TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)

[Asil Ahmad]

Thank you for replying and being so kind <3 Hearing how you guys had a similar journey and now are having more successful cycles is so so inspiring and massively helped me not feel alone in this!! Decided after a sleep and reading these messages, will continue looking for jobs and continue trying to apply for TCs and VSs over the next year. (@Asil Ahmad - completely relate and here if you ever need a chat or a rant). Will definitely revisit my applications and work out points where I went wrong and how I can make myself a stronger candidate going forward. Grateful for this forum in reminding me that there is always a chance even on the days when you do just want to give up on a career in law lol

Yes no worries that is okay.

It is honestly so stressful getting a paralegal role I honestly think getting a paralegal role with less than 6 months paralegal experience is as hard as getting getting a TC or even harder than getting a TC.

But this is my opinion from my experience of applying for paralegal roles.

 

[Asil Ahmad]

The process will often be frustrating for the recruiter too.

Unless they are exclusively recruiting for the role (unlikely), the role could be filled by other agencies or even be filled internally or by direct applicants by the firm.

They often don’t have an update because the client hasn’t updated them either, and they will be equally frustrated to hear the role has been filled and they haven’t been informed.

I know the process is opaque and frustrating, but I’d encourage you to reconsider your position on this and not give up and still go through agencies when required. Applying directly to a firm will not give you any guarantees of hearing back either unfortunately. I would continue applying and then just step back from the process of chasing up as that is the process that is stressing you out. After applying, you can be relatively passive about it, but at least you are in the running. Completely giving up will only result in the certainty of you not securing a role.

Thank you for this helpful response.

Yes I agree with your point about there being other agencies that the client company will be in contact with.

Yes I agree with that recruiters will be frustrated with the role being filled also as it is a sale or commission gone from them.

For those who don't know recruitment consultants make a sale every time they put a candidate in a role and they sometimes get a commission for it. I know this because I tried to get into recruitment.

Yes I will continue to apply but it is getting really stressful for me as you sometimes reach that point where your confidence goes down as it is the same thing everyday.

But for anyone who has got a paralegal role straight after a law degree with no paralegal experience would love to hear how you got that paral;egal role.

 

[TC fiend]

Thank you for this helpful response.

Yes I agree with your point about there being other agencies that the client company will be in contact with.

Yes I agree with that recruiters will be frustrated with the role being filled also as it is a sale or commission gone from them.

For those who don't know recruitment consultants make a sale every time they put a candidate in a role and they sometimes get a commission for it. I know this because I tried to get into recruitment.

Yes I will continue to apply but it is getting really stressful for me as you sometimes reach that point where your confidence goes down as it is the same thing everyday.

But for anyone who has got a paralegal role straight after a law degree with no paralegal experience would love to hear how you got that paral;egal role.

I secured my first paralegal role out of my LLM by signing up to The Law Support Group and leveraging my language skills. That got me into a role at a MC firm which was initially doc review, but I managed to network and get myself plenty of other work and join a lot of social/D&I initiatives. Managed to leverage that experience over 2 years and get my current position as a paralegal at a small US firm.

 

[Abii]

Thank you for this helpful response.

Yes I agree with your point about there being other agencies that the client company will be in contact with.

Yes I agree with that recruiters will be frustrated with the role being filled also as it is a sale or commission gone from them.

For those who don't know recruitment consultants make a sale every time they put a candidate in a role and they sometimes get a commission for it. I know this because I tried to get into recruitment.

Yes I will continue to apply but it is getting really stressful for me as you sometimes reach that point where your confidence goes down as it is the same thing everyday.

But for anyone who has got a paralegal role straight after a law degree with no paralegal experience would love to hear how you got that paral;egal role.

My first paralegal role was a 3 month paid internship straight out my LLB, in-house with a large global telecoms company working on corporate and commercial matters, it would have been extended/continued had I not gone on to do masters in a completely unrelated area of law. I then went straight into a full time paralegal role in-house commercial law in another huge household recognised company again straight from my masters.

I leveraged my transferable skills having had a voluntary role and a full time job during my full time studies and keeping a part time job alongside the full time internship and meeting targets in work and keeping high grades - all 2.1s and Firsts throughout my degree.

Thats not to say that I also haven't had a huge number of rejections or just non-response to paralegal applications in that time because I have and now I seem to have the opposite problem of too much experience for entry level roles but not enough for the more senior roles.

 

[spamelinazoid]

Just got the Forsters PFO, exactly 4 weeks after my AC

 

[j.s.cox]

Thank you for this helpful response.

Yes I agree with your point about there being other agencies that the client company will be in contact with.

Yes I agree with that recruiters will be frustrated with the role being filled also as it is a sale or commission gone from them.

For those who don't know recruitment consultants make a sale every time they put a candidate in a role and they sometimes get a commission for it. I know this because I tried to get into recruitment.

Yes I will continue to apply but it is getting really stressful for me as you sometimes reach that point where your confidence goes down as it is the same thing everyday.

But for anyone who has got a paralegal role straight after a law degree with no paralegal experience would love to hear how you got that paral;egal role.

I'm a non-law graduate who is currently doing the PGDL I managed to secure a paralegal role, but I didn't use any recruiters. I found a boutique firm who worked in a field I was interested in and emailed the boss asking if he would be willing to let me gain some work experience there. When I was asked for how long I wanted the experience, I basically told them that I wanted to stay as long as they would have me. After a while working there, I asked if they would be willing to take me on as a paralegal and they gave me the job.

I know it's an unconventional route to a paralegal role, but I really think you have to just put yourself out there and be happy to gain experience rather than paralegal experience specifically. Hope that helps and sorry you've had a rough time of it with looking for a role!

 

[rightletsdothis]

I was finally given a PFO from withers today. I have a suspicion I’m not the only one today who has received one today, am I?

 

[GXA123]

I was finally given a PFO from withers today. I have a suspicion I’m not the only one today who has received one today, am I?

after what stage?

 

[rightletsdothis]

after what stage?

I guess online assessment but I’m pretty sure everyone gets that so in reality post application… just about 6 days before the vacation scheme was meant to start which seems fair

 

[GXA123]

I guess online assessment but I’m pretty sure everyone gets that so in reality post application… just about 6 days before the vacation scheme was meant to start which seems fair

their online assessment is not automatic, I also got rejected earlier and applied to direct TC

 

[TCApp2021]

Are W&C still holding VI for summer VS.. haven't heard anything since submitting my app?

 

[rightletsdothis]

their online assessment is not automatic, I also got rejected earlier and applied to direct TC

I thought so. They act like they are constantly reviewing applications but in reality just hand out a bunch of rejections they have lying in their laps. It annoys me so much. I wish they would just be honest and not waste our time

 

[srcfaulk]

Nope! Post-critical thinking PFO today as well (I took the test in early February)

I was finally given a PFO from withers today. I have a suspicion I’m not the only one today who has received one today, am I?

 

[GXA123]

What is a mark-up exercise in an AC?

proof read

 

[A494]

I am completing an application for a summer work placement at a local regional firm. Rather than being online, the application process requires you to fill out an application form (education/work history) and email it. I was wondering whether it would generally be recommended to also include a cover letter for such an application (the application website does not mention one)?

 

[Deobicaratexol0804]

Has anybody had their NRF Vac Scheme documents/contracts? After replying to their email, which said they would try and get back to me by the end of the week, it's been pure radio silence and I'm worried they haven't seen my confirmation email lols

 

[HopefulForALawJob]

Has anybody had their NRF Vac Scheme documents/contracts? After replying to their email, which said they would try and get back to me by the end of the week, it's been pure radio silence and I'm worried they haven't seen my confirmation email lols

Haven't received anything yet

 

[thirdtimelucky]

Haven't received anything yet

Spring scheme is next week so it’s possible grad rec is quite busy preparing for that!

 

[James Carrabino]

I have a question regarding strategy/ direct TC applications, which I would really appreciate hearing people's thoughts on. Would be particularly grateful if @Jessica Booker could give some insight.

Direct TCs are opening up now until June/July. Having secured a few Vac Schemes with firms I would enjoy working at, should I apply to some direct TCs at other firms (that i'd also enjoy working at)?

I ask because my main priority is simply securing a TC this year. I realise Vac schemes can be unpredictable and I was considering whether I could advantageously leverage the fact I have vac schemes coming up with other rival firms, during the application (as it would make me seem like a more desirable candidate) to get a direct TC now. If I dont end up converting one of the VS, surely, my position wouldn't be as strong for direct TCs as it is this year.

Another consideration is that I am a final year law UG at Oxbridge. In other words, I have a very demanding few months of exam prep coming and there would be an opportunity cost (in that I'd be taking time away from my revision) to do these direct TC applications.

@Homer congratulations on your vac schemes! It is impressive to hear that you are driven to keep applying despite having secured a few vac schemes 😊

First of all, it is always worth applying to more firms if you have the time, no question! Even though you are clearly an excellent applicant from your vac scheme successes, you always boost your chances further with more apps, plus direct TC applications are a great route to take(see @AvniD's excellent thread about them here) as there is a prospect of ending up with a TC offer without having to go through a vac scheme! As you say, you will be able to leverage your vac schemes in your direct TC apps and I think this will help you pass the application stage and have talking points in interviews (if my personal experience is anything to go off).

That said, I don't think it is true to say that your position will not be as strong for direct TCs if you do not end up converting one of your vac schemes. In fact, if you are very busy now with exams then I would possibly wait until after your vac schemes to decide whether you need to apply for direct TCs. I attended three vac schemes last cycle and was not successful in converting any of them into TCs. I have told this story before on the forum, but on July 13th I received two post-VS rejections on the same day and I immediately picked myself up and sent out a direct TC app on July 14th and another one on July 15th, both of which ultimately ended up in training contract offers.

I noticed a massive difference in the success rate of my apps getting past the application stage after securing my vac schemes, but very little difference between the period before starting and after completing the vac schemes, at which point it would have been obvious to a firm where I was applying that I had not converted my schemes. I talked extensively about what I had learnt and enjoyed about commercial law from my vac schemes in my direct TC interviews and I was never once asked whether I was successful in converting them.

All of this is to say that the direct TC route is great, but unless you have deadlines approaching before your vac schemes (I can only think of Baker McKenzie and Ashurst where this is likely to be relevant although I am sure there are a couple more) then I would wait until after you complete your vac schemes when you have more time to write these applications and will be able to actually write about the work you did on the schemes and what you learnt from it.

I hope that this is all helpful

 

[James Carrabino]

How does everyone here find conversion rates from VS to TC

@Jessica Booker is right to take these with a pinch of salt but often such stats appear on ChambersStudent (as in it will tell you how many vac scheme offers they give and how many TC offers they give so you can work it out)