NBC Universal Legal Intern - January 2025

What was the full recruitment process?

1. Application

2. Pre-recorded video interview

3. Assessment centre

4. Vacation scheme 

Which aspect does this report cover?

Vacation scheme pre-recorded video interview and assessment centre

Pre-recorded video interview

This took place on a platform called 'On Demand Assessment'. I was asked to answer three questions. There was a limit of two minutes to prepare for each question, and I was given two minutes to record each answer. I was given three attempts for each question. My questions were:

• Why are you applying to NBCUniversal?
• What is it about intellectual property that particularly interests you?
• What is your biggest strength?

The firm emailed me three weeks later telling me I had progressed to the next stage of the application process.

Where did the assessment centre take place?

Remotely, via Zoom.

What did the assessment centre involve?

1. Presentation preparation (1 month before the assessment centre)

2. Presentation and interview (30 minutes with a senior counsel)

Presentation preparation

I was told one month before my interview to prepare a five minute presentation covering the current key challenges and opportunities for the media/entertainment industry and NBCUniversal in the area of intellectual property. I created a slide deck to support my presentation.

Presentation and interview

I delivered an oral presentation on the challenges and opportunities in the media/entertainment industry, tying it into NBCUniversal. I was not asked any follow up questions on the presentation.

The preparation time means they expect you to provide an in-depth analysis of the market and intellectual property in particular. Pick up on the key threats and opportunities and also some ancillary themes.

I was then asked competency and motivation questions.

Competency questions

• Tell me a bit about yourself
• Tell me about your previous experience
• Tell me about a time your work made an impact
• Tell me about a time you worked in a team
• Outline a time you worked in a diverse workplace

Motivation questions

• Why NBC Universal?
• What is your favourite NBCU brand?
• How does this placement fit into your long-term ambitions?

What was the outcome?

I received a phone call ten days later to inform me that I had been successful in my application. 

Do you have any specific advice on how to prepare?

Presentation:

• Make sure you do in-depth research into the market and the brands NBCUniversal has. It is important to tie in every challenge and threat into the role of the company and outline its impacts. Use real life examples to illustrate how NBCUniversal could be affected or how it could gain.
• The presentation is more than just a summary of the market; you should outline in what ways NBCUniversal should prepare/ change/ pivot in order to benefit from gains or mitigate losses.
• Although I was not asked follow up questions in my interview, it is important to fully understand the market and NBCUniversal’s position just in case.
• Make sure your slide deck looks good as well as it is something my interviewer picked up on.

Interview

• The interview was definitely more of a conversation rather than a rigid back and forth so make sure you are ready to provide more details on anything you speak about.
• It is important to understand all of the different NBCUniversal brands and the markets they operate in so that you can comment if necessary– also applies to the presentation.
• Certainly one of the more laid back interviews from my experience so make sure you take time to build rapport with your interviewer as it can set the tone. Spend a few minutes talking about something interesting you have done recently– I had just come back from a holiday abroad for example.

NBC Universal Immigration Law Internship - January 2024

What was the full recruitment process?         

1. Application

2. Pre-recorded video interview 

3. Assessment centre

3. Vacation scheme

Which aspect does this report cover?

Vacation scheme pre-recorded video interview and assessment centre

Pre-recorded video interview            

This was a pre-recorded interview and I was required to answer three questions. There was a limit of 2 minutes to prepare for each question, and I was then given two minutes to record each answer. There was an option to re-record answers, but only once. My questions were:

• Why NBC Universal? 
• What interests you most about immigration law?
• What is your biggest strength? 

I received an email three weeks later to inform me that I had progressed to the next stage. 

Where did the assessment centre take place?            

Remotely 

What did the assessment centre involve?      

1.  Presentation preparation: I had 1 week to prepare an immigration law-related presentation. 

2. Presentation and interview: presentation, plus competency and motivation questions (10 minute presentation, ~45 minute interview, with 1 director)

Presentation preparation

I was told 1 week before my interview to prepare a 10-minute presentation covering general immigration law trends and developments, including how these could affect NBC Universal’s clients and tying it all into NBC Universal’s services (no background information was provided). I created a PowerPoint deck to support my presentation.

Presentation and interview         

I first delivered an oral presentation on the topic I had prepared. After the presentation, my interviewer then asked follow-up questions, including: 

• Tell me about your understanding of immigration law.
• How could we improve NBC Universal’s immigration law offering? 
• Are there any issues in the current news that could present difficulties for our business?

The week of preparation time gives you an advantage, so they expect you to know a bit to the extent you can have under an hour conversation about immigration, so try to pick up on all the key issues. Plan your oral presentation using very brief and clear notes (to save time) whilst making sure the notes/presentation plan allow you to systematically address every issue the associate has raised.

Competency and motivation interview         

Competency questions 

I was asked a range of questions (some of which I can’t remember), including:

• Walk me through your CV.
• Tell me about yourself.
• Tell me about a time you worked in a team.
• Tell me about a time you had to manage a high workload.

Motivation questions 

• How did you become interested in immigration law?
• Why NBC Universal? 

What was the outcome?                                                  

I received a phone call four weeks later to inform me that while the interview had gone well, the interviewer had decided not to take on any interns at this time.