TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Bruce McMouse]

Sameeee 🥹 🥹 🥹 🥳🤩🤩 first win of the cycle!!

Were your two questions basically the same but worded slightly differently?

 

[Andrei Radu]

How are people getting multiple ACs and VS offers? I've often heard that firms like people who are the sort of people who are going to get a TC anyway, but I've never felt like that person, and for me it relies on luck, personal chemistry with the interviews, and similar. Last year, I only got ACs at 10% of firms I applied to (three ACs, one VS). This year, I'm doing worse and have actually gone backwards (no AC with W&C as of yet compared to last year and rejected from Willkie after the VI).

Hey @Tintin06 just to add to some of the great responses from other members:

1. I truly do not think there is a 'successful' type - and the reason for that is my personal experience. In the past, I used to think such a type of person did exist, and I would imagine them having all the qualities that I thought I lacked: being extremely confident and business-savvy, great at networking and well-connected in the City, having multiple prestigious prior work experiences and awards and so on. In my first application cycle, I made around 11-12 FYS applications and was rejected at the first stage in every single one. So, if I knew anyone who wasn't 'the type', that was definitely me.

However, I ended my second cycle with 4 VS offers from elite US/MC firms and then 3 TC offers. This is because I worked a lot harder and worked a lot smarter the second time around, not because I became a fundamentally different person. In my experience, this also applies to the other people I know who received multiple offers - they actually tended to be closer to the 'quiet' type rather than any Harvey Specter-like character. My point is, I do not think there are any people who are simply 'made' to be successful. Thinking that there is a 'type' and that you are not among them will only hurt your self-confidence and consequently hurt your success chances.

2. You should not feel disheartened because of your perceived lack of success so far this cycle. I know a candidate who was in a very similar position to you last year, and who, similarly to you, has been very motivated to succeed this cycle. They have started applying in early August and had already completed 30+ applications weeks ago. Until very recently, they were getting rejected left, right, and center, and they also thought they were doing worse than last year. However, in a span of 2 weeks, they got 4 AC invites.

As such, my advice is to know your worth and keep at it, perhaps while also integrating some of the advice of the other members regarding application research and writing. If you do so, I think it's very possible that you might do so well that by the end of the cycle you will also be seen as part of the was-always-going-to-succeed type !

 

[Bruce McMouse]

I submitted it yesterday at 2 pm

Were your two questions basically the same but worded slightly differently?

 

[Gday33]

Does anyone know if RPC VS is rolling?

Non-rolling - believe they will send out select WG after the deadline

 

[Andrei Radu]

Hi, does anyone have any tips for Wilkie's video interview as I failed mine last year ?

Just to add to @Ram Sabaratnam's great advice, I copied here my most important tips from a longer guide I wrote about general VI and competency interview preparation (which you can access here). Looking out for the issues I listed bellow is a think a big part of the reason I managed to get past the VI stage when I applied for Willkie.

B. Additional advice for VIs

Although they do differ on a firm-by-firm basis, VI questions tend on the most part to be more formulaic and predictable than at final stage interviews. This is a factor that is worth taking into consideration when considering how to prepare. The questions that come up in VIs tend to be in one of the following categories:

• The classics: Why you, Why the firm, Why commercial law - these almost always feature in one form or another. Make sure to have a very well-prepared answer.
• Further motivational questions: Why did you initially decide to study law, What other careers did you consider, What do you like and dislike about different types of work, what practice areas/sectors are you interested in etc.
• Competency questions: Tell me about a time you demonstrated teamwork skills/time-management/innovation/creative thinking/integrity etc.
• Situational judgement questions: What would you do in X scenario (eg. you have multiple competing deadlines and you feel your work product will suffer as a result).
• General commercial awareness question: tell us about a news story you have been following and what are its impacts on the economy/the legal market/the firm/the firm's clients, what is a business you admire, who are the firm's competitors? why do the firm's clients keep coming back to the firm?
• Curveballs: Besides variations of these types of questions, the only other type of question you should prepare for is potential curveballs. However, you can't really predict a curveball, so the only thing you can do it to try to train yourself to think quickly and be flexible in how you leverage your experience. To prepare, search for curveball interview question banks, pick questions at random and do your best to try to come up with sensible answers.

My general advice would be to invest the most of your preparation time in practicing until you have really well-rehearsed answers for the most common questions in each category. Besides that, I have listed here two pointers which were significantly helpful in elevating my VI performances:

• One of the biggest issues most candidates face is being flexible with their pre-prepared answers around the specific time limit of each VI. Try to get to a point where you can, on the spot, answer both the independent questions and the broader combinations of questions in 1 minute, 1.5 minute, and 2-minute timeframes. Then record yourself and assess your performance. The more you do this, the more will you improve your ability to answer different variations of questions in varying timeframes.
• Do not overcommit when you first start answering a question. This was by far the biggest issue for me last year. I would try to be structured and signpost, so I would start my answer by saying 'I will give you three/four reasons why ...'. However, midway through articulating my answer I would realise I did not have enough time to comprehensively state what I indented to. Thus, I would have to either sacrifice on the quality of my explanations, or just not talk through everything I said I would, neither of which is a good look. As such, when in doubt, go for less rather than more. Your purpose should not be to blow away the recruiters, but to simply communicate good substantive points in a clear, concise, and composed manner.

 

[g.cl.2020344]

any1 still waiting to hear from covington, w&C of HL after initial apps? I submitted for all three in sept and advent heard back for wvs... surely its a rejection for all three

 

[Smart water 0403]

does anyone have any advice on how to answer the following question? Q3. What do you understand to be the day-to-day responsibilities of a commercial lawyer? What attracts you to this reality and which aspects do you anticipate to be most challenging for you to navigate?- is it advisable to reference your own experiences ?

 

[Tintin06]

Covington & Burling PFO.

Btw, does it matter if you use a capital a mid sentence instead of a lower case a, asking for a friend.

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker Hi Jess, what are your thoughts on submitting the same application for the third cycle in the row? The last two apps to this firm I used the same answers and I succeeded in getting to the next round.

I will always recommend updating and refining applications. I don’t think you can assume that because an application was successful before it will be again.

In addition, it’s important to show more recent evidence of your experiences and pursuit of the career, so I would ensure anything you have done since your first application is reflected in the latest one.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Covington & Burling PFO.

Btw, does it matter if you use a capital a mid sentence instead of a lower case a, asking for a friend.

It would be seen as a minor typo but I don’t think it would be a deal breaker on its own.

 

[Amjaya]

Covington PFO, went through to AC last year maybe thats why I didn't get it this year?

 

[SamiyaJ]

Covington PFO post app, but they offered a call via teams next week for application tips.. Do they do this all the time? Quite nice of them?!

 

[g.cl.2020344]

Covington PFO post app, but they offered a call via teams next week for application tips.. Do they do this all the time? Quite nice of them?!

yeah same Covington PFO, got offered a call next weds 9.30 but I have a class

 

[Tintin06]

Covington PFO post app, but they offered a call via teams next week for application tips.. Do they do this all the time? Quite nice of them?!

I heard mention of that application tips thing back in the summer but didn't get any such invite.

 

[3000to1shoteverytime]

yeah same Covington PFO, got offered a call next weds 9.30 but I have a class

They had 800 applications for WVS so I am sure they aren't offering to everyone

 

[Kodak123]

yeah same Covington PFO, got offered a call next weds 9.30 but I have a class

I got that message as well

 

[user9809]

Covington PFO, went through to AC last year maybe thats why I didn't get it this year?

Same here, I wonder if firms are stricter if you have previously made to an AC

 

[g.cl.2020344]

Same here, I wonder if firms are stricter if you have previously made to an AC

some firms won't interview candidates twice

 

[SoonToBeTrainee]

some firms won't interview candidates twice

I’m increasingly finding that most US firms, in particular, won’t re-interview. And that’s even with some of the firms that explicitly say they on their website that they‘re happy with us reapplying.

It’s ridiculous, as it’s a waste of time for us even applying. At least Jones Day are honest about it. About the only firm out there that is

 

[aspiringlawyer12]

HL WVS offer!!