Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[Jessica Booker]

Hello @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Could you please help me out with something? So, my current CGPA at university is 7.4/10 and the way that my university suggests calculating the equivalent percentage is by simply multiplying the CGPA with 10 which makes is 74% overall (a first by UK standards).

On the other hand, if we add all my module scores manually, my % would turn out to be different and lower but obviously no one asks us to calculate manually since the regulations clearly mention "The CGPA x 10 shall be deemed equivalent to percentage of marks obtained by the student for the purpose of equivalence to percentage of marks. "

Should I make notify this on the application because they might calculate it differently and not in the way that my university carries out the calculation.

Thanks.

On the other hand, if we add all my module scores manually, my % would turn out to be different and lower but obviously no one asks us to calculate manually since the regulations clearly mention "The CGPA x 10 shall be deemed equivalent to percentage of marks obtained by the student for the purpose of equivalence to percentage of marks. "

Should I make notify this on the application because they might calculate it differently and not in the way that my university carries out the calculation.

Thanks.

You just need to provide your grades as you have them - you shouldn’t try to convert them on an application.

Unfortunately the calculation you are suggesting isn’t as simple as 74% equals a first in the U.K.. Just provide the grades as on your transcript and the firm will know roughly what they are looking for from Indian universities.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker. I've just received an invite for Clyde's VI due Saturday at 10:30am. I have an AC on Friday afternoon that I was just given notice for a couple days ago. I will 100% be prioritising AC preparation over the VI, so I won't be able to start prepping for the VI until Friday evening. Is this a sufficient reason to request a small extension of a day or so for Clyde's VI deadline?

You can ask for an extension, but the firm may not provide it to you. It only tends to be for extenuating circumstances that firms provide a longer deadline, but there is no harm in asking.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

You just need to provide your grades as you have them - you shouldn’t try to convert them on an application.

Unfortunately the calculation you are suggesting isn’t as simple as 74% equals a first in the U.K.. Just provide the grades as on your transcript and the firm will know roughly what they are looking for from Indian universities.

Thanks for your answer. I'm worried about one thing however. I don't want the Grad Rec team to calculate my % manually which is obviously going to be lower than my actual achieved percentage. Could you please tell me what I can do here as this has really got me worried. I tried emailing the firm for more quality on this but haven't heard back.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hello @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Could you please tell me, if I've talked about doing legal research and preparing case briefs in one work experience entry, can I not talk about these things again? The problem is that I have done a few legal internships and during all internships I was asked to do legal research and preparing case briefs and if I don't talk about it, I wouldn't be able to say much since there was practically no other work. How do I go about writing all my work experience sections now?

Thanks.

 

[aspiring_solicitor]

Hi, actually I have scored 50% in some of my modules during my first year, however I covered it up in second year and I am on a track to get 2:1. Is it fine if your aggregate is 2:1, even though u have not done good in some of the modules and also I do have mitigating circumstances- being undiagnosed with ADHD, only in my third year I got aware of it.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hello @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Could you please tell me, if I've talked about doing legal research and preparing case briefs in one work experience entry, can I not talk about these things again? The problem is that I have done a few legal internships and during all internships I was asked to do legal research and preparing case briefs and if I don't talk about it, I wouldn't be able to say much since there was practically no other work. How do I go about writing all my work experience sections now?

Thanks.

No - I would try to cover your main responsibilities even if they were similar, the same. It doesn’t matter that they are similarly especially given its directly transferable to the type of work you would do in a law firm.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi, actually I have scored 50% in some of my modules during my first year, however I covered it up in second year and I am on a track to get 2:1. Is it fine if your aggregate is 2:1, even though u have not done good in some of the modules and also I do have mitigating circumstances- being undiagnosed with ADHD, only in my third year I got aware of it.

The academic progression is often see as a positive aspect. But your first year grades are still important to law firms and most will want to see them too.

However, given your extenuating circumstances this is less of an issue and you should disclose the MCs. Just be mindful if you got a 2.1 in your second year but you were not diagnosed until third, you’ll need to be clear about what improved/changed in second year without the diagnosis.

 

[aspiring_solicitor]

The academic progression is often see as a positive aspect. But your first year grades are still important to law firms and most will want to see them too.

However, given your extenuating circumstances this is less of an issue and you should disclose the MCs. Just be mindful if you got a 2.1 in your second year but you were not diagnosed until third, you’ll need to be clear about what improved/changed in second year without the diagnosis.

Thank you so much for the advice, so should I disclose about why I improved in MC section ?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you so much for the advice, so should I disclose about why I improved in MC section ?

You can’t really unfortunately. It’s just something to prepare for at interview stage. You should just explain you were subsequently diagnosed.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hello @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Could you please tell me, for students who have a non-UK law degree, do all firms wait until the student clears the bar exam in his/her home country before onboarding them?

Thanks.

 

[Casual]

Hello @Jessica Booker, hope you are well. In assessing a candidate, does the graduate recruiter read their previous applications to the firm?
There are certain sentences from the Open Day applications that I want to use in my Vac Scheme applications. I always try to improve on my previous points but there are certain ones, such as what initially attracted me to PE, that remain largely unchanged. Was wondering if firms would perceive recycling points from the previous app as a red flag.

 

[kitty_kat]

Hi @Jessica Booker - I hope you're well! This may be a dumb question, but what does: 'The deadline for this interview is 9 November 2021 (GMT+00:00)' mean? Is the deadline 9 November 2021 23:59? I received a prior email saying that the deadline is 9 November 23:59. Just to confirm - the submission deadline isn't 8 November 23:59, is it? thanks!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hello @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Could you please tell me, for students who have a non-UK law degree, do all firms wait until the student clears the bar exam in his/her home country before onboarding them?

Thanks.

The Bar exam for another country is not a requirement for the job, so no.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hello @Jessica Booker, hope you are well. In assessing a candidate, does the graduate recruiter read their previous applications to the firm?
There are certain sentences from the Open Day applications that I want to use in my Vac Scheme applications. I always try to improve on my previous points but there are certain ones, such as what initially attracted me to PE, that remain largely unchanged. Was wondering if firms would perceive recycling points from the previous app as a red flag.

If they are more than 12 months old, they are unlikely to still have them due to data protection.

Even if they did review a previous open day application (unlikely as most firms don’t have the time to do this) they won’t be reading it word for word, and so the issue you are suggesting is exceptionally unlikely to happen

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker - I hope you're well! This may be a dumb question, but what does: 'The deadline for this interview is 9 November 2021 (GMT+00:00)' mean? Is the deadline 9 November 2021 23:59? I received a prior email saying that the deadline is 9 November 23:59. Just to confirm - the submission deadline isn't 8 November 23:59, is it? thanks!

No - 23.59 on the 9th. It’s badly worded but that’s what it means.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hello @Jessica Booker , hope you are doing well. Could you please tell me, would brand ambassador roles and running your own Youtube channel come under the work experience section?

Thanks.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hello @Jessica Booker , hope you are doing well. Could you please tell me, would brand ambassador roles and running your own Youtube channel come under the work experience section?

Thanks.

The brand ambassador would. The youtube is more likely to fall under extra curriculars unless you are bringing in income from it.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hello @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Could you please tell me if it is okay to repeat entire sentences from one work experience entry to another if the task was exactly the same. I'm having a hard time describing the task of doing legal research work, could you please tell me what I should do?

Thanks.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hello @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Could you please tell me if it is okay to repeat entire sentences from one work experience entry to another if the task was exactly the same. I'm having a hard time describing the task of doing legal research work, could you please tell me what I should do?

Thanks.

As long as it is only a couple of occasions. Maybe focus on different way to write it though either with additional detail or phrasing it a different way -

eg if the sentence was “I was responsible for researching companies”

could easily be changed to:

“I conducted research on electricity companies”

 

[M991]

Hello @Jessica Booker!

Hope you are well.

I just wanted ask whether you would include Forage virtual work experience programmes in the answer to this question: "Please use the space below to provide details of any careers events you have attended e.g. insight days, workshops, presentations, virtual events etc. This is a great way to demonstrate your interest and commitment to law; these do not need to be Weil specific."

Thank you very much!