Official Vacation Scheme Thread 2015!!!

Congratulations on getting the AC at least - and like someone said, good practice for next time! I have the AC in a couple of weeks and I was quite surprised there was work shadowing involved, but nice that they make an effort for you to see what it's like.
Was there a reason you didn't apply anywhere else?

Good luck! Yes the work shadowing was great, the trainees share an office with a partner and both were very friendly and interesting.

Well I applied to Macfarlanes because it really stood out to me. I took a long time over the application and unfortunately it meant that I didn't really have time to do any others! I'm living and studying in France at the moment and I had 14 exams during November/December so I couldn't really justify spending a week on each application when I had to revise. Luckily, I've got a vacation scheme with Couchmans (boutique sports law firm) in July but that was due to a speculative email rather than an official application process.

I'm currently looking for firms that do not recruit on a rolling basis for their VS as I suspect that's my only chance at this stage.

I'm currently looking for firms that do not recruit on a rolling basis for their VS as I suspect that's my only chance at this stage.

I'm so nervous about interviews

Me too, absolutely terrified! Have my first one next week and literally do not know what to expect.


Posted from TSR Mobile

The main thing about interviews is trying to not let your nerves get the better of you.

Remember that they have seen something in your application to date that makes them think you could be good. The interviewers want you to do well as much as you do, and they are just hoping you live up to (or are better) than the person on paper.

In this day and age, where a lot of people go wrong, is that they actually over prepare their answers. It's like they have a set script to take their answers from and when they are asked a question that doesn't quite fit that script, they struggle.

Remember an interview is a conversation and very few conversations in life you can anticipate what you or the other person will say. A lot of it is thinking on your feet and trying to come up with well structured and concise answers to what's been asked at the time.

However, you can prepare. But that preparation is actually pretty straight forward:

1) if you got 100 offers, why would you choose this firm over the others?

2) why are you going to be happy in such a stressful and challenging career both on a day-to-day basis and also in the long term? And do you really know what your letting yourself in for and if you do, what's going to keep you happy, motivated and focus when the job is dull/boring/repetitive/frustrating?

3) showing you have the basic qualities to succeed in the job. This isn't actually knowledge, it's more the want to have that knowledge. Added to this you need:

Team working skills
Analytical skills/good judgement
Your own self motivation and drive
Organisational skills
Thoroughness/high standards
The ability to be a person that 95% of people would enjoy sharing a small office with for 12 hours a day for six months

This will cover 90% of what 90% of law firms are looking for. There will be some quirks, but firms are pretty good at demonstrating those quirks in their marketing materials. Read between the lines of their marketing and analyse the type of person you have met from the firm. You are then often able to pick up those "quirks" and add them to your preparation.

Hope that helps!!

Posted from TSR Mobile

Has anyone actually had the telephone interview for Irwin Mitchell??

I've lost count I have had people be unable to answer a question. It isn't necessarily a deal breaker.

If your struggling to think there and then, ask for some time to think about that. You can do the trick of "that's a good/tough question, can I pause to think about that for a moment" type response.

As long as you are not sat there in silence for too long (ie over 30 seconds), it will give you time to think.

There is nothing wrong with doing that, in fact most interviewers will be impressed by your common sense to think about it before rushing in and spouting incoherent ramblings.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Thank you so much J-SP for all of your input. I have been thinking about something for a while and I think I should ask- is there a certain way we should speak to lawyers/ graduate recruiters in law firms? For instance, in investment banks, there are not so many formalities in the way I would write an email or interact with senior employees but I feel that law firms and the legal industry in general is so much more traditional and has some secret codes (or maybe it's just me?).

Also, in terms of dressing, I think in the US they are quite strict with the fact that you should wear a skirt. Is it the same over here? Or can I wear a dress (long- up to my knees) and a blazer on top?

thank you!

Thank you so much J-SP for all of your input. I have been thinking about something for a while and I think I should ask- is there a certain way we should speak to lawyers/ graduate recruiters in law firms? For instance, in investment banks, there are not so many formalities in the way I would write an email or interact with senior employees but I feel that law firms and the legal industry in general is so much more traditional and has some secret codes (or maybe it's just me?).

Also, in terms of dressing, I think in the US they are quite strict with the fact that you should wear a skirt. Is it the same over here? Or can I wear a dress (long- up to my knees) and a blazer on top?

thank you!

Really? I was planning on wearing a trouser suit, perhaps I should reconsider that for the US firms I've applied to at least

No worries on the input. That's what I am here for.

I can't say there's any formalities as such or any "code" - if so I was completely naive to it for far too many years of working in recruitment.

The main thing about correspondence is making sure it isn't overly lazy. They won't get too fussy with formal "Mrs" or "Dear" but it will drive them slightly mad if your email reads like a text message. With introductions (e.g. dear vs Hi) take their lead and follow suit, if you are emailing them first go with Dear Joe or Dear Graduate Recruitment rather than "Dear Mrs Recruiter" or "Dear Madam", although to be fair it doesn't really matter.

Make sure you sign off your email appropriately (e.g. With your full name) and if you have attached any documents, make sure they are appropriately named and are not just "attachement" or "doc 1".

In terms of what to wear, this has changed considerably even in recent years. A dress and jacket as you have described is fine unless it is too short or showing too much cleavage. You don't have to wear a skirt with matching blazer/jacket and you don't have to wear trousers. Just wear something smart/professional that you feel comfortable in. Only time I have questioned someone's choice of attire when wearing a dress was when they were wearing a bodycon dress that left little to the imagination with a very short and tailored jacket on top. If you look like you are working as a hostess in a nightclub then think again.... But your appearance is much more about being clean, tidy and smart rather than the specifics of what type of attire you are wearing.


Posted from TSR Mobile

No worries on the input. That's what I am here for.

The main thing about correspondence is making sure it isn't overly lazy. They won't get too fussy with formal "Mrs" or "Dear" but it will drive them slightly mad if your email reads like a text message. With introductions (e.g. dear vs Hi) take their lead and follow suit, if you are emailing them first go with Dear Joe or Dear Graduate Recruitment rather than "Dear Mrs Recruiter" or "Dear Madam", although to be fair it doesn't really matter.

Make sure you sign off your email appropriately (e.g. With your full name) and if you have attached any documents, make sure they are appropriately named and are not just "attachement" or "doc 1".

Posted from TSR Mobile

If it's just to register for an event and they are partly writing the response for you, I really wouldn't worry about it.

Just make sure it's appropriately signed off with your full name.

Only put in extra information if they have requested it.


Posted from TSR Mobile