Application Process & Interviews at Baker McKenzie

I had a very brief casual interview.

The interview process consisted of two interviews with two senior members of the firm and a cocktail networking evening. There are no psychometric assessments in the process which is always a plus for graduates.

After submitting my application, I completed two rounds of interviews and participated in a cocktail evening before receiving my offer. All were online due to Covid.

I arrived as a clerk, which involved an application and two interviews.

Online Application, two rounds of interviews

You submit your CV, along with answering various firm-specific questions. There were no further assessments (e.g. psychometric testing).

Why do you want to work here, why do you want to work in this area etc.

I was asked about my university studies and extracurriculars, my work experience and any interests outside of work.

I can't remember the specifics, but I would have been asked about my work experience and the attributes that would make me valuable to the firm. I was also asked about my interests and hobbies.

I don't remember, but they were almost all just "get to know you" style questions.

About relevant work experience, relevant life experiences, why I wanted to work here

Make an argument for why you would best fit the company culturally and work product wise.

Think about the global nature of the firm and how you can best fit into that.

They should find creative ways to get to know the culture of the company and look at what the industry says about it, rather than just what it says about itself. They should also think about ways that make them unique and emphasise those in their applications.

Try not to get your personality across and don't worry too much about preparation. The interviewers really do care most about how they think you would fit into a team, and how much they would like to work with you themselves.

Know the company, know why you want to come here, and be able to relate your experiences to the business

The best way to prepare is to prepare early. Certain parts of your application can be prepared ahead of time (e.g. your CV), while others can only be prepared once applications open (e.g. firm questions). You will be extremely busy preparing your application, so prepare ahead and have a smoother experience.