Application Process & Interviews at Allens

Clerkship process at Allens was gold-standard. I didn't feel like I had to jump through any unnecessary hoops and it was a smooth process.

The interview process was pretty standard for clerkship and graduate roles in law firms.

Overall, I think the Allens interview process and assessments were very reasonable - I appreciated not having any video interviews or assessment days in Victoria.

The recruitment team has an excellent hiring process that makes the process very enjoyable for applicants and it is incredible at picking new employees that complement our culture.

The interview processes were very casual for me, which I liked a lot. I have heard from others that the interview process has been more 'scary' in recent years.

I enjoyed the interview process and felt like I was given special attention, which made me feel good about my place and confident.

Recruitment process was excellent.

I really enjoyed the recruitment process and found it to be the most personable and reasonable.

Interviews are conducted by multiple people and I found them to be a really pleasant experience. Very conversational. I don't recall there being any assessments

The interview process was not overly stressful, as long as you are prepared for interviews in a more general sense. There was only one interview off the back of the application.

Incredibly friendly. You really get the sense that they want you to succeed.

Usual - online application, 1 interview with 2 partners.

Strong emphasis during clerkship and graduate recruitment process of getting to know the firm, opportunities to network and making sure it was the right choice for you to choose to work at Allens

Interview process was very straightforward. I participated in the RARE recruitment survey.

The clerkship process is pretty gruelling, but it's industry standard.

I joined as part of the clerkship. Cover letter, additional questions, psychometric testing and 2 x interviews. Very personable. Lots of support.

I think the hiring process is a strong drawcard of the company. The hiring process is rigorous enough to identify candidates who seem to have a genuine interest in the area of law and fit well in the vibe of the company. The hiring process also allows candidates to connect with a range of existing employees at the firm, all of whom are very generous with their time during the recruitment process. I think this tradition of mentorship during the application process helps candidates make an informed decision about whether to accept an offer at Allens.

Clerkship then graduate.

Graduates are required to complete a clerkship in order to qualify for a graduate position. An interview is required to obtain a clerkship but not for a graduate role.

An intense experience but overall worthwhile, and understandably thorough

It was very relaxed. They asked questions about my career thus far, study etc. and actually asked some very lovely questions about how I could 'do it all' (studying and working full time) which gave me time to reflect on the wonderful support of my wife. I got a bit emotional reflecting on that and the interviewers were fabulous through it and we then all started mutually sharing how lucky and grateful we are for the support of our families. It was a very human moment. Clearly, this was viewed favourably by the firm (I got hired!) which I think goes an extremely long way in demonstrating the culture of the place. It stayed with me and was a critical element of my ultimate decision.

A full spread - areas of law I was interested in, why Allens, elaborating on areas of my CV, commercial interests, 'what would you do in X scenario' questions, it was very broad and comprehensive.

I cannot recall.

Why I want to work here, are there any teams I'm interested in, what do I like to do outside of work, and behavioural / decision making questions.

I can't remember. I do remember that I was given the opportunity to talk about myself / tell my story, and that this was well received.

Mostly behavioural questions which transitioned into conversation. Obviously need to have an elevator pitch down pat.

Very conversational. Few questions based on CV. Largely just "get to know you" type vibe. No behavioural questions (which is great, as I don't think they add much value in my opinion).

A mixture of questions about soft-skills and technical skills. The questions really allowed myself to showcase why I would be a great asset to the team.

General questions about my previous experience, my CV, my cover letter

Generic

Why commercial law; why Allens; how I managed my time throughout university.

Conversational - based largely on my CV

What commercial topics in the news have you been keeping across? What was your favourite subject?

Both of my clerkship interviews at Allens were quite conversational. The common elements were questions about my CV and what I'd learned in each of my roles.

Mainly just about me and my hobbies.

Why Allens? Why law? Why commercial law? What do you anticipate being a weakness for you as a graduate? Tell us more about [work experience]. Tell us more about [volunteering experience].

In particular, what I wanted to do with my career, my interests outside of work. I was also asked about my key experiences on my CV

I remember being asked what I thought my greatest challenge would be working at a place like Allens. Other than that one question, I don't remember the interview being particularly structured. It was a free-flowing conversation about me and my interviewers - they were very personable.

It was a general chat format which used my resume as a prompt for conversation starters. It made me feel very at ease in the interview.

Predominantly social questions about myself and interests outside of law. Very few legal questions apart from why I applied to the firm. No behavioural interview questions.

Just be yourself.

Allens really lives its values - build these into your cover letter through the examples you use and what you can offer the firm, and make sure you know your CV inside out! I was asked some very specific questions about things on my CV so be prepared to discuss.

I think the best advice I can give to candidates is to think about their answers and their opinions when they're preparing for questions. I think knowing what I thought about things, why I was making certain choices, and being able to explain my journey really helped me stand out in my interviews.

Consider what questions are often asked in interviews, and what your likely response would be. The STAR format is very useful for responding in a coherent and structured manner.

Ask insightful questions. I think it's important to be able to show a genuine interest in the work and the firm above all else. By the time you get to the interview, they're probably already happy with you on paper. So the key thing is to show why you're keen on the work / firm.

Be your self and come prepared. Do some research into the firm, types of questions you may be asked and really know why you want to work there.

The best thing you can do is to be yourself. The key question they're looking to answer is, would I enjoy working with this person? Do they have EQ, are they self-aware, do they enjoy working with others, do they hold themselves to high standards

Learn about the companies values, speak to people in the company so that when you interview, you have a few names to drop as people generally know eachother

Lots of effort in CV and cover letter since no psychometric testing. Interview stage, prepare lots and make sure to make it a conversation.

Investigate which terms are actually 'market leading' at firms and tailor your cover letter accordingly.

I think it's best to demonstrate your knowledge of the firm, in particular the non-siloed approach and the big matters different groups have been working on. Otherwise, the firm definitely looks to hire down-to-earth (as well as competent) people, so don't manufacture the interviews - come well-prepared, but not overly-rehearsed.

Be confident. Don't have pre rehearsed answer.

Understand what commercial law is, and figure out why you want to work specifically in a commercial sphere. Consider whether you have any particular areas of interest. Do they overlap with the practice areas offered at Allens? What aspects of a firm's culture are important to you? Are those aspects strong elements of the culture at Allens?

Be yourself and play to your strengths.

I think getting as much experience as you can is key. Volunteering, joining a Journal/Review, mooting/other competitions, as well as getting good grades is important. In terms of the recruitment process itself, I say it's important to not be too modest, and although uncomfortable, it's important to remember to sell yourself as a great candidate because there are so many applicants.

Know what you are trying to sell about yourself so you can present a consistent message across your resume, cover letter and interview.

Academic performance is important, but personality is also a big consideration.

The interviews are very relaxed and friendly. The interviewers just want to get to know you and will ask you questions about things you have written in your application and on your CV.

Absolutely just be yourself. The people interviewing you just want to get to know you to see if you would be someone they want to work with day in and day out.

Be yourself - the firm is looking for someone that they can see would fit into their culture. Find an area of law within the firm that interests you and find the Partner in that area on the internet and do some searching as to what they are currently or have been working on.