Do international applicants skip assessment day?

[sumi-na]

Hi All,

So there are firms that say they will sponsor visas for international applicants. Part of the application process is the assessment day. I wanted to double check with anyone whose ever made it that far in the application process: did they allow you to skip that part, or did they put the assessment online for you, or something else entirely.

I appreciate it

 

[Romiras]

You will either need to attend in person, or if they are able to make it virtual, online. Sometimes they can use a local office in your country to hold the assessment.

I usually avoid absolutes, but I could not imagine a scenario where any international applicant would be offered a vacation scheme or training contract off the back of a simple online application.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi All,

So there are firms that say they will sponsor visas for international applicants. Part of the application process is the assessment day. I wanted to double check with anyone whose ever made it that far in the application process: did they allow you to skip that part, or did they put the assessment online for you, or something else entirely.

I appreciate it

You won’t be able to skip it.

You might be able to attend an online version or you would need to travel to the U.K. to attend. Sometimes firms will cover a certain amount for travel expenses.

 

[sumi-na]

Thank you for the responses. I just wanted to make sure that someone makes it that far, firms don't just deny the application entirely once they learned that you're not already in town for the assessment centre.

And also, if there are any internationals who've managed to get that far in the application process, or get a training contract, and you wouldn't mind my asking you some questions, please comment or PM me. I appreciate it!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you for the responses. I just wanted to make sure that someone makes it that far, firms don't just deny the application entirely once they learned that you're not already in town for the assessment centre.

And also, if there are any internationals who've managed to get that far in the application process, or get a training contract, and you wouldn't mind my asking you some questions, please comment or PM me. I appreciate it!

They are likely to spot you are not in the U.K, but if they sponsor international candidates, it isn’t really an issue. They may just expect you to come to the U.K. for the assessments and use that as a bit of a judgement call as to how invested you are in the process, or may just run a virtual assessment centre.

It would only be if they don’t sponsor visas, and if that is the case, I would expect you wouldn’t get through to the final stages of the recruitment process in the first place.

 

[Romiras]

Thank you for the responses. I just wanted to make sure that someone makes it that far, firms don't just deny the application entirely once they learned that you're not already in town for the assessment centre.

And also, if there are any internationals who've managed to get that far in the application process, or get a training contract, and you wouldn't mind my asking you some questions, please comment or PM me. I appreciate it!

Happy to answer - I went through the process as an international student.

 

[sumi-na]

Happy to answer - I went through the process as an international student.

Thank you!

Your profile isn't open for me to start a conversation with, so I hope that its okay to talk here. Or you can PM me the answer.

I was wondering, (if you were living outside of the UK when you applied) whether you talked about being a non-Brit in your application. Or felt like it was something you had to make into a positive thing?

 

[kurokeroo]

I'm an international student who has a TC. Happy to help!

 

[sumi-na]

I'm an international student who has a TC. Happy to help!

Thank you too . I sending you a message now.

 

[Romiras]

Thank you!

Your profile isn't open for me to start a conversation with, so I hope that its okay to talk here. Or you can PM me the answer.

I was wondering, (if you were living outside of the UK when you applied) whether you talked about being a non-Brit in your application. Or felt like it was something you had to make into a positive thing?

Hi Sumi-na

I've fixed my profile so hopefully it works now. I never once mentioned my international background from a visa standpoint, but did leverage the fact that I had experiences outside of the UK, albeit it was a minor point. My online applications primarily focused on factors that I found to be most relevant to the firm (e.g. practice strengths, strategy, learning opportunities and structure, etc). In terms of interviewing, being from outside of London or the UK was definitely a larger talking point, as it was more naturally built into the conversation about 'me'. I can't see it ever being seen as a negative, it's just more of a fact which you can use to differentiate yourself.

 

[Bubulubu]

Thank you for the responses. I just wanted to make sure that someone makes it that far, firms don't just deny the application entirely once they learned that you're not already in town for the assessment centre.

And also, if there are any internationals who've managed to get that far in the application process, or get a training contract, and you wouldn't mind my asking you some questions, please comment or PM me. I appreciate it!

Hi Sumi-na,

I have had several experiences with firms refusing to conduct virtual interviews after passing several stages of the application process and gaining an assessment slot, I had made it very clear I was not resident in the UK and would require a virtual alternative on my application form. I would suggest you try to contact the recruitment team for your target firms to get a clear answer on this matter to avoid wasting time and months. Hope this helps.

 

[sumi-na]

Hi Sumi-na

I've fixed my profile so hopefully it works now. I never once mentioned my international background from a visa standpoint, but did leverage the fact that I had experiences outside of the UK, albeit it was a minor point. My online applications primarily focused on factors that I found to be most relevant to the firm (e.g. practice strengths, strategy, learning opportunities and structure, etc). In terms of interviewing, being from outside of London or the UK was definitely a larger talking point, as it was more naturally built into the conversation about 'me'. I can't see it ever being seen as a negative, it's just more of a fact which you can use to differentiate yourself.

Thank you for your response! I'm going to frame it as a positive.

 

[sumi-na]

Hi Sumi-na,

I have had several experiences with firms refusing to conduct virtual interviews after passing several stages of the application process and gaining an assessment slot, I had made it very clear I was not resident in the UK and would require a virtual alternative on my application form. I would suggest you try to contact the recruitment team for your target firms to get a clear answer on this matter to avoid wasting time and months. Hope this helps.

This is exactly the problem I was thinking of.
Thank you so much for sharing! I've started emailing firms about their position on this, and it has not been encouraging.

When firm are accommodating, they do not really advertise that they are open to virtual interviews. Sometimes the info is on a different FAQs page or somewhere else, not with the rest of the main info about the application process.

So if you or anybody knows which firms can run a virtual recruitment process or don't mind sponsoring travel from a different continent, please do comment or PM me their names. I would really appreciate it.

 

[Bubulubu]

This is exactly the problem I was thinking of.
Thank you so much for sharing! I've started emailing firms about their position on this, and it has not been encouraging.

When firm are accommodating, they do not really advertise that they are open to virtual interviews. Sometimes the info is on a different FAQs page or somewhere else, not with the rest of the main info about the application process.

So if you or anybody knows which firms can run a virtual recruitment process or don't mind sponsoring travel from a different continent, please do comment or PM me their names. I would really appreciate it.

Hi Sumi-na,

I am also an applicant from a different continent so I understand the extra hurdle of the cost and logistics behind getting to training contract outside of Europe, my current rule is that I am unwilling to pay so much for an interview because I self funded all my academic training. So far I have only seen specific instances where there will be sponsorship for the attendance of an interview and that was the CMS academy in Dubai; Clifford Chance, Browne and Jacobson and Kingsley Napley I believe conducts virtual interview and assessments but those firms have closed for this cycle I believe, Could anyone else please add to this list. I don't have a specific list because I cannot say why there have been rejections for several of my applications and if my express need to be accessed virtually was an issue so I will suggest contacting HR for the firms you are interested in and asking about virtual asssessment, I can state that with some firms it was an issue and I reply in your other post to me.

 

[sumi-na]

Hi Sumi-na,

I am also an applicant from a different continent so I understand the extra huddle of the cost and logistics behind getting to training contract outside of Europe, my current rule is that I am unwilling to pay so much for an interview because I self funded all my academic training. So far I have only seen specific instances where there will be sponsorship for the attendance of an interview and that was the CMS academy in Dubai; Clifford Chance, Browne and Jacobson and Kingsley Napley I believe conducts virtual interview and assessments but those firms have closed for this cycle I believe, Could anyone else please add to this list. I don't have a specific list because I cannot say why there have been rejections for several of my applications and if my express need to be accessed virtually was an issue so I will suggest contacting HR for the firms you are interested in and asking about virtual asssessment, I can state that with some firms it was an issue and I reply in your other post to me.

Hi Bubulubu

I really appreciate the names! Its okay if they're closed this cycle. It's good to plan ahead. Have good end of week!

 

[hannah04]

I think it might depend on some other surrounding circumstances, i.e. would you need a visitor visa to enter the UK for the assessment center, and how much would your travel to the UK cost (some firms reimburse a certain amount for travel expenses)? I think some firms are accommodating and conduct some ACs virtually, but to be honest I think its really up to the discretion and resources of each particular firm, so its best to ask them directly