There is a lot to say about interviewing – too much to cover in one blog post. No two interviews are alike, as each interviewer’s style is specific to him or her and the purpose of an interview may be vary wildly between employers. However, there are a few things you can do before each interview, which, no matter what type of interview have, will prepare you to present your best self.
Number 1 – Prepare. Always go into the interview knowing who your interviewers are (if possible), their backgrounds (education and work), and the specifics of the firm/company’s business. The Law School’s Business Information Center (BIC) has valuable resources on hand to help you do this. AdVantage is a database that has catalogued medium to large employers and firms and has breakdowns of types of cases filed by attorneys at those firms, and a breakdown of each firm’s practice areas. Bloomberg Law is a valuable resource for investigating businesses, company profiles, officers, locations and financials. Finally, the Kansas City Business Journal, Missouri Lawyers Weekly and other local publications are excellent resources on local businesses and firms. Each of these resources are available in the BIC and ready for you to use at any time. Use these resources, as they offer a valuable peak inside the real operations of firms and businesses and go beyond the self-presentation of these employers on their own websites and other media.
Also, always prepare by reviewing your resume and all materials you submitted to the employer. Anything is game for questioning. If you published a law review article that is listed on your resume, review it.
Number 2 – Anticipate your interview questions. Of course, you do not know what questions are going to be asked in an interview, but the range of questions that can be asked is actually quite narrow. If you prepare, you can be confident you will be prepared to answer whatever is thrown your way.
Informational questions: these questions inquire into your background, education, interests and experiences. You know these answers – review your resume, think through your answers, and be prepared for the dreaded, “tell me about yourself” question. Prepare a one minute elevator pitch that discusses who you are, what you are passionate about, and where you want to be going.
Behavioral questions: these questions ask you to describe how you have handled certain experiences in the past to shed light on how you deal with difficult situations or new experiences. These questions usually fall into just a few categories. The questions generally ask you to explain (1) how you have handled conflict; (2) how you adjust to new, difficult or foreign tasks, (3) how you tackle/manage people or projects. Most behavioral questions get at one of these categories. Think about and prepare answers to each of these types of questions and, whatever twist the interviewer puts on them, you will be ready with a response. Use experiences from work experience, law school and, if necessary, undergrad.
Number 3 – Be conversational and confident! Interviewers are real people too. A successful interview is one that feels like a conversation rather than a stilted formal question and answer session. You want to be professional and formal at all times, but speak like a real person. Engage with your interviewer. Ask questions of them when appropriate and show that you are interested. The balance can be tricky, so practice! The more you practice the more confident you will feel.
CSO is conducting an interview preparation workshop on August 7 in the Stoup Courtroom. This will be the perfect chance to come, brush up on your interviewing skills, and ask questions. It is the Thursday before On Campus Recruiting, so all students participating in on-campus interviews should attend. More details will be forthcoming and we hope to see you there! Also, as always, check our materials on Symplicity!
Tagged: interviewing, Research
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