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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

Hi @Afraz Akhtar How would you recommend approaching curveball questions? Also is there any way to actually prepare for them?
@Wanda Maximoff

Although curveball questions aren't really things you can predict, I do feel that you can still prepare for them. The difference here though is that the preparation is less to do with being able to predict all possible questions/answers and more about improving how you think and respond under pressure.

To do this, study yourself through and through. I think everyone assumes they know everything there is to know about themselves, but when you consider the fact that you've embarked on a - what's probably 5 year journey from A-Levels to Graduation, you'll find that you forget a lot of things. Reasons for certain module choices, experiences in old jobs, how you dealt with certain situations you were presented with. So, take the time to learn your journey in a way that makes recollection a lot easier. This sort of knowledge will help tackle certain questions surrounding your motivations and competencies where you've not pre-prepared them.

During that study, identify any weak spots in your abilities, whether that's competencies or commercial knowledge based and seek the opportunity to improve it e.g. reading up on certain news developments, doing some extracurriculars etc.

Lastly, become more comfortable taking the time to think or acknowledging your uncertainties. Often or not, the issue with curveball questions isn't the lack of knowledge, it's the lack of time to recollect, and this can be made easier with a simple "Hmm, that's an interesting question - sorry, I just need a moment to think it through". There is no harm in taking the time to think, and it's a skill you'll learn to adopt in many business situations. Where, the knowledge simply isn't coming to you, even after that pause, just acknowledge it. Again, there is no harm, nobody knows everything and you're not expected to. However, what you are expected to do is deal with those situations, and what's most appropriate is acknowledging your shortcomings, and offering to try anyway.

Hope this helps :)

P.S. I hope MARVEL renew your spinoff show.
 
Just submitted Osborne Clarke.
For those who were wondering how badly Candid ATS/Vantage/Rare Recruitment sucks and why all law firms should switch to Allhires, here's the time per page just to click 'next':

  • Introduction 19 seconds
  • Eligibility 19 seconds
  • Personal Information 21 seconds
  • Secondary education 22 seconds
  • Sixth form 5 (!) seconds
  • Uni 22 seconds
  • Work experience 18 seconds
  • Contextual information 23 seconds
  • Additional questions 22 seconds
  • Equal opps 18s
  • Submit 25s

That's more than 3.5 minutes, and every time you login you have to go through the same BS with no way to skip forward even if the pages have already been completed.
I also find my information never saves on there annoyingly
 
Finished exams yesterday, submitted 3 new applications and completed an interview today. At this point am just pretending that burnout is not real - confronting it feels like a slippery slope right into mid-day 3-hour naps.

Fresh Off The Boat Mind Blown GIF
 
Hello @Afraz Akhtar
I'm aware that premium members have 1 free application review per month, but I'm struggling to find where to upload my application

Also, if a cover letter doesn't specify word count or number of pages, how long should it be, and what sections should we include?

Thank you
 

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