Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[IceFloe]

Hi @Jessica Booker, thank you so much for all the help you've given me recently!

I have a Winter VS that runs from the 13th to the 17th of December. I've just realised that I have an exam on the morning of the 16th, and another hour-long assessment that will run that week but hasn't been scheduled yet.

How do I approach this with grad rec? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi @Jessica Booker, thank you so much for all the help you've given me recently!

I have a Winter VS that runs from the 13th to the 17th of December. I've just realised that I have an exam on the morning of the 16th, and another hour-long assessment that will run that week but hasn't been scheduled yet.

How do I approach this with grad rec? Any advice would be appreciated.

Give them a call to see how this impacts your scheme. All you can do is explain you have these commitments that you cannot miss given they are fundamental to your course, and so you want to understand whether the firm has any flexibility with your hours during the scheme or whether they can offer you alternative scheme dates.

They must experience this a lot where the scheme is running during term time.

 

[lila122]

Hi @Jessica Booker If asked a competency STAR question at interview, but it's a repeat of a question from the application form, is it ok to repeat the same example at interview? I would be able to provide different example but they wouldn't be as strong so not sure what to do in this situation. Thanks!

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi @Jessica Booker If asked a competency STAR question at interview, but it's a repeat of a question from the application form, is it ok to repeat the same example at interview? I would be able to provide different example but they wouldn't be as strong so not sure what to do in this situation. Thanks!

I would always use your strongest example and so it is fine to use this example again, but be mindful to try and not repeat other examples. Also make sure that the question is exactly the same - sometimes they are looking for slightly different but related competencies, and so if you do use the same example you might need to put another spin on it.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Helo @Jessica Booker, hope you are doing well, could you please tell me if I should write "GCSEs" while referring to my Class 10 results and "A-Levels" while referring to my class 12 results? Or does it need no explanation?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Helo @Jessica Booker, hope you are doing well, could you please tell me if I should write "GCSEs" while referring to my Class 10 results and "A-Levels" while referring to my class 12 results? Or does it need no explanation?

No - as you did not study these courses. At best it would need to be “GCSE equivalent” and “A-level equivalent”.

 

[Lawyerwithadream]

Hi @Jessica Booker, I am currently completing an application and was wondering if the following sentence makes sense: "As an [x], I have become an innovative thinker" I would like to relay that I am innovative. Would appreciate your input thanks

 

[W5690]

@Jessica Booker

Hi Jessica,

Hope you're well!

I have a question about the SQE route to qualification. I am currently undertaking the SQE 1 Programme and have noticed that several firms indicated that they will start implementing the SQE route from 2023/24 onwards. Do you have any information on whether that means that if successful on their vac schemes and upon receiving a TC offer, I wouldn't be able to start until 2023/24 then? I have two SQE exams coming up, one now and one during Spring 2022.

I appreciate your help!

Hi @bananak

Did you take the SQE1 FLK1 and FLK2? If so, how did you find the exams? In order to prepare for them, did you enrol in a degree or did you self-study? Did you feel that the questions were more difficult than the mock tests/questions (which I suspect)? Would you have any recommendations to provide? Also, what about time management during the exams?

Many thanks.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi @Jessica Booker, I am currently completing an application and was wondering if the following sentence makes sense: "As an [x], I have become an innovative thinker" I would like to relay that I am innovative. Would appreciate your input thanks

You really need to explain how you have developed your innovative thinking rather than just claiming it.

 

[Lawyerwithadream]

You really need to explain how you have developed your innovative thinking rather than just claiming it.

Sorry, I actually want to say that I am an innovative thinker. This would be followed by a sentence which would then explain further i.e. what I did. Would "I have become an innovative thinker" still be a good intro?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Sorry, I actually want to say that I am an innovative thinker. This would be followed by a sentence which would then explain further i.e. what I did. Would "I have become an innovative thinker" still be a good intro?

You’ll still need to explain what makes you an innovative thinker rather than just claiming you are one. If you claim something, always back it up with evidence.

 

[Lawyerwithadream]

You’ll still need to explain what makes you an innovative thinker rather than just claiming you are one. If you claim something, always back it up with evidence.

Thanks Jessica

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hello @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. The CC app requires us to write about a position of responsibility, achievements etc in a 600-word answer. I have a brand ambassador experience but I was thinking of writing it as a work experience entry. Should I remove it from the work ex section and use it for the 600 word answer instead or should I repeat the same thing in both the work ex section and the 600 word answer? Thanks.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hello @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. The CC app requires us to write about a position of responsibility, achievements etc in a 600-word answer. I have a brand ambassador experience but I was thinking of writing it as a work experience entry. Should I remove it from the work ex section and use it for the 600 word answer instead or should I repeat the same thing in both the work ex section and the 600 word answer? Thanks.

Definitely shouldn’t be repeated. Choose to represent it in only one section - it is a bit of a grey area so it could fit into either. It really depends on what else you want to fit into these sections.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hello @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. I was stuck with two questions on the CC application so could you please help me out with this?

1: The question says, " Please confirm your year of study." I am a final year law student at an Indian university and I'm aware that my law degree counts as a non-law degree for the purpose of this process. Could you please tell me what I should mark from the options (Please refer to pic 1)

2: This is my first application cycle and the question says "Have you previously been on a formal vacation scheme with any firm?" I think I should go with a 'No' but there is also another option called 'no selection'. I wonder what this means? How to convey that this is my first cycle. I don't want to make it look like I've been rejected in the past. Could you please tell me what I should mark from the options (Please refer to pic 2)

Thanks a ton for this.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hello @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. I was stuck with two questions on the CC application so could you please help me out with this?

1: The question says, " Please confirm your year of study." I am a final year law student at an Indian university and I'm aware that my law degree counts as a non-law degree for the purpose of this process. Could you please tell me what I should mark from the options (Please refer to pic 1)

2: This is my first application cycle and the question says "Have you previously been on a formal vacation scheme with any firm?" I think I should go with a 'No' but there is also another option called 'no selection'. I wonder what this means? How to convey that this is my first cycle. I don't want to make it look like I've been rejected in the past. Could you please tell me what I should mark from the options (Please refer to pic 2)

Thanks a ton for this.

I’d actually go with no selection for the first question as you are neither of the options presented. If that isn’t feasible, then choose final year non law.

If you have done the equivalent of vacation schemes in India, then you should choose yes. If you haven’t, then you should choose no.

 

[letmeintolaw]

Hi Jessica! I was wondering if you had any advice on how to approach this question or what sort of things to include

'Name a business you admire for its strategy, tell us why and tell us what you consider will be important to the business in terms of the legal services which it sources.'


Thank you!

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi Jessica! I was wondering if you had any advice on how to approach this question or what sort of things to include

'Name a business you admire for its strategy, tell us why and tell us what you consider will be important to the business in terms of the legal services which it sources.'


Thank you!

Pick a company that you have knowledge of. It doesn’t matter if it isn’t a big brand name - in fact it might be better to avoid the like of Apple or Amazon, just because other applicants are likely to choose these.

Focus on the admire for its business strategy part. This is about showing what you think is important in a business and your own interests - this question is actually more about you than what it suggests.

Once you have identified the company you want to use, then spend time focusing on what might be influencing the legal services it would require and ensure this is covered adequately in your answer.

 

[henryyou]

Hi Jessica, hope you are well.

The CC application requires us to write about "extra-curricular activities, positions of responsibility and an achievement of importance" and "work experience". Do you think it is a good idea to give the details of responsibilities in bullet points as we normally do in our standard resume/CV?

Thank you in advance!

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hi Jessica, hope you are well.

The CC application requires us to write about "extra-curricular activities, positions of responsibility and an achievement of importance" and "work experience". Do you think it is a good idea to give the details of responsibilities in bullet points as we normally do in our standard resume/CV?

Thank you in advance!

Hey, I have attended a few CC events in the past and the general theme was that we should always prefer prose over bullet points. Also, for the 600 word question, try and write as much as you can because if you don't utilise the word count it will come across as being lazy - Grad Rec