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Managing Your Legal Career

King County Bar Bulletin

Job Interviews 101

By Karen J. Summerville

Q. I just got a call from the hiring partner at a firm that interests me. She wants to arrange a time for an interview. Of course, I am very excited, but I am also more than a little nervous. Any suggestions?

A. Yes, there is a lot that you can do to prepare for the interview. And you are wise to ask. Too many attorneys go in to interviews unprepared because they think they can do fine just "winging it." You wouldn't go to court unprepared, and you shouldn't go to an interview any less prepared. First, you will want to gather as much information as possible about the firm. Does the firm have a website? Has it been covered in the news lately? Are the attorneys in the firm active in bar or civic organizations? Do you know someone who works there? Learn as much as possible about the firm before you arrive for your interview. After you have gathered information about the firm, take a few minutes to create three lists:

• The questions you want to ask
• The questions you hope they don't ask
• The qualities and skills that make you the preferred candidate

The best questions to ask in an initial interview are those that demonstrate your interest in the firm and allow the interviewer to present the firm in a positive light. You don't want to show off your knowledge of obscure trivia, but you do want to let them know you did your homework. One good area of inquiry is where the firm is headed and what practice areas they expect to grow in the near future. You want to base your questions on what you have already learned about the firm and to avoid any sensitive or potentially embarrassing questions. Questions about salary, vacations and sabbaticals can also wait. Your goal in the initial interview should be to advance to the next step, which is probably another interview. The time to ask the sensitive questions is after you receive an offer--not before.

Now for the questions you hope they don't ask (but you know they will!). Usually these questions are generated by something in your resume. For example, if you don't list your class standing in law school, be prepared to explain why you weren't at the top of the class. The best way to handle questions like this is to give a brief and honest answer. Don't be defensive and don't go into excruciating detail. If your grades improved, say so. If your grades were higher in classes where the grading was based on research and writing, let them know. Perhaps your grades in the courses most closely related to the area of practice you are pursuing were highest. Look for a way to put it all in perspective positively.

If there was a major incident that affected your performance in law school, you may or may not want to volunteer it. Generally, if it is something that is nonrecurring and will not affect your ability to be an outstanding lawyer, you may want to share this by way of explanation--not excuse. If the death of a close family member adversely affected your grades for one semester and brought your average down, it probably would not hurt to mention it without dwelling on it.

What if you didn't pass the bar the first time? You probably won't be asked unless you list your date of graduation and your year of admission in your resume, and they don't match. But if you are asked, don't be defensive. A simple "I guess I should have studied a little harder the first time," will probably suffice.

What if you are asked why you are leaving your current position? Again, you will want to answer honestly and briefly. The best answer is one that explains your desire to move in a positive light—e.g., you want more responsibility and more experience in a practice area that the new firm emphasizes. It is almost never a good idea to speak disparagingly of your current firm or to volunteer that there was a personality conflict. What if you are not leaving on the best of terms? Before you volunteer that you are being let go, you may want to talk to one of the partners in your firm who would be in a position to provide a reference and ask what he would say if called.

In preparing for an interview, you will also want to create a list of the qualities and skills you possess that make you the preferred candidate. Don't expect to be asked why the firm should hire you. Most lawyers are not particularly good at conducting an interview. Often my clients will call me after an interview and bemoan the fact that they were never asked about their strengths. My advice is to be prepared to weave information about your strengths into the conversation--even if you aren't asked.

The night before the interview is not the time to stay up late to cram information about the firm into your head. Get a good night's sleep so you will be well rested. In your briefcase, you should pack a few extra copies of your resume (just in case someone misplaced it on his desk). You may also want to bring a writing sample and a transcript, in case you are asked to provide these. A list of three to five professional references would also be a good thing to have at the ready. Make sure you call these people beforehand to let them know you are giving out their names. If you detect even the slightest hesitation on anyone's part to be a reference, take the name off your list.

Remember to let the interviewer do most of the talking. All too often an attorney will talk his way out of an offer by monopolizing the interview. Give the person on the other side of the desk the opportunity to brag a little about her firm. It is usually a positive sign when the interviewer tries to sell you on the firm.

At the end of the interview, be sure to express your enthusiasm (assuming that you are still interested) and ask what the next step will be and when you might expect to hear from someone in the firm. Don't be alarmed if you don't hear within the time frame you were given. Delays are most often the result of busy schedules and not necessarily a negative sign.

Finally, if you would like to do some outside reading on the subject of interviewing, you might want to check out one of the following: T. Washington, Interview Power (Mount Vernon Press); H. A. Medley, Sweaty Palms (Ten Speed Press); or R. Fry, 101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions (The Career Press).

Good luck!