Alexandre attended our Future Lawyers Top 100 event and is now joining Reed Smith on their Summer Vacation Scheme. He was kind enough to answers our questions and share his advice for fellow Bright Network members.
Why did you choose this firm and this role?
As an active member of the Warwick Law Society (and their current Careers Officer) I had been in touch with a lot of different City Firms. Being able to get to know a number of these firms on a very personal level, I was particularly drawn to Reed Smith because of their welcoming culture and the impressive work they undertook.
I found that as a very hands-on person, Reed Smith had the right number of people per intake that would truly allow me to get a front-row seat in major work.
What was the toughest part of the application process? And your favourite part?
The application in itself was quite long and complex. I would say there were on average a few more questions than one would expect, and each question really tested your knowledge of the firm.
This really meant you had to do some serious research on the firm but also meant that you had to really show why you wanted to be working for Reed Smith, and it also meant you couldn't take general answers and then tailor it to the firm. (I was lucky enough to already have a lot of information on the firm as I am also currently the Reed Smith Campus Ambassador at Warwick.)
Overall, I think the questions were very specific and being able to give satisfactory answers was very hard but also rewarding and interesting.
My favourite part was the interview. I believe the interview was really unique in that it was a Strengths Based Interview, which allowed you to showcase who you are as a person as opposed to trying to pretend someone you are not just because that is what the firm wants you to be. I feel like I really had a personal connection with the firm after the interview as they really knew who I was.
Were you surprised by anything in the process?
While I wasn't exactly surprised (as I knew it was coming) the Situational Judgment Test, was very different. I had never actually taken one and I wasn't exactly sure how to go about completing it in a successful way. I am used to taking psychometric tests which are very different.
What three top tips would you give your fellow Bright Network members?
1. Make the most of Law Societies, they really are there to help out the students and you have access to some really unparalleled opportunities.
2. Find a firm whose culture you identify with, you don't want to find yourself at a firm where you don't fit in.
3. Speak to Graduate Recruitment as much as you can when they come and visit your university (or at an Open Day) and try and keep in touch with them! They offer the best insights to the firm and are generally extremely kind!
What was the toughest question you faced at interview?
How important do you think learning for a business to perform well?
