I am still waiting to hear back from 2 firms, but I have completed 8 Vis this cycle and only passed one but was rejected after the written exercise. Since completing two Vs two years ago, I have not been able to gain another placement, but only VIs and interviews. I am feeling a bit deflated and defeated, I have never received feedback and do not know what I am doing wrong. I study hard for my VIs and interviews and am a bit lost, I have now finished my Farrer application, however, I do not want to submit it because I feel like am wasting my time.
@Ram Sabaratnam, do you have any tips to help move on?
Hiya
@AS24
First of all, I’m really sorry you're feeling deflated. The VI stage can be incredibly frustrating, especially given the lack of feedback. However, given that you've previously secured vacation schemes and seem to consistently reach video interviews, you're clearly capable and have shown resilience throughout this process.
Second, please, please don’t be discouraged from submitting your Farrer application. Farrer was actually one of the first firms that gave me a shot at a partner interview in my first application cycle. From my understanding, their process is slightly different and potentially plays to your strengths: rather than doing a traditional pre-recorded video interview, they go straight from the written application to a first-round partner interview and then a second-round interview with partners. Given your experience and persistence, I genuinely believe you have a strong chance of reaching that stage and perhaps going even further.
If you have to do more video interviews for other firms, I found it helpful to record myself practicing answers, then asking someone trusted (a friend, a family member, or a mentor) to watch and give me their honest impression (it feels a bit awkward initially to do this, but it can genuinely highlight things you wouldn’t notice yourself). I also relied on mock interviews with TCLA to help me understand what was going wrong with my delivery for video interviews in particular, but I appreciate that this might not be accessible to everyone.
Finally, I'd recommend giving yourself a short break for a few days. I don't think you should give up now. Rather, I'd encourage you to just step back to recharge and come back refreshed for the rest of the cycle. You're definitely not wasting your time! I really do hope you submit that application to Farrer. Best of luck and let us know if we can offer more help!
