Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hey @Jessica Booker

Just out of interest, how are AC scored? I’ve been told that they shouldn’t be viewed as competitive as assessors are just looking to see if you meet a benchmark… or is it in fact that it is a competitive activity and you are judged against other people?

You are scored individually and against matrix that everyone else is scored against, not against other people.

 

[M991]

Hi @Jessica Booker!

I had an AC last week and it seem like I will hear back from the firm towards the end of the month. One of my interviewers was a trainee and they added me on LinkedIn before the interview, wished me good luck, etc. As I have another AC coming up next week and I would really appreciate some advice on my interview performance (what I can focus on improving in my preparation), would it be appropriate to message the trainee, explain that I have some other interview soon and ask them for some general feedback on my interview (as long as they are allowed to provide me with any information)?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi @Jessica Booker!

I had an AC last week and it seem like I will hear back from the firm towards the end of the month. One of my interviewers was a trainee and they added me on LinkedIn before the interview, wished me good luck, etc. As I have another AC coming up next week and I would really appreciate some advice on my interview performance (what I can focus on improving in my preparation), would it be appropriate to message the trainee, explain that I have some other interview soon and ask them for some general feedback on my interview (as long as they are allowed to provide me with any information)?

I’d just go to the graduate recruitment team to ask for feedback rather than individual assessors, even if you have connected on LinkedIn. You can ask for the feedback and explain you have another interview coming up and so would like any feedback to help prepare for that. They will understand.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hello, @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Probably a stupid question but does the Grad Rec team ever reject someone by mistake lol? I mean how fool proof is the PFO process?

Thanks.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hello, @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Probably a stupid question but does the Grad Rec team ever reject someone by mistake lol? I mean how fool proof is the PFO process?

Thanks.

It’s a process reliant on humans and they make errors, so yes it is completely possible like most things in life.

 

[WiseOwl]

Hi all, I was wondering if there are any resources on TCLA on legal tech, AI, innovation, etc?

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

It’s a process reliant on humans and they make errors, so yes it is completely possible like most things in life.

Thank you so much.

 

[Paaris]

Hi @Jessica Booker , this may have already been answered so apologies if I am raising it again.

I'm just curious, when it comes to interviews in general and as someone that identifies as female, what is the appropriate dress code? I usually stick with a black trouser suit, but would a patterned trouser suit be a no no? So if it was a grey checked trouser suit or a grey houndstooth suit?
Also, if I wore a black or navy skirt suit, would that be okay, as long as the skirt was up to the knees, or would it need to be below the knee? I would pair the suit with a white shirt.

This is purely out of curiosity I am asking! I've always wanted to know what's acceptable at training contract interviews!

Thanks very much

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi @Jessica Booker , this may have already been answered so apologies if I am raising it again.

I'm just curious, when it comes to interviews in general and as someone that identifies as female, what is the appropriate dress code? I usually stick with a black trouser suit, but would a patterned trouser suit be a no no? So if it was a grey checked trouser suit or a grey houndstooth suit?
Also, if I wore a black or navy skirt suit, would that be okay, as long as the skirt was up to the knees, or would it need to be below the knee? I would pair the suit with a white shirt.

This is purely out of curiosity I am asking! I've always wanted to know what's acceptable at training contract interviews!

Thanks very much

All of those would be perfectly acceptable.

The colours and patterns you have mentioned are all regularly worn in offices.

A skirt should really be only just above the knee.

 

[Paaris]

All of those would be perfectly acceptable.

The colours and patterns you have mentioned are all regularly worn in offices.

A skirt should really be only just above the knee.

Thank you very much!

 

[M991]

Hi @Jessica Booker! Hope you are doing well.

Last week, I interviewed with Firm A that asked me update them on my applications with other firms while I am waiting for them to get back to me with the outcome of my interview. I did previously let them know when I got to the interview stage with some other firms and mentioned that I had completed a written exercise with Firm B. Now I have been invited to the final stage interview at Firm B - shall I email Firm A about it, or is it not necessary as they know that I have been in the application process (post application) with Firm B anyways?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi @Jessica Booker! Hope you are doing well.

Last week, I interviewed with Firm A that asked me update them on my applications with other firms while I am waiting for them to get back to me with the outcome of my interview. I did previously let them know when I got to the interview stage with some other firms and mentioned that I had completed a written exercise with Firm B. Now I have been invited to the final stage interview at Firm B - shall I email Firm A about it, or is it not necessary as they know that I have been in the application process (post application) with Firm B anyways?

I would only update them if you get an offer from firm B.

 

[futuretraineecity]

Hi @Jessica Booker i have received a VS offer and the firm is running two dates almost back to back. Do you think it’s a fair question to ask if TC offers will be made after both schemes or on a rolling basis? Just so I can then choose which scheme might be the better option?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi @Jessica Booker i have received a VS offer and the firm is running two dates almost back to back. Do you think it’s a fair question to ask if TC offers will be made after both schemes or on a rolling basis? Just so I can then choose which scheme might be the better option?

You could ask, but it won't work like that, so I don't think you need to ask.

The second scheme will have just as much chance as the first.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hello @Jessica Booker , could you please tell me, if firms have a few vacant spots left after they're done conducting their vac schemes (and this is in context for a firm that predominantly hires via vac schemes only and not Direct TCs) , then is there any possibility that they might get in touch with applicants who they had rejected before? Basically, is the PFO reversible under any circumstances? Do firms ever get back to people who they reject?

I know that I asked something similar yesterday but my apologies. I just worked really hard for a particular firm and I just want to know if there is any possibility to be considered by them after getting a PFO, anything at all.

Thanks.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hello @Jessica Booker , could you please tell me, if firms have a few vacant spots left after they're done conducting their vac schemes (and this is in context for a firm that predominantly hires via vac schemes only and not Direct TCs) , then is there any possibility that they might get in touch with applicants who they had rejected before? Basically, is the PFO reversible under any circumstances? Do firms ever get back to people who they reject?

I know that I asked something similar yesterday but my apologies. I just worked really hard for a particular firm and I just want to know if there is any possibility to be considered by them after getting a PFO, anything at all.

Thanks.

This is highly unlikely - due to the lead in time, they would just try and recruit from the next cycle if they had spaces left.

I don't want to give false hope and so I would strongly recommend looking at other firms and/or think about reapplying in the next recruitment cycle.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

This is highly unlikely - due to the lead in time, they would just try and recruit from the next cycle if they had spaces left.

I don't want to give false hope and so I would strongly recommend looking at other firms and/or think about reapplying in the next recruitment cycle.

Just one last follow up question, please. Linklaters says that you can only take their CAPP test and their WG once per year but my question is, what can we possibly do if we were rejected because of our scores in these tests? Applying in a new cycle makes no sense in that case because Links does not ask for much. Do you think applying via a new email ID should work if we want to improve our chances in the next cycle by taking these tests again?

Thanks

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Just one last follow up question, please. Linklaters says that you can only take their CAPP test and their WG once per year but my question is, what can we possibly do if we were rejected because of our scores in these tests? Applying in a new cycle makes no sense in that case because Links does not ask for much. Do you think applying via a new email ID should work if we want to improve our chances in the next cycle?

Thanks

Applying with a different email is unlikely to work. The application system should be sophisticated enough to pick up you will be a duplicate applicant based on the other information you provide (name/address/key data like study dates).

Changing your email isn't necessarily the solution though - passing the test will be, and that won't be dependent on your email address.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Applying with a different email is unlikely to work. The application system should be sophisticated enough to pick up you will be a duplicate applicant based on the other information you provide (name/address/key data like study dates).

Changing your email isn't necessarily the solution though - passing the test will be, and that won't be dependent on your email address.

My apologies but I think there's some miscommunication. What I meant was that there is no way that we can take the tests again in the same year of making the application and so I don't know if I got a PFO from the firm because they didn't like my academic performance or I didn't do well on the CAPP+WG. So, I was asking, what is it that I can do differently with the same test scores in the next cycle when I apply again because if I have a poor CAPP and a poor WG score, then IMO there is nothing much that I can do to improve my chances with the firm since the test scores remain the exact same.

Thanks.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

My apologies but I think there's some miscommunication. What I meant was that there is no way that we can take the tests again in the same year of making the application and so I don't know if I got a PFO from the firm because they didn't like my academic performance or I didn't do well on the CAPP+WG. So, I was asking, what is it that I can do differently with the same test scores in the next cycle when I apply again because if I have a poor CAPP and a poor WG score, then IMO there is nothing much that I can do to improve my chances with the firm since the test scores remain the exact same.

Thanks.

Sorry, the different email question at the end of the post was what I was responding to.

You could ask the firm to confirm whether it was your CAPP/WG or your application that made the decision.