We caught up with Lauryn Graham, who was a brand ambassador with Baker McKenzie this past year. She tells us about her experience applying for the role (including the unique TikTok element!), how she found the role and how it led to her securing a Vacation Scheme with the firm!
Applying for the brand ambassador role
The online application process comprises of three components: your CV, a cover letter, and a TikTok video. It is important to remember that this is a marketing role, rather than a strictly legal one, so make the most of the opportunity to showcase your creativity in your application! Think about the key skills and attributes that you need to successfully promote Baker McKenzie’s brand. These skills and attributes include having excellent interpersonal and communication skills, being organised, demonstrating innovation and creativity, being energetic and enthusiastic and being commercially aware.
The TikTok stage of the application is a unique and fun opportunity to showcase yourself so make the most of this stage! As a brand ambassador you need to persuade others to invest in Baker McKenzie’s brand so this video should persuade the graduate recruitment team to invest in your brand. Think about why you want to be a brand ambassador, why you want to promote Baker McKenzie and how you can showcase that you have the skills to be successful in your campaign.
What did the role involve?
Brand ambassadors are responsible for promoting the Baker McKenzie brand and events on campus and the role is brilliant for developing your project management skills in a fun way! The graduate recruitment team will set some tasks for you to complete during your campaign. These include tasks like hosting a social media takeover and organising a workshop at your university. There is no pressure to achieve a quantitative number of sign-ups and you receive a lot of support from the graduate recruitment team with these events, so it is great for developing your initial confidence in the role.
In addition to the set tasks, you have a lot of creative freedom to come up with new ideas for promotion. During my campaign I created a mini podcast series called “Coffee and a Catch Up” where I interviewed lawyers at the firm ranging from future trainee solicitors to senior associates. I also pitched the idea of hosting a Baker McKenzie “University Challenge” quiz night. Our cohort of brand ambassadors worked together to arrange the virtual event and ten UK universities participated! The quiz was extremely fun and included rounds such as Baker McKenzie trivia, “Who said what?” from Suits, and guessing famous legal cases from emojis. The graduate recruitment team supported us with the organisation of this event and even arranged prizes for the winning team!
Finally, you are invited to attend a number of Baker McKenzie events. I hosted a session on the BakerWomen+ Open Day, in my capacity as a brand ambassador, and then attended the rest of the day as a participant. These events are a great way to build your professional network and meet other students who may one day be your colleagues!
What did you enjoy most about being a brand ambassador?
I loved the opportunity to get creative and develop new skills. I enjoyed developing new visual marketing skills when creating engaging content to post on LinkedIn or Instagram. It also hugely developed my confidence when presenting and, by the end of my campaign, I was confidently leading my own workshops on personal branding. In turn this led to me being invited to be a guest speaker on several legal podcasts, so the opportunities this role can lead to are really quite expansive!
However, I think what I enjoyed most about being a brand ambassador is how many wonderful connections I made with people at Baker McKenzie. I shared my initial TikTok application on LinkedIn when I found out that I had secured the role and the support I received from Baker McKenzie employees globally was incredible! So many trainees, associates and partners from the firm reached out to congratulate me and have since supported me throughout the vacation scheme application process. Our cohort of brand ambassadors also got on really well, so we have stayed in touch since our campaigns ended; it has been great to have that support system while you are juggling application season with university studies.
How did the role help you to secure a vacation scheme with Baker McKenzie?
The brand ambassador role is both the reason why I applied for a vacation scheme with Baker McKenzie and a significant contributor to securing a place on the scheme.
Through being a brand ambassador, you gain a unique insight into the culture at Baker McKenzie beyond that which you can find from online research. You are invited to attend several Baker McKenzie events and you have access to a vast network of connections at the firm. Speaking to these people is the best way to understand what makes Baker McKenzie different and to make an informed decision about whether it is the right firm for you. This will greatly assist you to demonstrate your genuine interest in Baker McKenzie at the initial application stage. Your experience as a brand ambassador for Baker McKenzie is also a brilliant talking point in interviews. I was able to discuss my experience in both motivation and competency-style questions at the video interview and assessment centre stage.
The brand ambassador role also contributed to having such an enjoyable experience on the Spring Vacation Scheme. Throughout the scheme I met several lawyers who either recognised me from my TikTok application or I had collaborated with on a project during my brand ambassador campaign. Seeing familiar faces was lovely and allowed me to feel confident to reach out if I had any questions throughout the scheme. During the scheme I was also able to bring back the Coffee and a Catch Up podcast series for a special episode which was definitely a highlight of the week for me!
Interested in finding out more about Baker McKenzie and their live opportunities? View their profile here.