Thank you so much, that's really lovely of you to say!Thank you so much @Abbie Whitlock as always your advice and support is extremely valuable to me!
If you could have one advice you would give yourself if you were going through the process again, what would it be?
Thank you so much, that's really lovely of you to say!
If I could give myself one piece of advice, it would be to stop comparing my journey to everyone else's. It's so easy to feel behind when you see others getting offers or interviews, but everyone's timeline is different. I remember being so disheartened when I didn't convert any of my vacation schemes, thinking that I was super behind everyone I knew, but I ended up in the right firm for me through my only DTC application! Once I focused on improving my own applications and celebrating my small wins, the process became a lot less stressful - and I wish I had done it from the start!
You can only control certain parts of the journey, so try not to be too hard on yourself for the things that are out of your hands - the right opportunity really will come at the right time
Heyy, I noticed it's been a while since you gave an update. How is it going?UPDATE
Last week was hard, I am waiting to hear from a firm I am really keen on progressing so I am trying not to spiral every 5 minutes!
However, applications are often really hard to predict so I have been distracting myself with other applications. It has been productive so far, applied to another firm and sent off an Open Day application.
Key learning from last week: I finally decided to remove any expectations, what it’s meant for me will simply find me!
Hope to send two more applications averaging 2-3 application per month so far. Slow progress but steady.
See you soon
J
Hii yes, glad you noticed. Literally worst months of my life. I am not sure I will keep this thread going anymore.
I completely understand! working full time and making applications is really difficult, especially when you're also trying to have a life and achieve other goals. I started following your thread when I noticed you reacted to one of my posts haha
Just remember that one day, you'll look back after you've got your TC, and be proud of the person you've grown into. You've got this!! 
Thank you so much! I really REALLY appreciate this!! Wishing you the best of luck and thank you for reaching outI completely understand! working full time and making applications is really difficult, especially when you're also trying to have a life and achieve other goals. I started following your thread when I noticed you reacted to one of my posts haha
I Thought I Was Close. Turns Out I Had to Start Again
This cycle was supposed to be different.
I told myself that after multiple application rounds, after refining my CV, after getting more comfortable with the process, I was finally getting somewhere. I convinced myself I was improving, even if the outcomes did not show it.
And this year, it finally felt like proof.
Two Assessment Centres, in one of the most competitive cycles ever. That should have meant something. I thought it did.
The Moment It Didn’t Convert
When the rejections came after the ACs, it hit differently. Not like the early-stage ones you can brush off or the generic emails that are easy to detach from. This time it felt like I had done everything right, or at least everything I knew how to do, and it still was not enough.
That is a harder thing to sit with because it forces a different question. Not whether you are improving, but whether you have been measuring your progress correctly at all.
The Illusion of Progress
For a while, I framed those ACs as momentum. I told myself that getting through meant my applications were working and that I just needed a bit more polish to convert. It was a comforting narrative because it suggested I was close.
But the more I reflected, the more uncomfortable the truth became. Getting to AC is not the same as being competitive at AC. I had treated them as the same milestone when they are not. One gets you in the room, the other decides whether you belong there.
Realising I Was Still Missing Something
At AC level, everyone looks strong on paper. The usual signals that help you stand out earlier in the process stop carrying the same weight. What matters instead is how you think, how you communicate, and whether you can make yourself the obvious choice in a room full of equally capable candidates.
I realised that while I could get through the process, I was not consistently answering the question of why me over everyone else. Under pressure, my answers were structured but not distinctive, informed but not sharp enough, confident but not convincing enough to tip the balance.
The Reset
This was the hardest part to accept because it meant that despite what looked like progress, I was still missing something fundamental. Not something that could be fixed with a few tweaks, but something that required a deeper rebuild.
My understanding was there, but it was not translating into performance at the level required when it mattered most.
Calling it a reset felt harsh, but accurate. It meant letting go of the idea that I was one small step away and accepting that I needed to rework how I approached the entire process.
Starting Again, But Differently
It feels strange to say I am starting again after my most successful cycle, but it is true in a different sense. This time, I am not starting from guesswork or assumptions. I am starting with clarity. I have seen the standard up close and understand what separates those who make it through from those who do not.
That changes how I approach everything, from how I prepare to how I think about my own positioning as a candidate.
What This Cycle Actually Gave Me
It did not give me an offer (YET), which is what I wanted. But it gave me something more uncomfortable and ultimately more useful. It forced me to confront the gap between being a strong candidate on paper and being the candidate who actually secures the offer.
That gap is easy to underestimate until you are in the room.
Final Thought
It is easy to celebrate progress when it is visible and easy to interpret. It is much harder when progress reveals how far you still have to go. I thought I was close, and in some ways I was, but only relative to where I had been before.
Now I understand that being close is not the same as being ready.
thank you so much!
thank you so much!
Having become somewhat of a seasoned AC failer, I would love to know what someone can do to really start exceeding at Assessment centres!
For context I did Ropes & Gray recently: I was told to get on the VS I needed to average 70% across all exercises - I got 62% close but yet sooooo far.
The good news? Based on feedback my key strengths are interviews!
The bad news: I apparently suck at written exercises / group exercises
Before I start my direct training contracts applications I will need to really improve my commercial awareness/ written exercises skills.
I will, thank you so much!The good thing is the firm gave you specific feedback here on where to improve.
If it was me, I'd break each exercise down into its sub-parts. For example, for a written exercise:
1. Grammar
2. Clarity of writing
3. Structure
4. Commercial awareness
I'd then look to do lots of reps on each of these between now and your next written exercise, so you absolutely nail it
HeyI Thought I Was Close. Turns Out I Had to Start Again
This cycle was supposed to be different.
I told myself that after multiple application rounds, after refining my CV, after getting more comfortable with the process, I was finally getting somewhere. I convinced myself I was improving, even if the outcomes did not show it.
And this year, it finally felt like proof.
Two Assessment Centres, in one of the most competitive cycles ever. That should have meant something. I thought it did.
The Moment It Didn’t Convert
When the rejections came after the ACs, it hit differently. Not like the early-stage ones you can brush off or the generic emails that are easy to detach from. This time it felt like I had done everything right, or at least everything I knew how to do, and it still was not enough.
That is a harder thing to sit with because it forces a different question. Not whether you are improving, but whether you have been measuring your progress correctly at all.
The Illusion of Progress
For a while, I framed those ACs as momentum. I told myself that getting through meant my applications were working and that I just needed a bit more polish to convert. It was a comforting narrative because it suggested I was close.
But the more I reflected, the more uncomfortable the truth became. Getting to AC is not the same as being competitive at AC. I had treated them as the same milestone when they are not. One gets you in the room, the other decides whether you belong there.
Realising I Was Still Missing Something
At AC level, everyone looks strong on paper. The usual signals that help you stand out earlier in the process stop carrying the same weight. What matters instead is how you think, how you communicate, and whether you can make yourself the obvious choice in a room full of equally capable candidates.
I realised that while I could get through the process, I was not consistently answering the question of why me over everyone else. Under pressure, my answers were structured but not distinctive, informed but not sharp enough, confident but not convincing enough to tip the balance.
The Reset
This was the hardest part to accept because it meant that despite what looked like progress, I was still missing something fundamental. Not something that could be fixed with a few tweaks, but something that required a deeper rebuild.
My understanding was there, but it was not translating into performance at the level required when it mattered most.
Calling it a reset felt harsh, but accurate. It meant letting go of the idea that I was one small step away and accepting that I needed to rework how I approached the entire process.
Starting Again, But Differently
It feels strange to say I am starting again after my most successful cycle, but it is true in a different sense. This time, I am not starting from guesswork or assumptions. I am starting with clarity. I have seen the standard up close and understand what separates those who make it through from those who do not.
That changes how I approach everything, from how I prepare to how I think about my own positioning as a candidate.
What This Cycle Actually Gave Me
It did not give me an offer (YET), which is what I wanted. But it gave me something more uncomfortable and ultimately more useful. It forced me to confront the gap between being a strong candidate on paper and being the candidate who actually secures the offer.
That gap is easy to underestimate until you are in the room.
Final Thought
It is easy to celebrate progress when it is visible and easy to interpret. It is much harder when progress reveals how far you still have to go. I thought I was close, and in some ways I was, but only relative to where I had been before.
Now I understand that being close is not the same as being ready.
Hey
This is a really thoughtful (and very honest) reflection, and I think a lot of people will relate to it (+ I know I would've last cycle).
I completely get what you mean about AC rejections hitting differently - I had a similar experience where I was rejected after an AC in one of my earlier cycles and I felt pretty crushed at the time, especially as I saw it as my 'one real opportunity'. Looking back though, I can see I just wasn't quite ready, and I am grateful for that experience as it showed me the areas that I still needed to work on. I think sometimes what often separates people who go on to be successful in later cycles is their ability to reflect on those experiences and actively build on them, rather than letting them knock their confidence - whilst it takes some work, it seems clear to me from this post that you are already aiming to do exactly that.
I would gently push back on the idea that you are starting again. Getting to multiple ACs, especially in this cycle which seems to be more competitive than ever, shows that you are already operating at a high-level and are clearly a strong candidate. Your distinction between getting into the room and proving you should be chosen in the room is spot on, and I think a lot of my downfall in earlier ACs came down to internal confidence under pressure. However, these aspects are usually about refinement rather than a complete rebuild, and the fact that you can reflect on this so clearly suggests that you are already well on your way to bridging that gap.
In my view, it sounds less like a reset and more like you now have a much clearer understanding of what "conversion level" actually looks like, which you can use to refine your already strong performance - this puts you in a really strong position moving forward. Wishing you the best of luck with the next cycle, and we'll all be rooting for you!
