TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)

[sxw517]

Anyone heard from shearman or is it still early days

 

[GXA123]

Congrats! Which office is this for if you don't mind?

Birmingham

 

[Jessica Booker]

So I am going to just have a word vomit:

So i have an interview tomorrow with Linklaters - and I feel soo inadequate. I honestly don't even know why I am going. I know I am going to get a rejection and there is literally no point. I don't want to embarrass myself or have my hopes up to only have it be destroyed. i know there is the whole 'it is not a PFO till it is a PFO" or "it is amazing that you even got an interview" but regardless .... i feel so %$&£

Some affirmations for you:

- You are a successful minority - around 9 out of 10 people didn't get to where you are now.
- Linklaters set high standards even at the application stage - they clearly saw something in you that you can't see right now
- The firm want you to do well in the assessments - they wouldn't have invited you to the interview if they didn't think you could do well in them
- You have clearly done a lot to get where you are now - that hasn't been anything you have done in a short period of time - it's taken years to accumulate your skills and knowledge. You should recognise how much you have done that will get you through tomorrow.

Now for the tough love (I mean this with all the best of intentions even if it comes across as blunt!):

- Even if it isn't a positive decision, it doesn't mean there aren't positives to take from the experience. You have to see this as a learning opportunity rather than as one where the only outcome is that you will embarrass yourself.
- The key factor that is likely to negatively impact your chances at the moment is your own mindset.
- Do you really want to let how you are feeling now (which in contrast is a short period of time when compared to everything else you have done) really take over or diminish your own thinking about all your hard work to date?

As someone who has suffered from imposter syndrome, I know it isn't as easy as just brushing it off quickly and unfortunately I won't be much help in trying to actually get over it. However, if Baroness Hale can suffer from imposter syndrome (article here), we are both in good company!

 

[John Travoni]

Evershedssss AC

So proud of you!!!

 

[elizabeth_98]

All those that have received a Reed Smith AC invite, have you booked your slot ?

I don’t have the option to book my slot yet

 

[Aga123+]

I recieved an email re WM's in-person AC, and the dress code is: 'please feel free to dress in your comfortable attire (assessors will be smart casual).' - I don't have anyone to ask for advice because no one in my family has a traditional office job. Would smart black trousers and a blouse/shirt be ok? I'm assuming it's better to be over-dressed than too casual? Thank you!

Yep, that should be fine - Smart casual attire is a dress code that combines well-fitting, polished business wear with elements of casual attire.

[One tip that should help you with dress codes is to remember that sometimes it's better to overdress than underdress - mainly because overdressing can be easily remedied on the day (take off blazer/tie, change from heels to flats etc). Dressing too causal might be harder to deal with on the day...

 

[Arche172372]

Does anyone have insights into Freshfields and akin gump vac scheme experiences. I’m torn between American and MC!!

 

[Rob93]

I assume in the next week or so. I’ve been told not only are the on a rolling basis, they get back to candidates quite fast.

Great to know, thank you!

 

[intheM]

Burges Salmon AC!

Me too, exciting isn't it. I wonder how many people they've invited..

 

[ANRAIncm]

I've seen that VIs for Mishcon have gone out, but I've heard nothing bar the holding email yet. Is this a likely PFO or could there be a reasonable alternative explanation?

 

[LawfulRust00]

I've seen that VIs for Mishcon have gone out, but I've heard nothing bar the holding email yet. Is this a likely PFO or could there be a reasonable alternative explanation?

I think they’re processing the applications chronologically as everyone who has received a VI has applied in November or earlier. If you applied early, maybe it’s a bad sign. If you applied later (e.g December), they may just not have looked at your application yet.

 

[Rob93]

Hypothetical question:

In the fortunate situation that one gets offered several vacation scheme offers and it ends up that they overlap ( eg. one is 1 july - 20 July and the other one is 17 july - 30 july), is there any alternative or is the only solution available to do just one of them?

Can you for example ask GR to do a Spring Scheme instead of SVS for one of them or would that be innappropriate?

Follow up questions
As ACs and responses after ACs come at different times for different firms, and let's say one gets a SVS offer and chooses a date for it. Then one does a later AC and gets another SVS and the dates overlap and one wants to do the second SVS more, are there any consequences if one cancels the first SVS?

Is a SVS offer without actually doing the SVS still something to put on your CV / LinkedIn?

Any guidance for this hypothetical situation would be much appreciated

It's fine to ask to be transferred to another scheme if you have conflicts, just be prepared for them to say no.

I personally think that putting offers for work you never did on a CV/LinkedIn is silly.

No particular consequences to cancelling a scheme except that that firm might not want to hear from you again if you're still applying in future cycles.

 

[ANRAIncm]

I think they’re processing the applications chronologically as everyone who has received a VI has applied in November or earlier. If you applied early, maybe it’s a bad sign. If you applied later (e.g December), they may just not have looked at your application yet.

Thank you, that makes sense - I applied late in December, so hoping that's the case!

 

[Law2021vacschemer]

Does anyone have insights into Freshfields and akin gump vac scheme experiences. I’m torn between American and MC!!

Hey how long did it take to hear back from Freshfields?

 

[John Travoni]

I don’t have the option to book my slot yet

Oh okay. This is the same approach they did with the VI where Reed Smith did not send out the acc VIs out until way later even though they sent candidates a confirmation quite early that they passed the SJT as well as ppl receiving the confirmation that they passed the SJT a couple of weeks later.
So there’s hope guys xx

 

[GXA123]

It's fine to ask to be transferred to another scheme if you have conflicts, just be prepared for them to say no.

I personally think that putting offers for work you never did on a CV/LinkedIn is silly.

No particular consequences to cancelling a scheme except that that firm might not want to hear from you again if you're still applying in future cycles.

some people mention that they were an offer holder of the schemes they never done but its up to you I guess

 

[ellwilsen]

Apologies if this is a silly question but if I’ve secured a vac scheme, is this something I should declare on my application forms to other firms that I had already submitted prior to my offer but who’s applications are still able to be amended?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hypothetical question:

In the fortunate situation that one gets offered several vacation scheme offers and it ends up that they overlap ( eg. one is 1 july - 20 July and the other one is 17 july - 30 july), is there any alternative or is the only solution available to do just one of them?

Can you for example ask GR to do a Spring Scheme instead of SVS for one of them or would that be innappropriate?

Follow up questions
As ACs and responses after ACs come at different times for different firms, and let's say one gets a SVS offer and chooses a date for it. Then one does a later AC and gets another SVS and the dates overlap and one wants to do the second SVS more, are there any consequences if one cancels the first SVS?

Is a SVS offer without actually doing the SVS still something to put on your CV / LinkedIn?

Any guidance for this hypothetical situation would be much appreciated

I strongly advise not putting vacation schemes/roles you turned down on your CV/LinkedIn.....

No one else does this in the job market and there is no way it can be verified/checked, so it means nothing really.

Your options are:

• See if there are alternative dates for any of your schemes
• See if you can transfer to another type of opportunity (e.g. direct TC recruitment process/insight programme)

There are no real consequences of reneging an offer apart from probably having less of a chance at that firm (as you are turning them down, they know there is less chance you will join them as a trainee). But that would be the case if you declined the offer anyway.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Apologies if this is a silly question but if I’ve secured a vac scheme, is this something I should declare on my application forms to other firms that I had already submitted prior to my offer but who’s applications are still able to be amended?

If you can amend it, there is no harm in updating your application yourself.

 

[Arche172372]

Hey how long did it take to hear back from Freshfields?

2 weeks following my AC. Though I was the first ac and first offer so I imagine there’s lots to come and they are still screening.