The Hong Kong Vacation Scheme Interview: What We Wish Every Candidate Knew (Before Walking In)
From CV to Callback: A Hong Kong Lawyer’s Practical Guide to Vacation Scheme Interviews at International Firms
After many years in the Hong Kong practice, we can tell you this: international firms here do not run vacation scheme interviews to “see if you’re clever”. Almost everyone they meet is clever. They are testing something more practical and, frankly, more Hong Kong: whether you can be trusted in a high-stakes, cross-border environment, whether you understand how the work actually looks day to day, and whether you will be low-risk and high-contribution from the moment you receive your building pass.
A vacation scheme is short. That is exactly why the bar is high. There isn’t time to “grow into” professional habits. The interview is the firm’s attempt to predict, in 30-45 minutes, what it will feel like to have you on a live matter at 10 p.m. when a document needs turning, a client is nervous, and confidentiality is non-negotiable. With that frame in mind, here are the insights we would give our own juniors.
1. Understand what Hong Kong international firms really do, and say it precisely
Candidates often speak in broad slogans: “I’m interested in corporate law”, “I want international exposure”, “Hong Kong is a global hub”. None of that is wrong, but it is not yet persuasive.
International firms in Hong Kong are typically built around cross-border corporate finance, capital markets, private M&A, funds, disputes and international arbitration, and the regulatory/compliance work that comes with all of that. In other words, they sit where money, regulation and reputational risk meet. When you express interest, anchor it in the kind of work Hong Kong actually generates: IPOs and equity/debt capital markets, restructuring and defaults, cross-border M&A and due diligence, and the regulatory overlay that makes “execution” more than just drafting.
If you can talk with some specificity, for instance why an IPO timetable is unforgiving, why due diligence is a discipline rather than a buzzword, why deal work is document-heavy and process-driven, you will sound like someone who has moved beyond the brochure.
2. Expect structure, and prepare like it’s an exam in professionalism
Many international firms score interviews against competencies, even if the tone feels friendly. They are quietly assessing whether you are organised, teachable, responsive under pressure, and able to communicate clearly with different audiences.
So prepare in a way that demonstrates those traits.
Have three or four “work stories” that can flex to different questions. Not grand achievements, go for clean, credible examples. A time you handled an unreasonable deadline, a time you spotted an error others missed, a time you managed competing priorities, a time you had to communicate something unpleasant tactfully. In Hong Kong practice, those are daily skills. Your stories should be short, factual, and end with what you learned and how you changed your approach afterwards.
3. Be meticulous with your CV and dates—Hong Kong hiring teams do check
We have seen excellent candidates lose momentum for a very mundane reason: inconsistency.
International firms are used to verifying transcripts, positions, and dates. If your CV says one thing and your application form says another, you create unnecessary doubt. In a market where firms can choose among many strong candidates, avoidable doubt is lethal.
Before the interview, clean up your chronology, be able to explain any gaps without drama, and ensure your transcript matches what you say about your results. If something is unusual, for instance an interrupted semester, a resit, a change of course, prepare a calm explanation that takes responsibility and shows resilience.
4. Treat the interview like the start of employment: responsiveness and polish matter
A vacation scheme is often a prolonged assessment. Your email etiquette, punctuality, tone, and follow-up are part of the evaluation.
Reply promptly. Confirm details accurately. If you have a conflict, propose solutions rather than problems. International firms in Hong Kong run at speed; they prize candidates who reduce friction.
If you send a thank-you email after, keep it short and specific: one point you enjoyed discussing, one point that reinforced your interest. Do not write a novel, and do not sound performative.
5. The quiet skill that separates top candidates: drafting in your head
Even if the role is a vacation scheme, international firms ultimately hire future trainees. They are asking themselves: can this person produce clean work product?
You can show that skill even in conversation. Define terms. Answer the question asked. Structure your response. If you don’t know, say so, then explain how you would find out. That is exactly what junior practice is: being accurate, careful, and resourceful under supervision.
6. Finally: be someone they would trust at 2 a.m.
This is the unspoken test. In Hong Kong, deals run late, time zones collide, and work is demanding. Interviewers are listening for steadiness, humility, and judgment. They want the person who will keep a clear head, protect the client, and ask for help early instead of pretending.
If you carry yourself like that, calm, precise, friendly, and prepared—you will stand out more than any rehearsed line about being “passionate about commercial law”.
If you are looking to improve your performance in the real interview, come join us for a mock interview, conducted by our team of experienced lawyers from top international firms in Hong Kong! Make your appointment here.