BEST RECRUITER – MEDIUM CITY FIRM
We want the best candidates to choose us and feel comfortable with that decision, especially as it’s a long-term commitment on both sides
maintains that the process is also determinedly balanced in its approach: “The idea is to give everyone the chance to shine, but in different situations. If they don’t do particularly well in one part, they have the chance to redeem themselves later on. The recruitment process reflects our high standards, but is about doing our best to find the right people, not trying to catch people out. We place a lot of emphasis on giving everyone a fair opportunity to impress.” Feeding into the idea of fair play is the space the firm’s vacation scheme occupies in the overall process – important, but by no means the only way to get a training contract. “There’s no separate assessment process for the vacation scheme, other than shortlisting the applications, so whether they’re then invited to a training contract interview depends largely on supervisor feedback from the two- week scheme,” explains Nicola. “We don’t offer training contracts to a specific percentage of vac scheme students, but those who have done the scheme are at an advantage of knowing more about the firm and having experiences that they can then talk about at interview.” Mark agrees: “The vacation scheme is helpful in that it gives a participant the chance to learn about the firm from the inside and to have a good understanding of what it’s like to work here, but it doesn’t mean that person will be chosen over someone who hasn’t done the vac scheme.” Not content to rest on their laurels, the graduate recruitment team and the interviewing panel – made up of around 12 partners and senior associates – reviews what has worked
well and makes improvements every year. “At the end of the annual cycle, we all sit down and discuss our thoughts on how things have gone,” says Nicola. “We also informally ask candidates what they thought of it. Partly as a response to that, we’ve amended the assessment format to ensure that candidates have a better idea of what we as a firm do and where they might see themselves within BDB, rather than it just being us assessing whether the firm should take them on – it is very much a two-way process. That includes hosting a lunch with trainees and the managing or senior partner that is completely separate from, and forms no part of, the assessment process. It also helps candidates see that we take this seriously. We want the best candidates to choose us and feel comfortable with that decision, especially as it’s a long- term commitment on both sides.” Having been involved with the firm’s graduate selection process for some time, Mark adds his thoughts on why BDB has changed the process quite substantially over the years. “We’ve made it more competency based, but also introduced a much more structured, two-stage process. One core element is that now we ask everyone the same questions; before it tended to be more free form in parts, but that meant it was much harder to judge people as every candidate had been asked different things. Although it’s more rigid now, it is fairer and better, including for the interviewing team, who have set questions to put instead of having to think what to ask next.” Part of the effectiveness of the process is ensuring buy-in from the entire firm. “The engagement and commitment from the recruitment
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