Jump to other pages in the Careers section
Interviewing Strategies | Information
Interviewing | Thank You Notes | Negotiation
Fielding Offers | Rejection
Interviewing is a learned skill and is one of the most important pieces of the job search puzzle. The Center for Professional Development can assist in perfecting your interviewing technique. CPD can do mock interviews, film interested students, and also bring in local attorneys to critique students’ interviewing skills. CPD is laser focused on ensuring that you come across confidently and professionally during the interview. After you successfully land the job, CPD can work with you in the negotiating process.
During an interview, your goal is to convince an employer that you're the best candidate for the job. It is a two-way dialogue: the employer, through the interviewer, is learning about you, and you are gathering information to help you make a more informed career decision. This means researching the employer and by thinking of how to present your qualifications in the best light possible.
Preparing for an interview is the key to presenting yourself persuasively and effectively to a potential employer. The following is a method to prepare oneself effectively for interviewing. For detailed instruction, make sure to attend the Interviewing Seminar and sign up for a mock interview with one of the directors at CPD.
II. Research Areas of Practice
III. Talk to People
IV. Review and Revise your Approach and Materials
V. Research Specific Employers and Interviewers
VI. Preparing for the Actual Interview
a. Common Questions
b. Questions You Don’t Want to be Asked
c. Behavioral Interview Questions
VII. Interviewing
VIII. Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Law firms are individuals, just as law students are. You want to be judged on your qualifications, and employers do, too. If you want an employer to seriously consider you, you must show interest and enthusiasm about that employer.
When conducting your research, look for things that tell you about how the employer conducts its business and what its workplace is like. Basic information, including the number of attorneys, practice areas, clients, governance structure, and billable hour requirements, may be found in a number of places. Running a Westlaw or Lexis search will turn up cases in which the employer appeared. If an employer has participated in a high-profile case, try the search engine of a local newspaper to find articles written about the case. And don't forget commercial Internet search engines.
Here are some specific suggestions on where to research employers:
Some firms may not have Martindale-Hubbell or NALP listings-these are voluntary.
Always re-read your application materials before an interview. You need to refresh your memory as to exactly what this employer knows about you (this is especially important if you have several versions of your resume), and combine it with what you've learned about the employer so that you can discuss how your experiences and activities fit this employer's needs.
You will likely not be asked any hypothetical legal questions. The interviewer's goal is to learn more about you as a person and determine how good a "fit" you would be, so prepare accordingly. Some common interview questions
As mentioned above, an interview is a two-way dialogue. You want the employer to learn more about you than what's reflected in your application materials, and you want to learn more about the employer than what's available via the Internet and the legal community grapevine. Here are some specific interview tips:
Other basic interview tips:
And never, never, never:
You may get invited to lunch or dinner with a potential employer. The meal is part of the interview process; it's not a "time out." You'll be watched as closely as during the office visit part of your interview.
Here are some basic guidelines for interview meals:
And here are some things to NOT do during an interview meal: