TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)
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Thank you so much - so helpfulHi @Al1793!
Sorry for not getting back to you sooner. Just want to wish you the very best for the year ahead before I start. Congratulations too on being progressed to interview!
I enjoyed the AC for two reasons.
Firstly, I really liked the interviewer that I had for the motivational/general interview. I just enjoyed our conversation and appreciated how open he was with me about his experience.
Secondly, I found the scenario-based interviews invigorating. My interviewers (I had two scenario-based interviews as it was online when I did it) were not trying to catch me out and seemed to enjoy our discussion. They genuinely seemed invested in learning how I thought and what the approach I employed was when answering questions. They were challenging interviews but I appreciated having the opportunity to speak with two partners about how to approach a particular case too.
I also enjoyed that the interview allowed me to be curious and to ask questions. The structure of the interview lends itself well to discussion which suited me.
My biggest advice for these interviews is know the "Three Whys" (why you, why HSF, why commercial law), be hot on your commercial terms (Jake Schogger's Commercial Law Handbook is great for this), and be up to date on your commercial awareness (Watson's Daily!). Also practice. You must be comfortable with explaining and justifying your thought process out loud in a clear and logical manner.
I would advise checking out the materials that the Big Three Management Consultancies put out for Case Study preparation (i.e., Mckinsey, BCG, Bain). BCG's is here. Videos like this are also really useful to demonstrate what effective 'thinking out loud' is and how this skill can be implemented in an interview scenario.
I hope that helps.
Do tag me if you have any follow-up questions!
Slaughter and May interview invite + Reed Smith VI !!
Bird & Bird only recently sent me a WG
I also would be grateful for some advice for Slaughter and May interview
Hi guys, not sure if this is the right place to ask but I have struggled with interviews, particularly pre-recorded VIs and phone interviews for 3 cycles now and it's just because I get so nervous about the time limit that I draw a blank and practically forget how to speak! Anyone have any tips to overcome this (I have done lots of practice Qs but still struggle)? Thank you
Congratulations!! When did you apply if you don't mind me asking?
I have had the exact same issue! I would recommend having post-it notes near your camera with some structured STAR bullet points, they can go a long way as you won't be reading them out but at the same time they will help you as a prompt and calm your nerves. My biggest fear just before recording the VI was always that my mind would go blank, but because I would practice the key questions likely to come up beforehand I could glance at my prompt if I struggle to think whilst answering which was a source of comfort!Hi guys, not sure if this is the right place to ask but I have struggled with interviews, particularly pre-recorded VIs and phone interviews for 3 cycles now and it's just because I get so nervous about the time limit that I draw a blank and practically forget how to speak! Anyone have any tips to overcome this (I have done lots of practice Qs but still struggle)? Thank you
If you don't have an answer prepped to the question then have a 'Stickies' app open (if you have a Mac), jot your main bullet points there and drag it to the top, always helps me to structure my answer!
My email said this:
"Please complete the test within three days of receiving this email".
If i received a test invite on the 4th does that mean I have to complete it by the 7th? really not sure xx
"Please complete the test within three days of receiving this email".
If i received a test invite on the 4th does that mean I have to complete it by the 7th? really not sure xx
Just sent off the Squire Patton Boggs app. For anyone else doing it, I'd recommend copying your answers in to a word document before sending it off so you can see mistakes - the text boxes on the app don't spell check. Good luck!
Like this post if you have an addiction to refreshing emails at 5pm on a weekday.
Video Interviews: Why They Can Be Difficult, Which Resources to Use and How You Can Ace Them
I've been seeing a lot of posts recently about VI horrors (I've been there too!) and requests for resources to prep for them so I thought I'd make this quick post on them for the forum.
- Why can they be difficult?
- They're timed so that adds pressure on your preparation and nervousness
- They can feel 'artificial' because you're not talking to someone but you have to pretend that you are while you answer
- They test your ability to quickly prepare and deliver mini oral presentations, which is a skill that can take time to develop
- Which resources can you use to prepare?
- How do you you ace a VI?
- Maintain an even tone- I cannot stress this enough. The more you focus on speaking calmly with even voice modulation, the less rushed you will feel and the stronger your answer's ending will be.
- Create a quick structure on the spot- Once you've identified what the question is asking you, jot down 2-3 relevant points with pen and paper. Go over them a few times while creating a mental structure of how you would like to present them. This will reduce the likelihood of you blanking and even if you do, you can glance at your paper to refresh your memory.
- Dress as you would for a face-to-face interview- This will definitely help with feeling more confident!
- Look into the camera while speaking- This will help you not get distracted by either the timer or how you look on screen. These distractions can sometimes create more nervousness and pressure, which is undesirable.
- Practice with someone else- This is so that they can guide you about your content, tone and delivery and where you can improve. Doing this will also reduce some of the artificiality that prepping for VIs can sometimes carry.
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I really admire how candid you have all been with your experiences about VIs and how you've come together to support one another 👏👏👏
I've made a post on practice resources and tips for VIs above ⬆️ that I'll link here too- I hope y'all find it helpful! Wishing you the very best! 😇
I've made a post on practice resources and tips for VIs above ⬆️ that I'll link here too- I hope y'all find it helpful! Wishing you the very best! 😇
Baker McKenzie VI invite
Hi guys, not sure if this is the right place to ask but I have struggled with interviews, particularly pre-recorded VIs and phone interviews for 3 cycles now and it's just because I get so nervous about the time limit that I draw a blank and practically forget how to speak! Anyone have any tips to overcome this (I have done lots of practice Qs but still struggle)? Thank you
I have had the exact same issue! I would recommend having post-it notes near your camera with some structured STAR bullet points, they can go a long way as you won't be reading them out but at the same time they will help you as a prompt and calm your nerves. My biggest fear just before recording the VI was always that my mind would go blank, but because I would practice the key questions likely to come up beforehand I could glance at my prompt if I struggle to think whilst answering which was a source of comfort!
If you don't have an answer prepped to the question then have a 'Stickies' app open (if you have a Mac), jot your main bullet points there and drag it to the top, always helps me to structure my answer!
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