As we welcome in 2019 and our new set of annual goals, perhaps one of yours is to explore available opportunities in the market and take the next step in your career. Aside from tidying up your CV, it is equally important to ensure that when called up for an interview, you are able to eloquently speak about the various experiences and expertise stated in your CV. As lawyers whose day jobs involve writing and speaking to or on behalf of clients, we often assume that answering interview questions will come naturally to us as well. Unfortunately, advocating for yourself can feel very different from advocating for a client. We have seen and heard candidates who look excellent on paper but struggle to fully back that up in an interview, resulting in them slipping from being the top-placed candidate to the second or third choice. In the current competitive job market, that slight misstep can mean the difference between clinching or missing out on a top job.
The best way to avoid this happening to you is to put in some practice, whether by yourself or with friends or family. While there is no need to spend hours perfecting answers to every conceivable question, it is worthwhile committing at least half an hour to thinking through common questions so that you do not hesitate when these are raised in an interview. We have compiled 20 of them there for your ease of reference.
- Which areas of law are you interested in and are you looking to specialise in any particular field?
- How have you been sharpening your expertise in these areas of law?
- What are currently your key motivations or priorities?
- What are the push factors at your current place?
- What are the key lessons/experiences you have learned at your current place?
- What is the most technical legal issue/challenge you have faced?
- Why do you want to work in this company/firm and what do you think distinguishes us from our competitors?
- What other options are you considering?
- Why are you looking to move inhouse now?
- What do you know about our recent deals or current business/geographical focuses?
- What do you hope to experience or achieve in your first 3 years with us?
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
- How would you colleagues/supervisor describe you?
- How do you balance being a team player and achieving your personal career goals?
- What are your main strengths and areas for improvement?
- Tell me about how you would handle harsh or unfair comments or criticism
- Tell me about how you previously dealt with a difficult colleague or supervisor
- Tell me about a previous time when you felt very strongly about a legal issue/risk but your client was inclined to ignore it and proceed with the deal/case
- What is the worst mistake you have made at work and what was the final outcome?
- What are your interests outside of work?
With our experience sitting at both ends of the interview table, we are uniquely positioned to share with you answers that have previously left a positive impression on us. That said, every person has his unique history and personality and you will have to find an answer that best accentuates your key strengths and differentiating points. If you would like us to guide you through this process, reach out to us at hello@lexmatch.co.