Hi, congrats on your VS! Crazy that they are going ahead with it in person! I'd recommend checking these threads out. I know they have a focus on virtual schemes but I think the advice is applicable in both contexts.
Hi guys, Per my post in the 'hearing back from law firms' thread, I thought I would create this so we can bounce ideas off each other and help each other out with any questions to ensure that we can all (hopefully) get those TC offers after this summer! I'll post my approach today but please...
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A huge thank you to this candidate who shared this advice after completing Weil's virtual vacation scheme: General Tips Be yourself. Vacation schemes are about the firm seeing if they would want to work with you but also for you to see if you would want to work at the firm. Neither assessment...
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Hey all, A few people have asked about this so I thought we'd create a central thread for 2021. Anyone feel free to share your own top tips on converting a vacation scheme into a training contract. I'd recommend reading the following threads to kick us off...
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Some additional advice I do have for in person schemes:
- Be friendly, smile and greet everyone. Receptionists, secretaries, people holding the elevator for you.
- Most firms have a coffee area on each floor. Don't hesitate to make conversation with any associates or partners you see hanging around there. Good way to network and good way to get to know what other people are working on and if thats work you'd like to be involved in.
- Don't go around knocking on doors and asking for work. Shows you're not genuinely interested in the work you're asking for and just want anything to work on, plus it can end very badly if multiple people come back to you with work and you no longer have the capacity to do it.
- Don't have your phone out, anywhere, ever. Obvious advice I know but you'd be surprised how many people fumble on this (especially during talks or presentations)
- Don't look bored or distracted during talks that GR have organised. This can be especially hard to do in person but there's usually someone from GR observing these things at the back of the room, and every little thing counts towards being made or not being made the offer.
- If you have absolutely no work and are waiting for your associate to provide you with some, ask your trainee buddy for some contracts, documentation or anything on a case/deal they're working on. That way you always have something interesting to read or learn about and are never going to be seen doing nothing.
- Might only be applicable if your scheme is longer than a week but I would be cautious about getting caught up in groups/cliques that tend to form during vacs. Its fine to find a crowd you like better but mix around as much as possible. I think its important to show that you can fit in with anyone and everyone on the scheme (because the people the firm take in for a VS are often a very accurate reflection of what the firm values in it's actual lawyers anyway)
On the why law answer, I would recommend including some clear tangible examples from work experience that link to those points you mention. During a conversion/exit interview, it would also be good to incorporate examples from the work you've completed/presentations during the scheme. It's really important to convey in every way possible what you enjoyed about the scheme and the work at the firm during that final interview. I go into some detail about this in the post below, so hopefully that helps as well.
Thank you guys! Ill probably take that advice and stay calm about it, and ill wait to see what they do at the end of the month, since I'm supposing my chances for securing the VS are low considering theyre this flippant about my adjustments (the first time we organised a date GR forgot to call...
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Good luck with your VS! Fingers crossed for you! xx
