Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[Kubed]

They will have to contact you to let you know they will be contacting people and you'll have to sign something to say it is ok for them to do it, so you should know when they are speaking to people. However it is very common for references to be requested from people who are still in employment, and so if this presents an issue you speak to the firm at that point and ask them to only contact the organisation once you have handed in your notice. That is why they will contact you. They will also do this to get the relevant contact details from you for all your points of contact - so you will know about it before anyone else does.

Thanks so much - that's really reassuring.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

I believe it's a 30-minute test. As for random re-tests- I think it just means that they may choose to randomly test their candidates, most likely at the AC stage I'm guessing, to ensure that the WGs have been taken without external help or cheating. This isn't to say that you can't have your own notes to refer to though!

Thank you. I was worried about this since I thought they could see what other files/tabs I had open.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

1) no - unfortunately, I don't know - I would post in one of the main forums to see if someone who has recently taken the assessment can provide some detail

2) It is very common for organisations to do random re-testing for assessments like psychometric tests - basically anything where you ultimately could get someone else to sit it for you and the firm wouldn't know any different. This is usually done in person at the interview/assessment centre stage so they know it is you taking the test. The way the tests are designed you can then pick out whether there is a strong probability that the person hasn't taken the previous test. I have done this a fair amount in my career (not just in law firms) and have not offered someone where their test results were ultimately very different.

Why don't they tell the candidate to switch their webcam on instead and verify their face with any photo submission? Any particular reason?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Why don't they tell the candidate to switch their webcam on instead and verify their face with any photo submission? Any particular reason?

There will be a whole load of additional data considerations if you record people, which makes it more complicated. However, even if a firm can do that, ultimately it could still be faked. It's just a lot easier to re-test people at interview/assessment centre.

 

[Crystal86]

Hi @Jessica Booker I was wondering for cover letters, if we want to put our address and the firm's address how exactly should they be aligned and positioned? E.g. I would put the firm's address on the left hand side and my address on the right hand side but for my address should I ensure that the beginning of each line is aligned with the preceding line of the address?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker I was wondering for cover letters, if we want to put our address and the firm's address how exactly should they be aligned and positioned? E.g. I would put the firm's address on the left hand side and my address on the right hand side but for my address should I ensure that the beginning of each line is aligned with the preceding line of the address?

Here is a great format to follow - https://groupgti.com/sites/groupgti...ion-scheme-covering_letter-with-tips-2016.pdf

 

[EVjuji]

Hi @Jessica Booker

I was invited to do a video interview. I attempted to do the video interview today but my browser froze as soons as the question poped up (before it started to record). It happened for the first two questions (out of 4). I didnt take the two remaining questions...

I have now emailed graduate recruitment team to inform them about the issue. Will they send me a new link for the video interview or will they score my interview only on the remaining two questions? Do I even have a chance to progress to the next stage?

It was my firm number 1 and I put a lot of effort into the app.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker

I was invited to do a video interview. I attempted to do the video interview today but my browser froze as soons as the question poped up (before it started to record). It happened for the first two questions (out of 4). I didnt take the two remaining questions...

I have now emailed graduate recruitment team to inform them about the issue. Will they send me a new link for the video interview or will they score my interview only on the remaining two questions? Do I even have a chance to progress to the next stage?

It was my firm number 1 and I put a lot of effort into the app.

It is most likely that they will reset the interview for you. Some firms may ask you to only complete the interview questions you haven't seen as a matter of fairness, but you would only be assessed on those two questions, so there wouldn't be any advantage or disadvantage.

 

[BM99]

Hi @Jessica Booker, I would like to ask will it be detrimental to my application if I accidentally put the wrong month of an insight evening in the application form. When I filled in the box for the date filled in December, but in the work experience details I put November....

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker, I would like to ask will it be detrimental to my application if I accidentally put the wrong month of an insight evening in the application form. When I filled in the box for the date filled in December, but in the work experience details I put November....

It is not a disaster if it is only an event rather than employment.

 

[Dwight]

Hi @Jessica Booker,

In the beginning of the Jones Day application, they ask if I have ever done an event or work experience with the firm. I am left curious - why are they asking this? I have never seen a firm asking if I have ever been to a networking event with them before. Makes me feel it is game over since I have never attended an event hosted by the firm. Is that the case?

Sounds like a stupid question, but I am just very curious.

Thank you.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker,

In the beginning of the Jones Day application, they ask if I have ever done an event or work experience with the firm. I am left curious - why are they asking this? I have never seen a firm asking if I have ever been to a networking event with them before. Makes me feel it is game over since I have never attended an event hosted by the firm. Is that the case?

Sounds like a stupid question, but I am just very curious.

Thank you.

It won’t be a game over. If that was the case, they would limit applications to people who attended their events.

Most people reference work experience or events in an application anyway, so this is probably just a way of ensuring you detail it in this question rather than wasting word count elsewhere.

 

[Dwight]

It won’t be a game over. If that was the case, they would limit applications to people who attended their events.

Most people reference work experience or events in an application anyway, so this is probably just a way of ensuring you detail it in this question rather than wasting word count elsewhere.

Ok, thank you.

I have another question about their app. They limit the work experience section to 75 words per experience, and ask for 'brief details. Should I focus on the main things that I done or provide a brief overview of everything. The latter would mean a very vague overview, such as 'completed various research tasks'. Or should I go into detail of that research task. Really unsure how to go about it as my work experience responses are usually 200-250 words.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Ok, thank you.

I have another question about their app. They limit the work experience section to 75 words per experience, and ask for 'brief details. Should I focus on the main things that I done or provide a brief overview of everything. The latter would mean a very vague overview, such as 'completed various research tasks'. Or should I go into detail of that research task. Really unsure how to go about it as my work experience responses are usually 200-250 words.

I’d focus on more specific detail, and highlight the most interesting points.

 

[Dwight]

I’d focus on more specific detail, and highlight the most interesting points.

That was what I was thinking too, thanks for sharing your perspective!

 

[Jessica Booker]

That was what I was thinking too, thanks for sharing your perspective!

I’d try to also use specific detail to make your points more unique - eg topics you were researching, which client or sector you were researching for

 

[User12345]

Hi Jessica, I hope you are well.

My firm only conducts a reference check before I start (which presumably is just before I start the LPC?). At the time when I applied, I had just left uni so I used my uni's tutor as my referee. However, it's been awhile since I received my TC offer and I have been working full time since then.

For the purposes of the reference check, should I supply an 'updated' referee, or does the reference from my uni's tutor (as stated in my initial application form) still suffice?

Thanks a lot in advance!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica, I hope you are well.

My firm only conducts a reference check before I start (which presumably is just before I start the LPC?). At the time when I applied, I had just left uni so I used my uni's tutor as my referee. However, it's been awhile since I received my TC offer and I have been working full time since then.

For the purposes of the reference check, should I supply an 'updated' referee, or is the reference from my uni's tutor (as stated in my initial application form) still suffice?

Thanks a lot in advance!

The firm will contact you when they need references and then they will need references from both your academic tutor and your employer. So just wait for them to contact you about the reference process. It’s likely it won’t happen until 4-6 months before your TC start date rather than LPC.

 

[User12345]

The firm will contact you when they need references and then they will need defend each from your academic tutor and your work. So just wait for them to contact you about the reference process. It’s likely it won’t happen until 4-6 months before your TC start date rather than LPC.

Ah--I see. Thank you very much for your clarifications. This is really helpful !

 

[sakaesr99]

Bit of a silly question but when asked your 'grade', do you say the classification or actual number? Or the classification with the number in brackets?