TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2022-23

KBLAW

Star Member
Feb 12, 2021
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Hi, I have some vac schemes coming up but grad rec from each firm keep asking me whether I have a TC offer with another firm (not whether I have accepted it, just whether I have the offer) I was wondering why grad rec ask this? Is it seen as a positive or a negative? @Jessica Booker
Thanks for the help
 

Jessica Booker

Legendary Member
TCLA Moderator
Graduate Recruitment
Premium Member
Forum Team
Aug 1, 2019
11,366
16,807
Hi, I have some vac schemes coming up but grad rec from each firm keep asking me whether I have a TC offer with another firm (not whether I have accepted it, just whether I have the offer) I was wondering why grad rec ask this? Is it seen as a positive or a negative? @Jessica Booker
Thanks for the help
Because they are trying to work out whether you will renege their VS offer or are likely to not accept a TC with them even if you are to join them on the vac scheme.

Its a double-edged sword - it could be seen positively that you have secured an offer elsewhere, but negatively that you may be less likely to accept a TC with the firm.
 

HopefulFutureTrainee123

Legendary Member
Premium Member
Oct 26, 2022
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Possibly, but there are other factors in play here. For instance, people declining offers can influence what schemes are available/under subscribed.

I wouldn't spend time trying to over analysing this - I don't think its productive. If you have been made a verbal offer, then you should call them to discuss which scheme you can join (assuming they haven't specified the dates to you in the verbal offer).
Thank you ☺️
 

Ali A

Legendary Member
  • Feb 28, 2022
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    Has anyone who has had a feedback call post AC felt it was really positive?

    Are they all supposed to be like that?

    I didn't really learn anything new about what I could improve but was told I performed really well in all the exercises.
     
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    j.s.cox

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  • Jan 29, 2022
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    I thought maybe other people are interested. It’s basically a ranking based on a report on vault 100 law firms https://static1.squarespace.com/sta...8519/2022+LSCA+Law+Firm+Climate+Scorecard.pdf View attachment 4926
    I read this report and feel like it doesn't really touch on the nuance of the situation. Even supposedly "clean" technologies employ climate damaging work. An example of this is the mining that is required to get the materials needed for EV batteries. In an ideal world, it would be great to have law firms avoid working with any companies damaging the environment. In reality, this would be very difficult to achieve and someone has to do the work in the end.
     
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    j.s.cox

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  • Jan 29, 2022
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    Has anyone who has had a feedback call post AC felt it was really positive?

    Are they all supposed to be like that?

    I didn't really learn anything new about what I could improve but was told I performed really well in all the exercises.
    Did you specifically ask what you could improve on? This is what I used to do when I received an overly positive feedback call. It can be brutal, but ultimately led me to the information I needed to be succesful.
     
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    Ali A

    Legendary Member
  • Feb 28, 2022
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    Did you specifically ask what you could improve on? This is what I used to do when I received an overly positive feedback call. It can be brutal, but ultimately led me to the information I needed to be succesful.
    I should have done this more but it was my first feedback call so did not know what to expect really.

    I kind of probed about what to improve and got the vibe I did well but missed out on the final few marks.
     
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    HopefulFutureTrainee123

    Legendary Member
    Premium Member
    Oct 26, 2022
    511
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    Has anyone who has had a feedback call post AC felt it was really positive?

    Are they all supposed to be like that?

    I didn't really learn anything new about what I could improve but was told I performed really well in all the exercises.
    I’ve had this too a few times. Generally the vibe has been “you passed the threshold for an offer, but we didn’t have enough spaces to offer you”. I’d generally take it as a good thing. Also, I’d recommend really probing them for the reasons why they didn’t offer you - it might be something like “we weren’t certain that you were 100% committed to our firm”, but you could also learn something for the future too (even if you did only miss out by a mark or two).
     
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    Jessica Booker

    Legendary Member
    TCLA Moderator
    Graduate Recruitment
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    Aug 1, 2019
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    Has anyone who has had a feedback call post AC felt it was really positive?

    Are they all supposed to be like that?

    I didn't really learn anything new about what I could improve but was told I performed really well in all the exercises.
    It can often feel like that. Sometimes it comes down to small bits of feedback and also down to motivations - you can perform well, but if the firm doesn’t think they are quite right for you and what you want, it doesn’t matter how well you did.

    I encourage people to try and get specifics in feedback calls though - asking questions like “what could I have done differently?”, and “where did I need to improve?” And politely pushing them for specifics can be helpful in getting under the surface layer of feedback.
     

    Ali A

    Legendary Member
  • Feb 28, 2022
    151
    521
    It can often feel like that. Sometimes it comes down to small bits of feedback and also down to motivations - you can perform well, but if the firm doesn’t think they are quite right for you and what you want, it doesn’t matter how well you did.

    I encourage people to try and get specifics in feedback calls though - asking questions like “what could I have done differently?”, and “where did I need to improve?” And politely pushing them for specifics can be helpful in getting under the surface layer of feedback.
    Ahh this is great to know for future feedback calls. Thank you!
     

    Phoebe123451

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  • Aug 19, 2022
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    Sounds positive . What did you ask in your email to them ?
    I actually hadn't emailed them - they sent that themselves, just saying something along the lines of "thank you for previously completing your VI" (I had done it a few weeks before) and "we're currently in the process of reviewing apps and we'll get back in the next few weeks". I think it should have been emailed to all applicants?
     

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