BEST RECRUITER – NATIONAL/LARGE REGIONAL FIRM
ongoing support and training, it is hugely rewarding. Lawyers, especially during an intense two-year training contract, will be outside their comfort zone every day. At OC our trainees are supported by lawyers and staff who want them to succeed. I believe that genuinely makes the training contract a different experience from training at other firms.” Sending relatable representatives to campus is a crucial part of getting the OC message across. Zoe Reid, senior recruitment and development officer (graduate), explains: “This coming year we are empowering our trainees to go to their old universities and generate opportunities to talk to students about the firm. Sending alumni back is a great way to connect with students who might otherwise be a bit daunted about coming up to us at a busy law fair. Having someone who was very recently a student is the perfect conversation opener and chance to strike up a rapport.” Their interest piqued, the hope is that students will apply and progress to the all-important assessment centre, where the firm aims to wow participants and offer true insight into its inner workings. “We give candidates lots of opportunities to speak to trainees and partners in different ways, offering access to the entire firm,” says Zoe. “It’s important to get across the culture of the firm – that we are as open and non-hierarchical as our marketing material says we are. Our vacation scheme students this year all said that they had an amazing time and that what we claimed about OC was true. Most firms tend to say similar
making sure that we were switched on enough to do the job and whether they could imagine getting along with us as colleagues. In the interview, it was clear that the partners wanted people who were bright, with some commerciality, and we were asked probing questions – mine was during the London Olympics, so we talked about whether women should be involved in boxing. It was an interesting debate and I managed to have a laugh with my interviewers, which really helped both them and me to imagine myself working here.” As well as an essential recruitment tool for the firm, the vacation scheme is another golden opportunity for candidates to work out whether OC is right for them. “Last year we recruited 100% of our trainees from our vacation scheme and it is likely to be the same again this year,” says Zoe. “You can’t tell what a firm is like until you’ve worked there, so the scheme is a great way for us to observe the candidates in action in the OC environment; but it also gives them the chance to experience life as a trainee. At the end of two weeks, they are comfortable with their decision whether to train with us.” For those who make the grade, the firm goes to considerable lengths to keep them in the loop – including with birthday, Christmas and good luck cards. “The cards were a very nice touch!” recalls Ben. “I had a two-year gap between recruitment and starting, but I always felt pretty clued up about what needed to be done and by when. Zoe was always on hand to answer my questions, even about the more mundane admin stuff that can end up being quite stressful. And all the
One of the things that attracted me to OC –
aside from its excellent reputation – was its unstuffy culture things, so it’s not until you meet people from a firm that you can really get a sense of what your experience as a trainee might be like.” Ben reflects on his time at the assessment centre and the pleasing lack of administration: “I liked that there was no messing about – we weren’t subjected to hours of presentations and talks. Rather, it seemed to be about
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