Interviews are your chance to find out about a law firm or company and to show the interviewer that you have the right qualifications for the position.
- Be a few minutes early. There is nothing that will turn a good job interview sour faster than being late for an interview.
- Dress in a business suit or in other appropriate business attire regardless of whether the company is business casual every day. Dressing up for an interview shows that you are serious about this interview and want to make a good impression. Dress for the job you want, not the job you have!
- Bring a portfolio with extra copies of your resume, a list of references and your college transcript together with a pen and paper to take notes.
- Be prepared for the interview by visiting the firm's website and doing whatever other research you can to familiarize yourself with the firm's practice. Have some questions ready to ask the interviewer to show your interest in the firm and that you have done your homework.
- Treat the receptionist and all support personnel like gold! You never know if the person at the front desk is a son or daughter of a client or partner at the business.
- Look your interviewer in the eye during the interview. It is difficult for an interviewer to concentrate on your answers when your eyes are wandering around the room.
- Do not take over the interview by talking too much. Most interviewers have an outline of information to cover and questions to ask you which enable them to compare your responses and credentials against other candidates.
- Listen attentively to your interviewer. It will minimize your follow-up questions at the end of the interview and give the interviewer a good idea of how well you listen.
- At the conclusion of the interview thank the interviewer for his or her time.
- After you leave the interview, call your recruiter with your impressions of the firm and any questions that you have for follow-up.
- Send a thank you note to all of the people who interviewed you. Interviewing takes a lot of time from the schedules of the participants and a short, well-written note is a good way to remind them of your interest in their firm and of your candidacy. If you are unsure of the spelling or titles of any of the interviewers, either check the website or call the receptionist at the firm.
- Good Luck!
