TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24

[AlegalA]

I’m still waiting to hear but my top skills were detail and learning agility. I believe my “weakest” strength was initiative but that’s because I answered with their “collaborative”/teamwork culture in mind. What about you?

Hi! my highest strengths were explainer and adaptability, which I'm quite happy about, but my lowest strength was detail... I answered with their collaborative culture also, I'm hoping the math question section will bring my detail score back up 😭 It's so hard to gauge tho because their comments are "You may find that you enjoy focusing on the bigger picture much more than getting into the fine detail of the work that you are delivering", but I was scared if I put answers saying I liked the finer details, they would say I was too focused on my own learning and working on my own, which they did last year and I didn't get through then... aahhh complicated. Anyway it's done now so we'll just have to see!

 

[clo224455]

Is anyone else still waiting to hear back from OC post-AC ?

 

[addy2004]

anyone heard from Ashurst yet post-interview?

 

[MayaM0921]

@axelbeugre Hi! I was wondering, with your previous reference to connecting with people in the firm before a vax scheme, would it be professionally acceptable to email them using the address found on the firm's website? Many thanks!

 

[BM99]

For people who are waiting for NRF post test, this is their response:


Thank you for your email.


You should expect to hear from us by 8th March.

 

[Fd321]

Hi! my highest strengths were explainer and adaptability, which I'm quite happy about, but my lowest strength was detail... I answered with their collaborative culture also, I'm hoping the math question section will bring my detail score back up 😭 It's so hard to gauge tho because their comments are "You may find that you enjoy focusing on the bigger picture much more than getting into the fine detail of the work that you are delivering", but I was scared if I put answers saying I liked the finer details, they would say I was too focused on my own learning and working on my own, which they did last year and I didn't get through then... aahhh complicated. Anyway it's done now so we'll just have to see!

Yeah exactly! That’s what I was worried about too so I picked all the answers about working in a team and also the vid at the beginning was saying like never feel scared to ask people questions etc. but then I scored low on initiative. But like I didn’t want to seem like I liked working independently too much when I know their whole thing is like “collaboration” and team work. Ahhh when did u do the test?

 

[M_m]

Any guidance on what to make of the Bakers SJT feedback report? What would be considered a good outcome?

 

[Zi48]

Yeah exactly! That’s what I was worried about too so I picked all the answers about working in a team and also the vid at the beginning was saying like never feel scared to ask people questions etc. but then I scored low on initiative. But like I didn’t want to seem like I liked working independently too much when I know their whole thing is like “collaboration” and team work. Ahhh when did u do the test?

Just wanted to say on these SJTs just because it was your lowest score, I don’t think it necessarily means you scored very low on it.

If you’ve done any Amberjack tests I think they’re helpful for visualising. They show your scores on pillars for ‘Grit, Applied Intellect, Creative Force and Digital Mindset’, with each section out of 9. Someone could get 7,8,9,9 in each pillar. For firms that just say top 2 and lowest 1, we don’t actually know how we scored. So for this person, even in the one that was their lowest, they got 7/9. If someone else scores 3,4,5,6 their highest 2 would be 5/9 and 6/9, which are lower than the first person’s lowest score. You could have the same top 2 strengths as someone but have scored higher/lower (I hope this makes sense).

Not sure how much that helps people, but thinking about it this way helped me stop trying to guess/worry, as we don’t really know how we’ve actually scored

 

[Seven]

Just wanted to say on these SJTs just because it was your lowest score, I don’t think it necessarily means you scored very low on it.

If you’ve done any Amberjack tests I think they’re helpful for visualising. They show your scores on pillars for ‘Grit, Applied Intellect, Creative Force and Digital Mindset’, with each section out of 9. Someone could get 7,8,9,9 in each pillar. For firms that just say top 2 and lowest 1, we don’t actually know how we scored. So for this person, even in the one that was their lowest, they got 7/9. If someone else scores 3,4,5,6 their highest 2 would be 5/9 and 6/9, which are lower than the first person’s lowest score. You could have the same top 2 strengths as someone but have scored higher/lower (I hope this makes sense).

Not sure how much that helps people, but thinking about it this way helped me stop trying to guess/worry, as we don’t really know how we’ve actually scored

My brain took so long to understand this😭

 

[Zi48]

My brain took so long to understand this😭

Sorry 😅 feel like someone might be able to explain better

 

[neonorange]

Just wanted to say on these SJTs just because it was your lowest score, I don’t think it necessarily means you scored very low on it.

If you’ve done any Amberjack tests I think they’re helpful for visualising. They show your scores on pillars for ‘Grit, Applied Intellect, Creative Force and Digital Mindset’, with each section out of 9. Someone could get 7,8,9,9 in each pillar. For firms that just say top 2 and lowest 1, we don’t actually know how we scored. So for this person, even in the one that was their lowest, they got 7/9. If someone else scores 3,4,5,6 their highest 2 would be 5/9 and 6/9, which are lower than the first person’s lowest score. You could have the same top 2 strengths as someone but have scored higher/lower (I hope this makes sense).

Not sure how much that helps people, but thinking about it this way helped me stop trying to guess/worry, as we don’t really know how we’ve actually scored

Beside which, it all broadly feels like nonsense anyway. I’ve had so many conflicting reports this cycle (Withers think adaptability is one of my strongest traits, Shoosmiths think it’s my weakest, Stephenson Harwood thinks my applied intellect is both very good and poor) that I think they send out these reports just to say they’ve given feedback but the way they process the data behind the scenes is completely different.

 

[Bread]

Beside which, it all broadly feels like nonsense anyway. I’ve had so many conflicting reports this cycle (Withers think adaptability is one of my strongest traits, Shoosmiths think it’s my weakest, Stephenson Harwood thinks my applied intellect is both very good and poor) that I think they send out these reports just to say they’ve given feedback but the way they process the data behind the scenes is completely different.

Yeah, they kind of feel like those myers-briggs tests with results that just depend on the mood you are in when you take them 😅

 

[atlas2425]

If anyone can offer any insights on Jones Day AC, I would really appreciate it.

 

[DieHard]

Spring W&C, has anyone received the actual contracts yet? Received verbal offer but that was over a week ago with no official documentation received yet

 

[pineappleonpizza1]

Any Ashurst news yet?

 

[Mel Atraghji]

How do people prepare for the written exercises of law firm assessment centres? Are there any good resources you have found helpful. Usually these include drafting an email.

Hi Mike - I can, unsurprisingly, recommend my book on legal writing skills. It's aimed at trainee solicitors, but you should find it useful for preparing for the written bit of assessment centres. (See eg the chapter on writing emails.) The hard copy book is here and the Kindle version is here (free if you have Kindle Unlimited). Good luck!

 

[axelbeugre]

@axelbeugre Hi! I was wondering, with your previous reference to connecting with people in the firm before a vax scheme, would it be professionally acceptable to email them using the address found on the firm's website? Many thanks!

Hey,

I do not see any issue with it providing that you explain how you find the contact, who you are and why you are emailing. I do not know if the firm will be okay with it or not though, so I would potentially ask graduate recruitment if you can do that.

I personally tried to speak to future trainees and trainees I connected with on LinkedIn, I never used emails (also because i assumed they would be busy and they would have ignored the email easily).

I hope that is helpful!

 

[AlCapone]

Has anyone heard from W&C, Stephenson Harwood, or Baker McKenzie about ACs post VI?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Spring W&C, has anyone received the actual contracts yet? Received verbal offer but that was over a week ago with no official documentation received yet

A week isn’t a long time really for these things. If you haven’t heard back by Thursday/Friday next week, give them a call and ask them if they can provide any guidance on the timelines as to when the offer details will be sent.

 

[Zi48]

Has anyone heard from W&C, Stephenson Harwood, or Baker McKenzie about ACs post VI?

The Baker McKenzie VI deadline is today so I don’t think we’ll hear till next week