Preparing for your Interview
30th of November 2020 | Lucy Stevens

Before the Interview
Research, research, research!
You have no excuse nowadays for not
researching the firm. Every law firm should have a website and almost every
practice has a page on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and sometimes even
Instagram! 47%
of interviewers said that they wouldn’t offer the job to a candidate if they
had little knowledge of the company. Not only is it good etiquette to talk
about the firm in the interview, it is also beneficial to you as well. Can you
see yourself at this firm? Does the firm take part in a lot of community and
charity events? Do they have a strong legal support department? These are
things you must consider when applying. I know 80% of the time its all about
the salary, but happiness and career progression are just as important. If you
can, find out who is interviewing you, maybe they have written some
publications on the firm’s website that you can refer to in your interview. By
showing you have taken the time to read up on some of their work, shows your
commitment and your ability to go that extra mile!
During the Interview
It’s
all about you.
They will want to know how committed
you are and if your interest in the legal sector is genuine. Bring the
interview back round to you, this way they can see your enthusiasm, passion and
willingness to learn.
Another important thing they will ask
you is your ability to work alone or under supervision, be honest! If you are a
young/junior fee earner still learning the ropes, then say so. Say that you
thrive in a fast-pace environment, but you also understand that a fee earning
role doesn’t happen overnight, so you appreciate the fact that you will need to
undertake some extra training and shadowing in certain areas. Admitting your
weaknesses speaks volumes about you as a person.
Following on from this, they will ask about
a time when you have been tested and how you dealt with it, give examples but
also say what you learnt from it.
Finally, they will want to talk about
your intellect, analytical and reasoning ability. These are key attributes for
anyone wanting to start a career in law, again, give examples and explain the
importance of being strong in those areas.
At the End of the Interview
Don’t
be afraid to ask all the questions!
Important things to ask are:
- Organisation:
What
are the firm’s strategic goals? What do your interviewers love best about their
job?
A tell-tale sign about the firm is how they respond to the latter, if they hesitate or you feel that they are scraping the bottom of the barrel to think of an answer, is this really the place for you? - Development:
Ask
about progression.
Does the role you’re applying for open other doors? How is performance evaluated and praised? Are there additional responsibilities you can take on, such as article writing or event planning? - Selection
Process:
What happens next?
After the interview has finished, take a moment to think back to the interview. Were you satisfied with your answers? If they offer you the job, don’t feel obliged to answer straight away, starting a new a job is a big change, so you want to get it right. If you are unfortunate this time round always ask for feedback.