-mails (they are actually a lot more old-school than the UK in many ways) I got into the habit when I was there.
I just do it as a matter of practice and often I get no response, sometimes I get a one-line response and sometimes I get an e-mail that is just lovely and makes me really glad that I reached out! I can say that I never regretted sending a thank you e-mail and it only takes like 5 minutes
Can I be a bit brutal?I'm curious.
Assuming I need to re-apply for VS/TCs (a very plausible assumption given that I've bombed the only two VIs I've received), how bad does it look if I make points that are similar to those I made in a previous written application to the same firm?
For instance, do I need to have entirely different rationales for 'why law' or 'why this firm'? Or is it simply enough that I use more recent/different evidence to substantiate the same points that I made in a previous application? (Or perhaps some combination of both of these).
I see no reason why the core motivation of your application should change at all. I would not copy your answer word for word and I would certainly add any updated details that continue to inform your motivations, but on the whole these answers should not need to change too much. The answers that I would change are those about 'Recent examples of a time when...' or those about recent commercial news stories!I'm curious.
Assuming I need to re-apply for VS/TCs (a very plausible assumption given that I've bombed the only two VIs I've received), how bad does it look if I make points that are similar to those I made in a previous written application to the same firm?
For instance, do I need to have entirely different rationales for 'why law' or 'why this firm'? Or is it simply enough that I use more recent/different evidence to substantiate the same points that I made in a previous application? (Or perhaps some combination of both of these).
Can I be a bit brutal?
I would say both but also think why did I not succeed? Maybe those examples are good, but they might also not be good and you need to introduce new ones. If a product does not win then better change it! I am sorry but this is the approach that I would use for myself too.
Yes @S87 this is a good point - I would certainly search inside myself to see if there are better answers! But I was assuming that if your apps got you to the VI then they may have been good enough so it is more the VIs that need working on (although you may yet succeed, fingers crossed)!I see no reason why the core motivation of your application should change at all. I would not copy your answer word for word and I would certainly add any updated details that continue to inform your motivations, but on the whole these answers should not need to change too much. The answers that I would change are those about 'Recent examples of a time when...' or those about recent commercial news stories!
Can I be a bit brutal?
I would say both but also think why did I not succeed? Maybe those examples are good, but they might also not be good and you need to introduce new ones. If a product does not win then better change it! I am sorry but this is the approach that I would use for myself too.