Fall remains prime recruiting season, with on-campus interviews, virtual screening interviews and networking events connecting law students with law firms, government agencies, corporations and public interest employers.
A strong resume and solid academic record can help you earn an interview. What happens next depends on how well you communicate your experiences, professionalism and interest in the employer.
This guide covers everything from researching employers and answering difficult questions to making a strong impression in virtual interviews and following up professionally.
Play 1: Scout the competition
Every successful interview begins long before you shake hands. Learn as much as you can about the employer so you can ask thoughtful questions and demonstrate genuine interest.
- Consult with your school’s career advising center or your assigned career counselor.
Knowing the details about employers, employment trends and interviewing techniques is all part of a career counselor’s job. They should be able to tell you what the firm specializes in, who it has hired and other insider tips.
- Study the firm’s website.
Know the firm’s mission statement, get familiar with its primary practice areas and learn a little about the attorneys there (how many, areas of practice, backgrounds, etc.). There are also law firm guides — Vault (recently renamed FirstHand) and Chambers Associate — that have insider information on what various firms are like.
- Search online.
Finally, search for news stories, blogs and social media. This will tell you a lot about a firm’s current cases, objectives and challenges. Your goal is to become as knowledgeable about the firm as possible.
When interviewers see that you have put time into researching their firm, it will show them that you are passionate about working there. But your preparation should not stop there. We also offer advice on interview dos and don’ts designed to help you get an edge on the competition and land your first legal job.
Game plan: Walk into the interview already knowing the firm’s practice areas, recent news and why you’re interested in working there.
Play 2: Make your opening statement
- Come prepared with short but concrete examples of your accomplishments.
Explain how you initiated a new project, received a promotion or were otherwise commended. Don’t passively wait to be asked. Find a way to insert your past successes into the conversation. While you don’t want to be overly rehearsed, you should be prepared with key points you want to make.
- Come with thoughtful questions for the interviewers.
You may be interviewed by more than one person; make each person count. Treat each interview as if it were your first; show the same enthusiasm. Include questions for each interviewer. Telling someone that other interviewers have already answered your questions about the job does not convey strong enthusiasm to that person.
Focus your questions on the work, training and support — not on the benefits. You can research pay and company benefits on your own or ask detailed questions after you get a job offer.
- Be very familiar with every job, internship and course you have listed on your resume.
If an interviewer chooses to go to the bottom of the page and ask you about an internship from your freshman year of college, you should be as enthusiastic about that experience as you are about the internship you had last summer. Explain how that experience helped prepare you to work for their firm. You never know what will interest an interviewer, so be prepared to explain how each item on your resume helped you grow as an employee and a person.
Play 3: Avoid unforced errors
- Never ask about salary right away.
You certainly have a right to know, understand and even negotiate your salary and benefits. But first, you need to impress the interviewers and show that you are motivated by factors other than money. Wait until they bring up salary or wait until you have an offer. At that point, feel free to ask all the questions you want.
- Never let disorganization add to your stress.
Interviews are stressful. So don’t be late or do anything beforehand that will cause you to arrive at the interview feeling even more stressed. Being organized and prepared reduces stress. Arrive early. Be confident about your interview outfit and come with extra resumes in hand. Then you will start the interview on a positive note.
- Never leave an interview without asking about the next step.
If you ask the interviewers about their hiring timeline, you will know when to expect to hear from them and when to follow up. It will also show that you are organized and detail-oriented — two positives for any attorney.
Play 4: Be ready for the tough questions
Every interview includes questions designed to see how you think, communicate and respond under pressure. Preparing now will help your answers feel natural instead of being rehearsed.
- “Tell me about yourself.”
The interviewer is likely trying to get an idea of how you see yourself. Use this opportunity to share your greatest strengths and interests. You may want to start with when and why you decided to go to law school, then summarize internships and law-related jobs that have helped prepared you for this position. Give a short example from each experience that illustrates how you accomplished or initiated something positive. Bring the story up to the present and explain why you are now applying for this specific position.
As you answer this question, be prepared for interruptions. Your answer may bring up things that the interviewer wants to know more about.
- “Where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?”
The interviewer wants to understand your long-term goals and whether employment with their firm fits those goals. This does not mean that you should tell them you want to work at their firm for the rest of your life. But they do want to see that you are committed to the type of law they practice and their geographic location. You can also express other long-term objectives, such as being respected as an attorney and feeling appreciated for your contributions.
- “What are your weaknesses?”
The interviewer wants to assess how well you understand yourself and whether you have enough humility to learn. It is best to share a real weakness, but one that you have taken active steps to improve. Take public speaking, for example. Give an example of how you have improved in this area. You could say you participated in moot court, you went out of your way to take a trial advocacy course or you increased your class participation.
- “Why is there a gap on your resume?”
The interviewer wants to understand your commitment and career path. If you took a year off between college and law school and didn’t work, don’t dwell on the bad job market or the fact that you were aimless. Find something positive that you did during the time (volunteer work, helping your family) and then shift to what motivated you to apply to law school. For example, “That was a difficult year, but one that helped me understand why I wanted to go to law school.”
- “What is your class rank?”
Unless you are at the top of your class, you might not be too thrilled with this question. Answer the question succinctly, making good eye contact and sitting up straight. Then shift the conversation to one of your strengths. For example, “The thing I have enjoyed the most about law school is moot court.”
Play 5: Win the virtual interview
If you search for a job out of state, chances are you will be offered a phone or video interview. Here are some tips on how to handle them without stressing out.
- Set up your interview space.
Find a quiet room for the interview, preferably one with white walls or a neutral background. Ask the career services office at your school if they have a room you can borrow if you don’t have an appropriate space at home. And always test the sound and video connection in the room you will be using. Your voice needs to be clear during a phone or video interview. Plus, smile — even during phone interviews. It makes a difference in your tone.
- Act like you are in the same room.
Dress up, or at least dress business casual if it’s a phone interview. You will feel more professional, which will boost your confidence. Also, have your resume and cover letter in front of you for reference.
- Remember to make your key points.
Just because you aren’t in person, don’t forget the key points you would make if you were in the room with the interviewer. People sometimes tend to be too casual during phone interviews and forget to sell themselves.
The bonus play
Read about the importance of the thank-you email.
