- Sep 9, 2024
- 1,032
- 1,813
Generally, I advise people to put all of their past vacation schemes in the work experience section. As you mention, it gives a clear indication to the recruitment team at any firm that you were among the very based candidates of a very high number. Recruiters are also quite aware that since the quality of vacation schemers is already extremely high, TC conversion can often hinge on very small margins. Furthermore, they know that many factors beyond a candidate's control will influence progression chances, such as: the supervisor you are allocated, your practice area, the level of demand for that practice area at the moment of the VS, the different level of weigh given to different assessment criteria and to the different input of people at the firm etc. As such, I normally think it's quite a significant mistake not to include a VS in a new application.
I actually know people who have done three VS without converting, mentioned them in applications next year and then were significantly more successful. However, those three VS were spread over 1/2 cycles. In your case, I would definitely advise to include the 2023 and 2024 schemes. For 2022 I think it's more of a judgement call on your part, as three consecutive cycles could start looking like a bit of a pattern. I would however still personally lean towards including it, especially if it is more prestigious and/or is a US firm with low VS to TC conversion rates.
I also thought to tag @Jessica Booker here as she might be able to tell you more.
