Hiya
@sc13
Looking back, I think there were a few key changes I made that helped me convert later VS schemes. Interestingly, the feedback I received from earlier schemes wasn’t really about the quality of my work, but rather about my soft skills and how I came across more broadly. There were three points of feedback that were made to me, and which I still think about:
- I came across as quite self-deprecating in my humour (which some partners took as a lack of confidence in myself).
- There was uncertainty about whether I genuinely wanted to pursue commercial law, particularly given my previous non-law background.
- I had a tendency to overextend myself (taking on too many tasks without always checking how long things would take or what was feasible within my schedule).
These were all areas I worked hard to improve in my second cycle, especially the first and third points. If you’re someone who’s ever struggled with imposter syndrome, it can be easy to default to self-deprecating humour in professional settings. But I learned the hard way that how you speak/joke about yourself really does shape how others perceive your confidence and potential (same point also applies if you're someone who is constantly trying to oversell your experiences/background to others). There’s a line between being arrogant and underselling yourself, and finding that balance made a big difference. On the overstretching point, I started being much more conscious about what I could realistically take on. I made a habit of asking how long a task might take before accepting it, and I tried to be more open about my current workload. That helped me build more accurate expectations for myself and others.
Taking all that on board gave me a much more grounded and self-aware approach when I went into interviews and vac schemes the second time around.
Hope that helps. Wishing you the best of luck with your scheme coming up
