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

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker and Gemma,

I understand and agree with some of your remarks. However, may I ask you how candidates can understand how to improve their apps?
I mean, if I receive a general rejection how do I know what went wrong?

English is not my first language, however I have British people in my life who do not work in the legal industry but are happy to look at my apps and give me their feedback. However, this is not enough and it can be frustrating and mentally challenging at times.

I don't think a tick box exercise solves that problem though.

It's not telling you where the spelling/grammatical errors are, which sentence was unclear that led to the firm stating something about your written communication, or where your understanding of what the law firm does was incorrect. My personal opinion is that something like this is just causing more process but with little benefit to the firm. Any process needs to benefit the candidate and the firm for it to really be considered. Graduate Recruitment is actually a small proportion of recruitment done by law firms and typically these processes have to be applied across both graduate and lateral recruitment. It can also get more complicated if it also needs to be applied internationally.

If you don't know people in the legal industry, network to find people who are. Find ways to connect with people who could advise you. Just because you don't have the network now, doesn't mean you don't have the means to create a network within the next 6 months. It is ultimately why TCLA is here - the greatest value in TCLA is the community we have in the forum. We have a good number of future trainees in this forum and people who have been successful in recruitment processes. You could ask someone to review your application and in return you could review theirs.

 

[Rob93]

The reason the pay is so high at TS is because they used to offer a two week scheme at what's a fairly standard rate for VS (iirc £450/week) and then decided to shorten their scheme to be one week only but keep the pay roughly the same (so now you get £750 but its for one week instead of getting £900 for two weeks). I think this is a pretty poor deal, as I'd prefer more time to experience the firm/work to decide if it's right for me but to each their own. It's also helped TS cut costs as they can get away with spending less overall and don't have run a lengthy VS.

Here's an article about it.

God I hate the legal cheek comments section.

 

[Rob93]

Weil PFO post-VI - ya boi's going on holiday in April 😎

 

[Miki3999]

God I hate the legal cheek comments section.

There was a troll called "KirklandNQ" or something like that spamming every article about salaries and calling other firms per "peasants"

 

[agx]

Has anyone still not heard from HSF?

I've seen they're now giving out summer vac scheme offers and I'm wondering if I should email grad recruitment?

 

[Miki3999]

Does anyone know if Mayer Brown are done with AC invites? I still haven’t heard post job simulation. Also - anyone had any news from Clyde&co?

I haven't heard back either

 

[Rob93]

There was a troll called "KirklandNQ" or something like that spamming every article about salaries and calling other firms per "peasants"

Classic stuff, absolute paragons of the profession in the comments every time.

 

[tc_hopeful]

Still waiting on Clyde & Co, Freshfields, W&C, Links, and HSF (all summer vac apart from FF direct TC) - are these firms still ghosting everyone or should I be expecting PFOs soon?

I believe quite a few people on this forum are still waiting on W&C and Links too

 

[LEL]

Dechert VI and Written Exercise just hit my inbox. Applied on the last day (from memory) and it was defs for the summer vac/2024 training contract. Thanks for all the help in the forum thus far! What do written exercises usually involve? Is the VI one of those ones where you can re-record as many times as you like (easy as) or is it a one take show (worst thing in the world lol)? (And remember for all those who got Latham rejections, WAGMI!)

Feel free to PM me

 

[tc_hopeful]

Feel free to PM me

Hi! I just got the VI and Written task too, do you mind if I PM you about it as well?

 

[CF12345]

Has anyone still not heard from HSF?

I've seen they're now giving out summer vac scheme offers and I'm wondering if I should email grad recruitment?

I am wondering if it is worth emailing too!

 

[Rob93]

Hi @Jessica Booker and Gemma,

I understand and agree with some of your remarks. However, may I ask you how candidates can understand how to improve their apps?
I mean, if I receive a general rejection how do I know what went wrong?

English is not my first language, however I have British people in my life who do not work in the legal industry but are happy to look at my apps and give me their feedback. However, this is not enough and it can be frustrating and mentally challenging at times.

To an extent that's just kind of how this works.

I think there's a lot to be said for like, being able to self-reflect and find iterative ways to improve what you've done - even if your application was good, it can always be better.

And that's a related point - I've been unsuccessful on plenty of apps that were like... entirely serviceable, have had former grad rec people say they were good. But sometimes you just aren't what they're looking for and it's important to make peace with that.

 

[S87]

To an extent that's just kind of how this works.

I think there's a lot to be said for like, being able to self-reflect and find iterative ways to improve what you've done - even if your application was good, it can always be better.

And that's a related point - I've been unsuccessful on plenty of apps that were like... entirely serviceable, have had former grad rec people say they were good. But sometimes you just aren't what they're looking for and it's important to make peace with that.

Amen to that..there is always room for improvement!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Just seen the number of pages of the forum

 

[Emily K]

Dechert written exercise and VI invite! any advice would be hugely appreciated!!

 

[Rob93]

Just seen the number of pages of the forum

That post rolled us onto 667 - confirmation Jessica is here doing God's work

 

[Asil Ahmad]

Just seen the number of pages of the forum

The weird thing is that your post landed on page 667 how weird.

 

[ps123]

Classic stuff, absolute paragons of the profession in the comments every time.

God I hate the legal cheek comments section.

I find it absolutely bonkers. I think the open nature of NQ salaries rn really warps opinions towards levels of remuneration. You see 15+ US firms offering crazy money and begin to think it's a norm when in fact the total numbers of NQ solicitors are pretty insignificant when compared with the broader total London grad market.

 

[ps123]

Dechert written exercise and VI invite! any advice would be hugely appreciated!!

The platform automatically saves your work as you go along, don't think it's a good idea to write up the exercise in word and try to copy and paste it over. I had a wifi glitch which meant I couldn't access the platform to submit my work and so the grand sum of my efforts was 'Dear' and that was the end of my Dechert process hahaah

 

[CC03]

I believe quite a few people on this forum are still waiting on W&C and Links too

Hey - I received a VI link for W&C last Thursday if that helps. I applied on the deadline day