How to Impress the Interviewer

You have managed to get an interview at that law firm you wanted to work for. How can you make sure you secure the job? Or you have been to some interviews already but still have not managed to get your dream job. Here are some tips that can help you impress the interviewer and finally get that call back.

Be Prepared

Lawyers who prepare for interviews are more likely to be hired than those that don’t. There are 2 ways you should prepare:

• Research the role you applied for by reading through the job description and your cover letter and resume. Know your career narrative inside out. About 10-20% of the interview will focus on confirming your resume.
• Research the company, particularly what cases are they working on at the moment, what cases have they worked on in the past and what are their core values

Be Enthusiastic

Showing enthusiasm during the interview, includes more than just indicating your desire to work for a particular employer. During the interview there will likely be a cat-and-mouse moment after you meet when you and your interviewer will attempt to size each other up. This moment will allow you to read your interviewer and understand how to show enthusiasm in a way that is confident and not ‘put on’.

Do not be afraid to trust your intuition in this situation. Just remember that, exuding self confidence without arrogance will definitely impress the interviewer. We understand that this is not something that is easy for everyone. Here is our say:

• Some top candidates have said they practice their interview skills by dressing up in the clothes they plan to wear on the day and have a good friend ask them some of the more difficult interview questions
• Treat this interview with the importance it deserves

Realise Law Firms Never Want to Hire Losers

Loser Candidates are individuals who are not very interested in being lawyers or are arrogant. These individuals are avoided because they will be difficult to manage in the long run.

Firms are also not willing to hire individuals who they think are not willing to work hard. You may appear to be a loser to a law firm if you do not make eye contact with each interviewer on the panel.

What you want to do in the interview is show the interviewer that you have a great desire to be the best lawyer and have a ‘fierce determination’ and single minded focus on your legal career.

Dress to…

From results of a survey of about 2000 hiring managers, 33% knew they would hire someone in the first 90 secs. 50% of the interviewers thought a candidate could be eliminated based on how they are dressed.

People tend to think that if a person dresses in a messy way that this indicates that their work is messy too. Though this is not accurate all the time, it is how we are socialised to view the world and how many clients view the world. Recruiters want to make sure that candidates will be able to connect with the clients.

Make sure to take time before the interview to make sure your outfit is neat, clean and appropriate.

Most importantly…

Be yourself! Everyone can smell inauthenticity. The best way to make people gravitate towards your is to be your honest self. You will thank us later.

“Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realisation of how much you already have.
– Unknown