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Before stepping into the role of a Campus Ambassador, I had no idea what it was. If you are also curious about what a Campus Ambassador does or have some burning questions, read on to discover. Spoiler alert: it’s much more than just a neat title on your resume; it’s a blend of hybrid work content that offers invaluable experiences.
Author: Rebecca Yajie Zhang, Campus Ambassador 23/24 and Summer Intern
An experience with people: informing students about the firm, extending the firm’s recruiting efforts on campus
A key responsibility in our role is addressing inquiries from candidates. While many questions tend to overlap, allowing for the possibility of template answers, we still strive to tailor our suggestions to each individual candidate. The precise advice varies based on their backgrounds, experiences, and LinkedIn profiles. Through this process, I frequently gain valuable insights from both the queries from candidates and the responses provided by the firm. I can also get a sense of achievement from being able to support my peer students for job applications, spanning from providing firm-research tips to LinkedIn profile advice.
Another integral aspect of the role involves organising events to inform students about career opportunities within our firm. For instance, we held a career talk at HKU on the 27th of February. The entire process was smooth, from obtaining authorisation from the faculty, to promoting the event on LinkedIn. As it happened to be the Chinese New Year during the promotion period, I actually finished designing the flyer at a train station on my way home!
The talk was designed to be both informative and interactive. During the Q&A section, I was happy to see that participants found these segments engaging and asked insightful questions about our practice and partners. I was more than thrilled to learn that one of my fellow interns was actually inspired by the talk and decided to apply for the firm. This experience stands out to me as I can feel the tangible difference that was made by Campus Ambassadors and a wonderful combination of remote work and a personal touch therein.
What I’ve learnt through organising an event: start promoting as soon as possible!
Reflecting on this experience, one regret is not initiating the promotion earlier and leaving time to collaborate with other societies, such as the Law Association at HKU. We aimed to hold the event before reading week, when students have more time and are more inclined to participate in career events. However, this tight timeline left us with only a few weeks to finalise everything once the event was set..
The remote part of my work: from apprehension of LinkedIn to positive engagement
Before becoming a Campus Ambassador, I assumed the role mainly involved organising events and answering questions. However, I soon learned that maintaining an active LinkedIn presence is also crucial. Initially, this was challenging for me as I rarely post on social media, let alone on a professional platform like LinkedIn. The fact that few law undergraduates post on LinkedIn added to my apprehension.
Interestingly, I encountered a candidate who shared similar feelings. He mentioned he was not used to sharing his experiences on a platform visible to everyone, preferring to include these details in his CV. I have to admit that at the beginning of building my LinkedIn profile, I had similar thoughts and secretly hoped that no one I knew would discover my LinkedIn. However, after posting a few times about my experience, I gradually adapted and received positive feedback from my connections, thanks to the firm and other Campus Ambassadors. Now, I am more comfortable posting on an open platform and sharing my thoughts, which I believe marks a positive transition.
If you are worried about the workload of being a Campus Ambassador, here comes a relief:
One question I often receive, and once worried about myself before applying for the position, is whether it's hard to balance study and work as a Campus Ambassador. My answer is that there’s no need to worry as long as you don't leave everything to the last minute and let tasks collide. It's definitely not as time-consuming as a part-time job, but it does require commitment. Once you are familiar with the operational mode, answering questions becomes more like replying to messages, which we do all day with our friends. Additionally, you won't receive too many questions during the busy exam period, as potential candidates are usually preoccupied with their own exams at that time!
There’s definitely a lighter side to this experience.
The first experience that comes to my mind is my initial visit to the firm after becoming a Campus Ambassador, together with Justin, the Campus Ambassador from CUHK. We were given a tour of the office and introduced to colleagues. We had a conversation in a conference room with an excellent View of the harbour. Our conversation covered topics about work, life at the firm, and being a lawyer. It was a fantastic experience, as we had been communicating so much online that I almost forgot we were working with real people. This visit helped build connections among us.
Another way we build connections is through our regular Campus Ambassador team meetings once or twice a month. During these meetings, the firm updates us on what's new and outlines our next steps.
In June, I started my summer internship at the office. It was a mixture of excitement and nervousness to work with a team that I have represented for the past year. If I were to describe this experience with three words, they would be accomplished, challenging and fruitful. Every day, I was exposed to new tasks which covered various areas of law, including commercial, matrimonial, family, and criminal law, as well as regulatory compliance. I am determined that both being a Campus Ambassador and a legal intern at the firm is a meaningful step forward to my career in law.
Top advice for applicants: up your LinkedIn game
I cannot emphasise enough the importance of a strong LinkedIn profile for applications in our firm. A strong LinkedIn profile should be complete enough to showcase the applicant comprehensively. My usual advice to candidates would be to detail their experiences, set up background pictures, and connect with more people. What is often ignored, yet also important, is the ‘About’ section where we provide an overview of ourselves.
Overall, after having spent some fruitful time here at Ravenscroft & Schmierer, I’m ready to embark on a new charter.
For more information about our programme and some nice clips from my university, The University of Hong Kong, watch the below clip that I put together:
Rebecca is a penultimate year LLB student at the University of Hong Kong. As an aspiring law student, she actively seeks out opportunities for her future career. Rebecca served as the Campus Ambassador for Ravenscroft & Schmierer during the 2023-24 academic year and was also engaged in an internship at the firm this June.
  Rebecca Yajie Zhang
Campus Ambassador 23/24 and Summer Intern
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