TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24

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axelbeugre

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Slaughter & May interview!!! Does anyone have any tips at all for preparing for it, I would appreciate it :)
Congratulations! Very well done!

In terms of tips, I have talked to some friends who did the assessment last year and they said:
  • Do your thorough research on the firm and always be able to speak on why you want to join the firm. This should include everything you find interesting or relevant about the firm.
  • Make your motivation to join the firm obvious and highlight how training at the firm will be a much better fit for you than training at any other firm. This is something that a friend emphasised a lot, and it means that you should be able to pick and choose aspects of the training at the firm that appeals to you and makes sense to your way of learning or approaching a situation.
  • Be very commercially aware. The article that they often give to the interviewees is a commercial piece of article and the assessment is a way for you to show how well you deal with commercial news. They do not want a know-it-all, but someone that is very teachable, curious and eager to learn so try to show these skills by summarising the article to the best of your ability and finding links to things you have read or studied and interrogate yourself on how this might affect the business world, the legal sector as a whole, and finally the firm itself.
  • Be extremely personable but very professional as soon as you get into the office. My friend highlighted how it might be very intimidating especially because they ask you to leave your phone somewhere and it feels like you are going to war in a way, but do not see it like that. Take it as an opportunity to experience some time at a fair that interests you and a chance to get to know the lawyers working there and their personalities.

I hope these helps and good luck with the assessment!
 

axelbeugre

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Can we put down previous AC's as potential experience? It will highlight to a firm that we have managed to get through to an AC, completing the case study and presentation is definitely valuable, as well as the group exercise. Or is it simply not enough?
I would not do that as this is not a work experience. You could potentially use your experience in an assessment centre to highlight some parts of yourself that will make you a valuable candidate at interview stage but I personally would not do that.
 
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axelbeugre

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Is it worth emailing Akin if I did the test 2nd Jan and haven’t heard back? I don’t want to be pushy but I have another summer offer. Akin is my first choice so :/ would love to hear back before accepting. Could someone help me with what’s a nice way to word this email please
I would wait this week and if you do not hear anything by mid week next week, then email them. I was in your same situation last year with some firms and I just emailed them reiterating how I would love to do a vacation scheme at the firm but I have another offer and I am compelled to accept if I do not receive news in the week, and I always received a positive email after that. However, I used to do this after a final stage, here you do not know if you got the telephone interview or not so it is a difficult situation. I would suggest to wait, I am sure they will get back to you soon. I know candidates who did the telephone interview and still have not heard back so they are being quite slow.
 
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axelbeugre

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If an email invite says "The deadline for completing this video interview is 7 calendar days from this email being sent", does the time at which you received the email matter? Or just the day? Trying to figure out if I have until the end of tomorrow or 10am tomorrow to finish it! Thanks!
I think only the day matters if I am not mistaken. I would say that when you have these issues, taking the test as soon as you are available is the best approach because you do not want to be in a situation where you missed your deadline for a wrong calculation or because of some other people's advice based on other firms' experiences.

Good luck with the video interview and congratulations for having obtained it!
 
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