TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Kakaboo]

Hi! I’ve tried to message my trainee on LinkedIn but they haven’t accepted after a week. The early careers person is doing a talk at my uni tomorrow after should I approach and ask if there’s any way to contact them before the scheme? Thanks

 

[Amma Usman]

Hi! I’ve tried to message my trainee on LinkedIn but they haven’t accepted after a week. The early careers person is doing a talk at my uni tomorrow after should I approach and ask if there’s any way to contact them before the scheme? Thanks

Hey! Totally get the nerves - especially when you’re hoping to feel connected before the scheme starts. But honestly, there’s no need to stress. It’s completely normal not to have heard back yet, especially as trainees can be super busy. You’ll meet everyone on the first day and there’ll be loads of time to get to know each other and catch up then.

You’re already doing great by being proactive. Good luck, you’ve got this!

 

[linkedinwarrior245]

Hi, I've never posted something like this before, but I feel very lost about what to do. I'm currently on a vacation scheme and I'm considering quitting because it is seriously affecting my physical and mental wellbeing, as I haven't had a break since my spring vac and I had final uni exams in between. I had to jump right into this. I've already called in sick (it's only week 1), but I fear it would look very bad if I pulled out of it because it shows that I couldn't push myself to complete it.

For context, I already have a TC offer from my previous vac and I have not accepted it yet because I wanted to weigh out my options.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi, I've never posted something like this before, but I feel very lost about what to do. I'm currently on a vacation scheme and I'm considering quitting because it is seriously affecting my physical and mental wellbeing, as I haven't had a break since my spring vac and I had final uni exams in between. I had to jump right into this. I've already called in sick (it's only week 1), but I fear it would look very bad if I pulled out of it because it shows that I couldn't push myself to complete it.

For context, I already have a TC offer from my previous vac and I have not accepted it yet because I wanted to weigh out my options. But I feel like I'm at my limit.

You ultimately need to do what is best for your health - you shouldn’t compromise that.

Rather than quitting the vacation scheme, consider speaking to the graduate recruitment team about the possibility of deferring your scheme to a later date, whether that be later this summer or even in the next cycle.

However, this may not be appropriate if you hold an offer already and are in a position where you need to accept that offer and start your legal training before you could complete another scheme with the current VS firm.

The firm may also be able to offer you a direct TC recruitment process instead if you did decide to withdraw from the programme.

 

[lawstudent2]

Idk if this is the right place for this but is it true that you need more extensive legal experience to go through the direct TC process successfully. I don't have a vac scheme this summer or anything more than a few days in a couple legal offices and am trying to decide if it's worth my time to apply to some direct TCs this summer or just prep for applications next year (will be my third year of uni also for context). Any insights appreciated, thanks

 

[bangarangbass39]

How long after a final interview for a vac scheme should we wait to expect to hear back?

I was told in the interview that we should hear back on the 12th (or after, the details is a lil fuzzy). I understand things can delay the feedback and it’s not easy to decide. But the radio silence is excruciating.

My interview was in the last week of May.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Idk if this is the right place for this but is it true that you need more extensive legal experience to go through the direct TC process successfully. I don't have a vac scheme this summer or anything more than a few days in a couple legal offices and am trying to decide if it's worth my time to apply to some direct TCs this summer or just prep for applications next year (will be my third year of uni also for context). Any insights appreciated, thanks

For some firms this will be the case. For instance, I think (if I remember correctly) Linklaters state you need a certain number of weeks of legal work experience to go forward for their direct TC.

But for most firms it won’t be as simple/binary as needed a certain length of work experience. Some firms will look more at your work experience holistically (both legal and non legal) while others may look at your motivations and other evidence for pursuing a commercial legal career and weigh this up alongside your work experience. For instance, if you can show strong and clear motivations and show other evidence of learning more about the career outside of legal work experience, this could replicate (or be stronger evidence) than describing a vacation scheme experience.

 

[Jessica Booker]

How long after a final interview for a vac scheme should we wait to expect to hear back?

I was told in the interview that we should hear back on the 12th (or after, the details is a lil fuzzy). I understand things can delay the feedback and it’s not easy to decide. But the radio silence is excruciating.

My interview was in the last week of May.

This is still quite early based on what you have said, especially if the point was you would hear after the 12th rather than by the 12th.

I know it can feel like a lifetime while you are waiting to hear back. The problem for the firm is it feels the complete opposite - two weeks can pass by and it can feel like a couple of hours, especially at this time of year when there can be a lot of things going on. Unless the scheme is due to start on the 23 June, I would wait until the end of next week before chasing them up for a decision.

 

[lawstudent2]

For some firms this will be the case. For instance, I think (if I remember correctly) Linklaters state you need a certain number of weeks of legal work experience to go forward for their direct TC.

But for most firms it won’t be as simple/binary as needed a certain length of work experience. Some firms will look more at your work experience holistically (both legal and non legal) while others may look at your motivations and other evidence for pursuing a commercial legal career and weigh this up alongside your work experience. For instance, if you can show strong and clear motivations and show other evidence of learning more about the career outside of legal work experience, this could replicate (or be stronger evidence) than describing a vacation scheme experience.

Okay amazing thanks so much

 

[bangarangbass39]

This is still quite early based on what you have said, especially if the point was you would hear after the 12th rather than by the 12th.

I know it can feel like a lifetime while you are waiting to hear back. The problem for the firm is it feels the complete opposite - two weeks can pass by and it can feel like a couple of hours, especially at this time of year when there can be a lot of things going on. Unless the scheme is due to start on the 23 June, I would wait until the end of next week before chasing them up for a decision.

Apologies. I meant to say after a vac scheme. So after the final interview for the TC.

But thank you for the perspective. Of course the doomerism is not great but the wait feels like it’s going on forever. I usually don’t care waiting, I’m not naturally impatient. But right now it’s just eating me up I can’t bare it😅

 

[Jessica Booker]

Apologies. I meant to say after a vac scheme. So after the final interview for the TC.

But thank you for the perspective. Of course the doomerism is not great but the wait feels like it’s going on forever. I usually don’t care waiting long but right now it’s just eating me up I can’t bare it😅

I still think this is the case even if it after a VS (and probably even more so)! Maybe if you haven't heard back towards the end of next week, maybe send the GR team asking for clarity as to when you will hear back so you can then know for certain as to when you will hear back and then you can just focus on other things until then. I suspect the fuzzy details of when you will hear back probably isn't helping with your uncertainty, so it could help to get clarity on that.