Campus Brand Ambassadorships are a great form of work experience and provide ample opportunities for networking. Maisie Briggs- a Brand Ambassador for Bird & Bird– shares her experience of working with the firm.
The Application Process
I applied to be Bird & Bird‘s campus ambassador at my university because I’ve always had an interest in the firm and thought it would be a good way to find out more. The process was simple – you are required to fill out a form explaining why you are interested in the role, and detail any previous experience you may have. You are then invited to carry out a short video interview. I was told the questions beforehand which allowed me to think through what I wanted to say. It is very important to plan your answers as it ensures you successfully convey your thoughts within the short time-frame of the interview. This was good practice for the video interviews I took later on in the year; I was less nervous when required to record my answers for vacation scheme applications as I was familiar with the process.
My Brand Ambassador Experience
Firstly, the experience as campus ambassador has been hugely beneficial, and allowed me to engage with law firms from the get-go. Not only has it provided insight into how the recruitment process works, but it’s also made clear to me the steps I would have to take when applying for roles at the firm. As previously mentioned, the video interview stage can be very daunting if you have never done it before, but I was aware of what it would entail so found I was able to prepare in a more informed manner than if I hadn’t had prior experience.
As campus ambassador you need to be familiar with the firm you are representing, understand the work they carry out, and know what their main focuses are. This is fundamental knowledge for vacation scheme applications. It is essential that each application is tailored to the firm, rather than using copied and pasted answers. The campus ambassador position gives you unique insight into the firm, and you can use the knowledge you gain to make your vacation scheme or training contract application stand out. You are well informed about how the firm is different from others, and how the tech focus at Bird & Bird is at the forefront of the work they do. I would argue that this is key to a successful application, so being campus ambassador has been hugely useful.
Representing Bird & Bird on campus has also provided me with valuable work experience whilst still studying at university. I have gained skills which are transferable to a career in law. For example, it was important to evaluate the information about Bird & Bird available on their website and brochures, and prioritise the most important aspects to present to students at our pop-up event. This required thinking logically and working as part of a team to ensure the work we produced was efficient and to a high standard. This has not only given me experience that will prove useful when pursuing a legal career, but also provided me with relevant work for my CV. Showing you have thought about the steps you have taken in the lead up to a vacation scheme or training contract is invaluable to your application.
In summary, being Bird & Bird’s campus ambassador has been an enjoyable and beneficial experience. You gain experience for your CV, learn essential skills that will be useful for the workplace, and learn detailed information about the firm which will aid any future applications. It also allows you to meet many other like-minded people who are going through the same process!