I applied online. The process took 5 months. I interviewed at Barker Brettell (Birmingham, England) in Mar 2024
Interview
3 stage interview - with the first online, and the subsequent 2 in-person. The first interview was very relaxed and the aim was to show genuine interest. The second was much longer (nearly 2 hours) - a nice way to get to know more about the company culture and the partners I would potentially work for, their working style, the type of work they take on, etc. The third interview required preparing a presentation on any research I had undertaken, a written exercise, and then a chat with the interviewers, similar to that from the second interview.
Very polite, easy going conversation. I felt quite respected and was shown around the offices at the end, It felt like more of a friendly chat and a few questions to get to know you.
I applied online. The process took 3 months. I interviewed at Barker Brettell (Birmingham, England) in May 2023
Interview
I submitted a CV and covering letter and was informed there was interest in my application. I was later invited to the firm's office in Birmingham for a first stage interview. The firm's concierge was expecting me and the receptionist was polite and friendly. I was then greeted by one of the interviewing Partners. The first part of the interview was a technical assessment task, which looked rather a lot like a past exam question; I had to write a few hundred words on a simple device. The second part of the interview was mostly discussion with some competence questions. Together with the questions I had prepared for them, the interview lasted a little under two hours. Following the interview I was informed I'd performed well, but for some reason I received no further communication. After a couple of months I decided to prod the HR rep I'd been communicating with, who told me another candidate had been taken forward and that an offer had been made and accepted. What's spurred me on to write this interview is the disrespectful manner with which my application was treated. You do not ghost a performant candidate and keep them hanging for months without a single word. I think the firm needs to heed this review and adjust its attitude. As it happens I received an offer from another firm, so it doesn't matter too much to me. But, BB have attracted some negative reviews on this site and I've had a glimpse into why...
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
What was the most valuable feedback you've ever received, and how did you act upon it?