2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion
- Thread starter Jaysen
- Start date
- Status
I've emailed the grad recruitment team and planning on emailing them again tomorrow if it's still down!
Great, I've done the same. Just to confirm, that's the email starting 'recruitment@...' or is that just an automated email system/one they won't check?
I just replied to the email they sent with the test invite. Hopefully CVMail will be up again soon!
Agreed with what everybody here has said! I would also add - try not to over prepare. You want to show them your natural self so make sure you have a relaxing week in the lead up to the AC
On a separate note, Dheepa I would LOVE your feel good music recommendations. I don't know if there's a thread on here for 'unwind resources' but it would be FAB to collate everyone's suggestions into one and to get a TCLA playlist going for feel good music!
I'm thinking ahead a bit here as I'm still waiting to hear from a few firms. But...I'm not optimistic and my applications haven't progressed beyond a VI (for one firm) this year. What should my next move be? I'm thinking I should first try to review what's gone wrong and then (maybe) apply for some direct TCs. What have others done who have been unsuccessful in their first cycle but subsequently successful? Do people tend to apply for the same firms in subsequent rounds or change it up?
Any advice gratefully received I'm feeling a little deflated but overall still positive.
Any advice gratefully received
I'm feeling a little deflated but overall still positive.
I love this idea! Perhaps @Jaysen could stick a thread like this if it were created?Agreed with what everybody here has said! I would also add - try not to over prepare. You want to show them your natural self so make sure you have a relaxing week in the lead up to the AC
On a separate note, Deep I would LOVE your feel good music recommendations. I don't know if there's a thread on here for 'unwind resources' but it would be FAB to collate everyone's suggestions into one and to get a TCLA playlist going for feel good music!
Also, for music recommendations, I tend to go more 'chill' than 'feel good' per se, although a bit of both is nice. Some of my favourite albums to chill to are 'Paradise Valley' and 'Born and Raised' by John Mayer, 'These Streets' by Paolo Nutini, 'These Two Windows' and 'Narrated for You' by Alec Benjamin, and 'The Seldom Seen Kid' by Elbow. 'Hell Freezes Over' by the Eagles is also class as are 'Wanted on Voyage' and 'Staying at Tamara's' by George Ezra, but they're more Spring/ Summer albums imo. Sam Fischer's new album, 'Homework', is phenomenal and strikes a good balance of chill and feel good.
I love most of Lewis Capaldi's songs but they're definitely on the depressing side 😂
I'f I'm looking for music to get me super hyped up and ready to go, it's AC/DC all the way - 'Highway to Hell' and 'Back in Black' for albums, but I also love the 'Thunderstruck' single. 'American Idiot' by Green Day is also up there.
I have music on almost all the time when I'm working - listening to some Imagine Dragons right now!
Last edited:
I now tend to apply to the vac scheme unless more than 50% of trainees are recruited through direct TC, but before I did a vac scheme I always applied for vac schemes since I felt not having a vac scheme on a direct TC application was a disadvantage
Can anyone who has been successful at video interviews tell me if its advisable to follow a more scripted, structured, rehearsed answer or just have a general idea of what you're going to say? I seem to always fail at the telephone/video interview stage & im not really sure where I'm going wrong & its hard to find out what the GR want from us to put us forward to the next stage
I'm thinking ahead a bit here as I'm still waiting to hear from a few firms. But...I'm not optimistic and my applications haven't progressed beyond a VI (for one firm) this year. What should my next move be? I'm thinking I should first try to review what's gone wrong and then (maybe) apply for some direct TCs. What have others done who have been unsuccessful in their first cycle but subsequently successful? Do people tend to apply for the same firms in subsequent rounds or change it up?
Any advice gratefully received
I haven't QUITE been successful in my TC hunt yet but I was unsuccessful in every app last year. This cycle, I've received one VS offer with one upcoming AC so far, after getting to VI/the last stage before AC with all other firms. I am waiting to hear back from four of those so I might be able to advise on some things you can do over the next year if you are not successful this time around!
I didn't apply for TCs after last year as I thought, if I wasn't successful in my VS applications, as sad as I was, there must be an area that the firm's are picking up on where I need to improve. I realised that one of the issues is that I was too scared to ask for help in my applications as I felt they were too personal to ask people to read. I broke down the boundary and asked a friend to read my applications and a lovely member of TCLA reviewed one as well. This gave me pointers in writing! After this, I actually applied to the Baker McKenzie TC as a test to see if my writing strategy was better, and I got to VI and then messed it up hehe. I then spent the year gaining as much experience as possible relating to law - I attended pretty much every Legal Cheek insight event (over 35?!), signed up for All About Law firm specific events, took up the opportunities for the Bright Network Commercial Law Internship and the Legal Cheek Virtual Vacation Scheme, joined Rare Recruitment, got a subscription to the FT, completed a language course, took up a new more commercially focused job and completed Harvard's Computer Science for Lawyers course (to demonstrate my interest in legal tech) to name a few. All of these factors really honed my understanding of the industry and the firms I wanted to apply to, as well as my reasons for applying to them. Some of those firms were the same as previously, but I learned about new areas of law that I had not known much about before (i.e. project finance) and applied to new firms as well. For those firms to which I have re-applied, I have been particularly commended in my resilience in returning and listening to the feedback I was given before (i.e. I interviewed at DLA two years ago and they said they could tell it was my first interview so gain some more experience and come back). At previous firm events, the firms I am waiting to hear back from have strongly encouraged me to re-apply and said that they admire people who keep trying with more experience.
Long post and probably my most personal yet (
) but, from my perspective, I would recommend:1. Get your applications reviewed as this will help you improve your application strategy
2. Apply to TCs if you have specific and personal reasons for why that firm that they cannot argue with
3. If you are still not successful, spend the year building as much experience as possible so that you can come back stronger next year!
Most importantly though, take a BREAK. Whether you are successful or not this time round, application season is tough. It's mentally exhausting and it's so important to have that time to reset before you move on with your next ventures.
All the best ❤️
Last edited:
Same issue here.
Quite frustrating for me as it went down whilst I was completing a verbal reasoning test. Going to be emailing HR in the event they didn't receive my score – however I imagine they will reply on Monday, which is past the deadline for the test.
This is my fear - that they will not see the email. Is there anyone that we would be able to call?
Until Monday I don't think so unfortunately. I am certain they won't be responding to emails/calls over the weekend.
I think the best course of action is to email HR that you completed a test/form and attach the errors provided by CVmail. Perhaps it may also be worth emailing CVmail, and forwarding this to HR too.
I would imagine leniency will be provided as its a factor beyond our control!
Thanks so much for the detailed response, really does give me inspiration to keep going. I have started Harvard's Computer Science for Lawyers course as well, how much time did you spend on it? All the best with your VS and upcoming AC/other responses, I'm sure you'll smash them and land a TC. Definitely deserve it after all that hard work!I haven't QUITE been successful in my TC hunt yet but I was unsuccessful in every app last year. This cycle, I've received one VS offer with one upcoming AC so far, after getting to VI/the last stage before AC with all other firms. I am waiting to hear back from four of those so I might be able to advise on some things you can do over the next year if you are not successful this time around!
I didn't apply for TCs after last year as I thought, if I wasn't successful in my VS applications, as sad as I was, there must be an area that the firm's are picking up on where I need to improve. I realised that one of the issues is that I was too scared to ask for help in my applications as I felt they were too personal to ask people to read. I broke down the boundary and asked a friend to read my applications and a lovely member of TCLA reviewed one as well. This gave me pointers in writing! After this, I actually applied to the Baker McKenzie TC as a test to see if my writing strategy was better, and I got to VI and then messed it up hehe. I then spent the year gaining as much experience as possible relating to law - I attended pretty much every Legal Cheek insight event (over 35?!), signed up for All About Law firm specific events, took up the opportunities for the Bright Network Commercial Law Internship and the Legal Cheek Virtual Vacation Scheme, joined Rare Recruitment, got a subscription to the FT, completed a language course, took up a new more commercially focused job and completed Harvard's Computer Science for Lawyers course (to demonstrate my interest in legal tech) to name a few. All of these factors really honed my understanding of the industry and the firms I wanted to apply to, as well as my reasons for applying to them. Some of those firms were the same as previously, but I learned about new areas of law that I had not known much about before (i.e. project finance) and applied to new firms as well. For those firms to which I have re-applied, I have been particularly commended in my resilience in returning and listening to the feedback I was given before (i.e. I interviewed at DLA two years ago and they said they could tell it was my first interview so gain some more experience and come back). At previous firm events, the firms I am waiting to hear back from have strongly encouraged me to re-apply and said that they admire people who keep trying with more experience.
Long post and probably my most personal yet (
1. Get your applications reviewed as this will help you improve your application strategy
2. Apply to TCs if you have specific and personal reasons for why that firm that they cannot argue with
3. If you are still not successful, spend the year building as much experience as possible so that you can come back stronger next year!
Most importantly though, take a BREAK. Whether you are successful or not this time round, application season is tough. It's mentally exhausting and it's so important to have that time to reset before you move on with your next ventures.
All the best ❤️
Anyone still not heard from Addleshaw?
Is there a list somewhere of firms that actually do recruit a lot of trainees through their Direct TC stream rather than VS? Haven't come across one and would be very grateful for any info
I think theres a thread on here but otherwise I tend to look on chambers student and the firm’s website, if they only hire from vac scheme they should have it on their website possibly in FAQs
I know you didn't ask me personally but trance is my go-to music when I need a pick me up. I guess most of you won't be too familiar with it, since it peaked in popularity when you would have been very young. But if anybody is interested, Armin Van Buuren's radio show celebrated 1000 episodes this week - the 1000th episode is a five hour mix compromised of the top 50 trance mixes of all time. Would definitely recommend!Agreed with what everybody here has said! I would also add - try not to over prepare. You want to show them your natural self so make sure you have a relaxing week in the lead up to the AC
On a separate note, Dheepa I would LOVE your feel good music recommendations. I don't know if there's a thread on here for 'unwind resources' but it would be FAB to collate everyone's suggestions into one and to get a TCLA playlist going for feel good music!
- Status
Similar threads
- Sticky
- Locked
