TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Tintin06]

It unfortunately doesn’t really mean it will be a yes or no. There can be several reasons why candidates may just hear back earlier/later than others if the decision goes either way. I am sure you will hear back sometime this coming week.

As an applicant, I hate this. Everyone should hear simultaneously I think. That’s probably impossible. It just feels like favouritism. It’s worse after a vac scheme. Especially if you’ve waited ages already.

 

[Jessica Booker]

As an applicant, I hate this. Everyone should hear simultaneously I think. That’s probably impossible. It just feels like favouritism. It’s worse after a vac scheme. Especially if you’ve waited ages already.

It really isn’t about favouritism.

It literally is down to circumstance. All it takes is for an assessor to be off unexpectedly or (more typically) slammed with work and they may not get the feedback forms back to HR at the same pace as someone who could return them immediately.

Sometimes it’s even outside of the firm’s control. I have seen offers delayed while the firms waits for an academic reference.

If they waited for the time they could offer the last person, they would lose some of the people they could have offered earlier. It makes the recruitment process collectively more painful for both employers and candidates due to higher number of interviews, more declined offers, and people having to wait around for even longer than they have to do now.

 

[Tintin06]

It really isn’t about favouritism.

It literally is down to circumstance. All it takes is for an assessor to be off unexpectedly or (more typically) slammed with work and they may not get the feedback forms back to HR at the same pace as someone who could return them immediately.

Sometimes it’s even outside of the firm’s control. I have seen offers delayed while the firms waits for an academic reference.

If they waited for the time they could offer the last person, they would lose some of the people they could have offered earlier. It makes the recruitment process collectively more painful for both employers and candidates due to higher number of interviews, more declined offers, and people having to wait around for even longer than they have to do now.

Maybe three months is an extreme example. How do I avoid getting frustrated by delays? I already feel like I’m playing catch up with my career and am in a hurry to start. Was it wrong to call out a firm for a three month wait post-VS?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Maybe three months is an extreme example. How do I avoid getting frustrated by delays? I already feel like I’m playing catch up with my career and am in a hurry to start. Was it wrong to call out a firm for a three month wait post-VS?

A three month wait is excessive - I would be speaking to the firm to confirm what the status of your application/their recruitment process is if you have been waiting that long.

 

[Tintin06]

A three month wait is excessive - I would be speaking to the firm to confirm what the status of your application/their recruitment process is if you have been waiting that long.

This was in August. They seemingly didn’t like me emailing. I copied in lots of people. Maybe that was the issue. They didn’t give me a TC. It came up in the feedback.

 

[Jessica Booker]

This was in August. They seemingly didn’t like me emailing. I copied in lots of people. Maybe that was the issue. They didn’t give me a TC. It came up in the feedback.

Copying in lots of people was probably not the best move in all honesty - you are effectively wasting some people's time and then also showing up whoever has to make the decision to everyone you have emailed.

I get is frustrating to wait but you should deal with the person who is your main point of contact, even if it is taking time for them to respond to you. At best copy someone else in from their team, but there is no reason to copy more than two people in to an email. In particular, avoid copying in anyone senior who was not involved in the recruitment process (e.g. head of London office/Senior Partner/Head of HR level type person) as this will not go down well at all.

 

[Akimbo001]

Hey everyone - hope applications are going well!

For Bristows' application - 'Other than law, what is something you are passionate about?'

Should I speak about something which I am really interested in - green, sustainable tech (think ZEV etc). Obviously, it's quite applicable to the firm and their clients. And it's always something I look out for in the news.

Or is this an opportunity to show them more of my human, non-working, non-serious side? I have a passion for wood working and carpentry, but has very little to do with Bristows or the law.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hey everyone - hope applications are going well!

For Bristows' application - 'Other than law, what is something you are passionate about?'

Should I speak about something which I am really interested in - green, sustainable tech (think ZEV etc). Obviously, it's quite applicable to the firm and their clients. And it's always something I look out for in the news.

Or is this an opportunity to show them more of my human, non-working, non-serious side? I have a passion for wood working and carpentry, but has very little to do with Bristows or the law.

To me, this is definitely the latter rather than the former, unless you are truly geeky about the first topics and can show you have integrated this into your interests/activities (e.g. you are part of a sustainable tech organisation/charity etc). Therefore, I would go with the wood work example.

 

[sammm10101]

Hey everyone - hope applications are going well!

For Bristows' application - 'Other than law, what is something you are passionate about?'

Should I speak about something which I am really interested in - green, sustainable tech (think ZEV etc). Obviously, it's quite applicable to the firm and their clients. And it's always something I look out for in the news.

Or is this an opportunity to show them more of my human, non-working, non-serious side? I have a passion for wood working and carpentry, but has very little to do with Bristows or the law.

Complete guess here, but by mentioning the woodworking, they will be much more likely to remember it. I recently went to an event with Vinson & Elkins, and they kept referring to one of their recent trainees who talked about cheesemaking in his application. Like, they kept referencing it, as it had clearly made an impression, and hey, he got hired.

 

[Akimbo001]

To me, this is definitely the latter rather than the former, unless you are truly geeky about the first topics and can show you have integrated this into your interests/activities (e.g. you are part of a sustainable tech organisation/charity etc). Therefore, I would go with the wood work example.

That makes sense - I mentioned green tech in passing in the previous application question, but not substantiated like you have mentioned. Thanks for clarifying!

 

[Akimbo001]

Complete guess here, but by mentioning the woodworking, they will be much more likely to remember it. I recently went to an event with Vinson & Elkins, and they kept referring to one of their recent trainees who talked about cheesemaking in his application. Like, they kept referencing it, as it had clearly made an impression, and hey, he got hired.

You raise a good point! I can imagine grad rec loving a cheese-making example. I was recently told about how Taylor Swift made it into an application answer, and it was received quite well haha

 

[vr36]

The deadline for Dechert's WVS is on the 25th and is rolling. Would you say it is too late to apply by tomorrow? @Jessica Booker
@Andrei Radu

 

[Deleted member 37508]

The deadline for Dechert's WVS is on the 25th and is rolling. Would you say it is too late to apply by tomorrow? @Jessica Booker
@Andrei Radu

I’m not either of them but I went to an event and spoke to them. I’d say still apply they’ll still look at your application and treat it the same as if you applied on the first day.

 

[Jessica Booker]

The deadline for Dechert's WVS is on the 25th and is rolling. Would you say it is too late to apply by tomorrow? @Jessica Booker
@Andrei Radu

It is never too late to apply - I suspect the firm will still receive over 20% of their applications in the next five days. If this is the best opportunity for you for this cycle, I would apply anyway but if there are other vacation schemes you are eligible for and are willing to wait for, at the same time you may be in a less risky position to hold out for that opportunity instead.

 

[Deleted member 37508]

@Jessica Booker
Thank you for spending your time on the forum on the weekends much appreciated.

I have not done a vacation scheme before but if I failed to convert and applied again next year how do firms look at this.

Are open days easier to get than vacation schemes.

Is it advisable to include deals in vacation scheme applications.

Does this show research if I apply this well within the question asking ‘why x firm’.

 

[unknownnn7372]

How would you answer, how does W&C stand out from its competitors for an interview question

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

are people dressed in formals even while taking the A&O test or is it only during the video questions? thanks

 

[jasonbourne]

Hey guys, I wanted to ask how I should go about answering a 'Tell me about yourself' question.

I'm not sure if there is a specific format for answering this when it comes to legal applications, or how else I should go about it

 

[19.mfjones]

How important are extra-cirricular activities? I am doing my PDGL, working 16 hours a week, and my commute to uni is approx 3 hours each way, twice a week. Am struggling to fit extras in, and wondering if it is better to lower my hours and do volunteering, or if I will be fine as I am

 

[Tintin06]

Is three Vacation Schemes too many? What about six work epxeirneces? Not showing off, genuinely curious. Some of these are years old. We're talking 2015 to 2016. The rest are all 2018 onwards. If there are four boxes, should we only add four?