Preparing For Interview Law Careers Day – 17 th June 2006 Careers Advisory Service

Types of Interview: Chronological Criteria based Pressurised ‘Off the wall’ Technical Panel Telephone/video Combination, e.g. 1 st interview on telephone, then 2 nd face to face.

Interviewers Objectives: Find the most suitable person for the job Look for specific skills or expertise Encourage you to express yourself fully Assess whether you would ‘fit in’ to the organisation/team Assess whether you would be a good representative for the firm/chambers Sell the company

Preparation Practicalities : Check timetables/route; overnight stay if necessary. Allow extra time for delays Plan what to wear : dress code - formal Need to feel comfortable – break shoes in beforehand; loose clothing Techniques for dealing with nerves Confirm your attendance in advance

Interview Preparation: Re-read application form/CV Research employers website, brochure, company annual reports, business plan. Newspaper articles, legal websites. Use legal contacts. Keep up to date with current issues in law via newspapers and journals Think about questions you might be asked, and plan responses

Interview Preparation: Draw up a list of skills/competencies you think the firm/chambers are looking for, and think of examples how you can demonstrate these Consider your ‘Unique Selling Points’ – i.e. what makes YOU the ideal candidate Find out who will be interviewing you : which legal department do they belong to/what is their specialism Prepare some questions to ask at the interview

Types of Questions: Biographical : Tell me about your education/ career/ experience to date Motivation/Commitment : Why are you interested in___ area of law ? Why have you applied to us ? Why the career change ? Competence : What are the key skills for a high street lawyer ? What are your strengths ? What can you bring to this job ? Scenario : What would you do if…? Opinion : What do you think about…?

Types of Questions: Legal Developments/Current Issues : e.g. the impact of Human Rights legislation Business Awareness : What experience do you have of the business world ? Off The Wall : Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? Ethical : Should the NHS be sued if the result is less money available for healthcare ? Beware of trick/what if/difficult questions!

Handling Questions : Allow yourself thinking time : Not too long or employer may conclude you cant think on your feet Seek clarification : “Would you like me to continue?”, “Would you mind repeating the question?”, “Can you re- phrase that ?” Answers to open ended questions should avoid rambling/ going off at a tangent Think of body language – open/confident; eye contact; expansive gestures; Smile!

Skills Employers Look For : Communication skills Honesty / integrity Teamwork Interpersonal Skills Organised approach Commercial awareness Motivation / initiative Strong work ethic Analytical skills Flexibility / adaptability Computer skills Drive and ambition

Questions That Test These Skills: Commitment : Tell me about a time when you have perhaps doubted your decision to study law Team work : Have you been involved in a project where a colleague was not pulling their weight ? What did you do about it ? Organised approach : Tell us about a deadline you have had to meet which you found challenging/ what did you do ? How did you resolve any problems ?

Skills Based Questions cont : Initiative : Tell me about a recent situation where you have been really thrown in at the deep end ? Drive and ambition : Can you give me an example of an occasion or task when you felt you had stretched yourself ? How did you react ? What was the outcome ? Commercial Awareness : Can you identify any new legal services, products, or growth areas which our clients may be interested in over the next year or two ?

Your Questions : The Organisation : strategic goals; challenges they are facing; which markets/clients are most important to them and why Training : Explore training/development opportunities, e.g. non-legal training, secondments, mentor Working Conditions : line management, assessment of performance; prospects for becoming a partner & timeframe Avoid questions on salary, holidays, bonuses until you have been offered the job. Avoid questions that could be seen as a criticism.

Common Mistakes : Poor/lack of preparation Lack of knowledge about job/ employer/ current legal issues Negative about self or previous employer Using “We” instead of “I” Not giving examples to back up statements Not relating answers back to the job Lack of motivation and enthusiasm

Post Interview : Reflect on performance : were you positive; were your answers full enough Note down questions asked for future reference Request feedback on your performance from employer If unsuccessful, learn from your mistakes Discuss with Careers Adviser Stay positive!

Careers Advisory Service