I was finally given a PFO from withers today. I have a suspicion I’m not the only one today who has received one today, am I?
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)
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I guess online assessment but I’m pretty sure everyone gets that so in reality post application… just about 6 days before the vacation scheme was meant to start which seems fair
I thought so. They act like they are constantly reviewing applications but in reality just hand out a bunch of rejections they have lying in their laps. It annoys me so much. I wish they would just be honest and not waste our time
Nope! Post-critical thinking PFO today as well (I took the test in early February)
I am completing an application for a summer work placement at a local regional firm. Rather than being online, the application process requires you to fill out an application form (education/work history) and email it. I was wondering whether it would generally be recommended to also include a cover letter for such an application (the application website does not mention one)?
Has anybody had their NRF Vac Scheme documents/contracts? After replying to their email, which said they would try and get back to me by the end of the week, it's been pure radio silence and I'm worried they haven't seen my confirmation email lols
Spring scheme is next week so it’s possible grad rec is quite busy preparing for that!
James Carrabino
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@Homer congratulations on your vac schemes! It is impressive to hear that you are driven to keep applying despite having secured a few vac schemes 😊
First of all, it is always worth applying to more firms if you have the time, no question! Even though you are clearly an excellent applicant from your vac scheme successes, you always boost your chances further with more apps, plus direct TC applications are a great route to take(see @AvniD's excellent thread about them here) as there is a prospect of ending up with a TC offer without having to go through a vac scheme! As you say, you will be able to leverage your vac schemes in your direct TC apps and I think this will help you pass the application stage and have talking points in interviews (if my personal experience is anything to go off).
That said, I don't think it is true to say that your position will not be as strong for direct TCs if you do not end up converting one of your vac schemes. In fact, if you are very busy now with exams then I would possibly wait until after your vac schemes to decide whether you need to apply for direct TCs. I attended three vac schemes last cycle and was not successful in converting any of them into TCs. I have told this story before on the forum, but on July 13th I received two post-VS rejections on the same day and I immediately picked myself up and sent out a direct TC app on July 14th and another one on July 15th, both of which ultimately ended up in training contract offers.
I noticed a massive difference in the success rate of my apps getting past the application stage after securing my vac schemes, but very little difference between the period before starting and after completing the vac schemes, at which point it would have been obvious to a firm where I was applying that I had not converted my schemes. I talked extensively about what I had learnt and enjoyed about commercial law from my vac schemes in my direct TC interviews and I was never once asked whether I was successful in converting them.
All of this is to say that the direct TC route is great, but unless you have deadlines approaching before your vac schemes (I can only think of Baker McKenzie and Ashurst where this is likely to be relevant although I am sure there are a couple more) then I would wait until after you complete your vac schemes when you have more time to write these applications and will be able to actually write about the work you did on the schemes and what you learnt from it.
I hope that this is all helpful
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James Carrabino
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@Jessica Booker is right to take these with a pinch of salt but often such stats appear on ChambersStudent (as in it will tell you how many vac scheme offers they give and how many TC offers they give so you can work it out)
Jessica Booker
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With this, do an approximate calculation:
80% of the vac scheme places
and then 80% of that figure
If the number is higher than the number of TCs there is a good chance the VS will be more competitive with little to no chance of a direct TC recruitment process.
If that number is less than the number of TCs, then the firm is going to have to probably run external direct TC processes.
The two 80% factor in there will likely be a proportion of people who just won’t make the standard/won’t be suitable for that firm and so would not get an offer, and then the second 80% factors in people declining the offer for another firm.
Obviously, these are just estimates and they still vary (eg acceptance rates can be as low as 50% for some firms), but gives you some idea of what you could be up against.
Is it normal to have not been allocated a team/group/sector/practice yet for a vacation scheme despite it starting on Monday? I’d love to specifically research the sector I will be working in but I still have no clue. Emailed grad recruitment and didn’t receive a reply sadly.
Jessica Booker
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Yes it’s quite normal. I’d not tell people to their first day where changes could happen really last minute.
I also don’t have a schedule or anything yet. Is that also normal? I know there is meant to be some sort of welcome thing but I haven’t heard anything about it yet
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