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Interview length
It’s very easy for an interviewer to fill an hour interview with questions. In fact the challenge can often be keeping to time. They won’t just be asking you about your experiences (in fact they may not ask about the things you have listed at all). If this is a vacation scheme interview, there...- TCLA Community Assistant
- Post #2
- Forum: Interviews Discussion
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TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)
Technical issues happen - it's likely to just be reset. Unfortunately, you will just need to wait for the GR team to come back to you though. If you haven't heard from them by Friday, give them a call again/- TCLA Community Assistant
- Post #2,729
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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Should I renege on a 2022 TC offer to train at a better firm in 2024?
This is where I am going to sound really blunt, but don’t waste your life trying to impress other people. This is where so many people go wrong with their legal careers. I have seen too many people make too many mistakes purely for this reason. You should do what you want in life, not what you...- TCLA Community Assistant
- Post #7
- Forum: General Discussion
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Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!
You don’t need a legal CV. You are applying to an entry level job - your interest in pursuing a legal career can be demonstrated in other ways like the events you have mentioned, possibly your academics or extra curriculars, and through your cover letter/motivational questions in the...- TCLA Community Assistant
- Post #5,274
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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TCLA General Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)
You can use your monthly application review for either a cover letter or a CV.- TCLA Community Assistant
- Post #768
- Forum: General Discussion
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TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)
I don't think you need to practice as such, its more a mindset when you go into the exercise. Try to consider the following: Typos Mispellings Inconsistencies in spelling (e.g. names like Thompson/Thomson) Grammatical errors Transposed numbers Incorrect dates (e.g. timeframes say 5 months but...- TCLA Community Assistant
- Post #2,717
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)
I think @Asil Ahmad 's suggestion of finding a peer you can review each other's applications with is a good idea then. I know we have seen some success through the TCLA community through these type of initiatives.- TCLA Community Assistant
- Post #2,716
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!
I wouldn't force things into a legal work experience section - it isn't a requirement to have one. It sounds like in your case, you could just have a work experience section and include your internship in that. For your events, you'll need to be highly selective and focus on the most relevant...- TCLA Community Assistant
- Post #5,272
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)
Your university careers service should offer this type of service, even if you graduated a few years ago. I think most people underestimate how long it takes to review an application and consider it carefully. Depend on the length of the application it can easily take over an hour for a...- TCLA Community Assistant
- Post #2,714
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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Should I renege on a 2022 TC offer to train at a better firm in 2024?
The way I read this, it sounds like the "better firm" is only better because of prestige. Is it what you think is truly better for you or what external people might consider the better brand name?- TCLA Community Assistant
- Post #5
- Forum: General Discussion
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2.2 first year grade
I respect Chrissie a lot and think she has a lot of great advice. There are some points she is making that are accurate. Some mitigating circumstances are weaker (e.g. saying you had a cold) but I don't agree with her point about some bigger firms being tougher on this. In fact, from my...- TCLA Community Assistant
- Post #7
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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2.2 first year grade
Did you make the university aware of the bereavement? I don’t agree with what the YouTube video says - I don’t think you can put a blanket statement out that extenuating circumstances will not be considered. If very much depends what they are and how they impacted your life. f you could send a...- TCLA Community Assistant
- Post #5
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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2.2 first year grade
If the firm has a requirement of a 2.1, there is a strong chance you won't be considered until your grades are at a 2.1 level. You may want to focus on opportunities with firms and other legal organisations/departments who don't have this 2.1 requirement. As mentioned above, I'd also focus on...- TCLA Community Assistant
- Post #3
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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Dyed hair?
The safest option would be to try the purple over the summer and then dye it back a more natural colour when your interviewers come around in November onwards - that’s a good 4-5 months away and when you’d probably be dyeing your hair again anyway. But it really depends on which firms you are...- TCLA Community Assistant
- Post #2
- Forum: General Discussion
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Norton Rose Fulbright cover letter
I don’t think there is one correct approach - but this seems a very logical/appropriate approach. Your sections cover the relevant points but you could put 1, 2, and 3 in any order though.- TCLA Community Assistant
- Post #2
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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Halfway through training contract and regretting my choices.
So the firm don’t do seat rotations for your TC? You can’t go and sit with another team and only do commercial work? I am asking to see whether you can change department/team completely rather than just trying to get certain work in your current seat/department. My advice on QWE is not to apply...- TCLA Community Assistant
- Post #4
- Forum: General Discussion
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Halfway through training contract and regretting my choices.
With the old training contract it was very difficult to move firm during your TC - you would have effectively needed permission from the SRA. So moving between firms was a rare exception due to that rather than how firms looked upon it. Yes, it will now be possible to swap firms if you are...- TCLA Community Assistant
- Post #2
- Forum: General Discussion
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Employer references
They won’t ask for a copy of a reference you have. They will go directly to M&S for this. I would speak to M&S and see why there is a discrepancy in the dates if you were employed there until 2020.- TCLA Community Assistant
- Post #4
- Forum: General Discussion
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Employer references
I wouldn’t worry about this - you will have two references to use (M&S and the agency). You don’t need to know anyone well for a reference. Most employers will just provide a standard reference that confirms your dates of employment and your job title. For a company like M&S that will be very...- TCLA Community Assistant
- Post #2
- Forum: General Discussion
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What do you wear to work everyday?
This will be very firm dependent - some will be much more formal than others. I would try to connect with trainees/recent NQs and see what advice they can give you about dress code policies/expectations as what will be acceptable at one firm might be very different at the next. Suits don't have...- TCLA Community Assistant
- Post #2
- Forum: General Discussion