Interviewing

The Importance of Interviewing

Interviews are in many, if not most, cases the determining factor in securing public service job offers. Often we hear about how great someone looked on paper, but how dismally he or she interviewed. Interviews take on particular significance with public service employers, who give tremendous weight to the kind of person they sense you are, the depth of your commitment to their mission and how well you would fit in with the office. Getting an interview means you have the right credentials for the position. You need to demonstrate how well-suited you are for that particular office.

Your primary goal at this stage of the search is to get a job offer. After that happens, you will have time to consider the positive and negative aspects of the position compared to other options you might have. The focus of the interview should be to persuade the employer that you are the best and most qualified applicant.

You need to convey enthusiasm and self-confidence during an interview. Try to establish a rapport with the interviewer so that after you leave, he or she will remember some specific details about you. If you find yourself in an interview where the employer is doing all of the talking, try to work your way gracefully into the conversation. If you simply allow the interviewer to talk, you run the risk of leaving a weak impression of yourself.

By giving forethought to the kinds of questions to ask during the interview, you will demonstrate that you are a thoughtful candidate and you will learn whether or not the position is right for you.

Preparing for the Interview

Very simply stated, the more you prepare for each interview, the greater the likelihood that you will be offered a job. Being prepared will enable you to:

• Exude self-confidence
• Provide responsive answers
• Ask intelligent questions
• Engage in meaningful discussion

Having a sense of the organization and an agenda for learning more about it will enable you to relax and comfortably interact with the interviewer. Not only will you gain a clearer understanding of the interviewer's specific concerns, but you will be in a better position to address them.

A mock interview may prove extremely helpful in preparing you for the real thing. Set aside time for an OPIA advisor or friend to ask you some of the questions listed below, in addition to any other questions that your prospective employer might ask. Going through this process ahead of time will take the edge off the actual interview. Make a list of things that you would like the interviewer to know about you by the end of the interview and practice working them in. The mock interview helps identify any areas in which you require further preparation. Most public interest advising and career services offices offer mock interviews and evaluations, so take advantage of this opportunity.

For the actual interview, be sure to bring copies of your resume, a list of references, an official copy of your law school transcript and a writing sample. Ascertain the name and correct spelling of the person or people with whom you interview so that you can write personal thank-you notes, which are preferred over email.

Finally, leave any misgivings that you may have, whether about this particular position or your own qualifications, at the door. It may be helpful to spend some time visualizing yourself working at the position for which you are applying. The interview is an opportunity to convince the employer that you are right for the job. After the interview, you can reflect on any new information you gained and whether the position suits your interests and needs.

Preparation consists of two equally essential tasks: self-assessment and researching the organization or office with which you are interviewing. You should explore these two areas to determine how well you match the qualities and skills of the person the employer is seeking and how you can convince the interviewer that you are indeed the best person for the job.

Self-Assessment

Self-assessment involves becoming aware of and being able to articulate the following information about yourself:

• Interests
• Relevant experiences
• Strengths and weaknesses
• Skills
• Values
• Accomplishments
• Short- and long-term career goals and plans to achieve them
• Work style and work environment preferences
• Geographic considerations

To prepare for your interview, jot down your thoughts for each of these topics. Do not worry if it seems that your response for any or all of these areas is not definitive. Self-assessment is an ongoing process that changes with time and experience. Eventually, the answers to these questions will become clearer to you and you will feel more comfortable discussing these areas with an employer.

Your resume serves as an important tool in the self-assessment process. You should review it prior to the interview and be prepared to explain any part of it. In our resource library, OPIA has some books that are designed in whole or in part to assist in the self-assessment process necessary for career exploration. Many of these resources are geared toward lawyers.

Researching the Employer

Be sure to learn all you can about the individual organization or office with which you will be interviewing so that you have a working knowledge of its mission, areas of specialization, major accomplishments, current concerns and your potential role within the office. Also try to find out about your interviewer. In addition to the resources available in OPIA's library, fellow classmates, alumni/ae, professors or clinical faculty who have prior experience or personal contact with the particular office or organization are good places to start your research. If the organization has a website, it is essential that you review it. You should also consider conducting a Lexis/Westlaw search to learn about the office's cases.

Compare how your skills, accomplishments, values and interests match the information you have gathered about the position and the organization. Think through and write down four or five essential points to communicate during the interview that illustrate convincingly why you are committed to the office's mission and why you will be an asset to the office. Do not, however, consult any written notes during the actual interview.

Verbal and Physical Presentation at the Interview

The interview provides an opportunity for you to demonstrate your communication skills and personality. It is crucial that your responses be articulate, relevant and concise. Avoid the tendency in interviews to sidetrack, ramble nervously or repeat yourself. At the same time, try to answer each question fully and with some thought.

Try to work in new information about yourself or your experience that has not yet been revealed or discussed. Remember to speak clearly but with expressiveness. If you do not understand a question or if you want more direction from the interviewer, simply ask for clarification.

Be interesting! Draw from your accomplishments and experiences to speak enthusiastically, illustrating your points with real-life examples. Interviewers tend to remember candidates who enliven their responses with specific references to their personal experiences. In a public interest context, where people work largely because of their belief in the overriding vision of the organization, it is especially effective for you to speak from the heart. Be careful, though, that you do not speak too long in response to any one question.

Try to avoid being negative about past experiences, especially work experiences, even if they were less than ideal. Think of a way to convey these experiences into lessons learned that will apply to the new position you seek. For example, if you are asked about a prior work experience where you were abandoned in a library to do research, you can say, "In my last job, I was fortunate to develop valuable research skills. I also learned that I prefer an environment where I can work directly with clients and see the beneficiaries of my research."

Always be prepared to provide specific information about recent work experiences. For example, if you state on your resume that you "organized a conference," be prepared to be concrete about what exactly your role was. Similarly, if your resume includes a paper or article that you wrote or if you bring in a writing sample, be ready to answer questions about the project.

Your body language conveys personality, enthusiasm and self-confidence as much as what you say. Most interviewers expect applicants to be somewhat jittery, so try not to worry if you feel nervous. Relax and focus on being yourself. Greet the employer with a firm handshake. Maintain good eye contact with the interviewer, as well as good posture. Use gestures and facial expressions as you normally would in an interesting conversation with a friend, thus avoiding any nervous verbal and physical mannerisms that may distract the interviewer. Be animated, yet professional.

Dressing Appropriately

While formal business attire is not necessary for some public interest offices, you should not show up for an interview dressed too casually. Err on the side of caution and dress as you would for any other attorney position. A suit or jacket is appropriate as it sends a positive message about your professionalism and enthusiasm.

Questions You Should Be Prepared to Answer

Be ready to address weak areas of your resume, such as gaps between jobs or schooling, sudden changes in career direction or poor grades. Everyone has weak spots hidden within his or her resume. Experienced interviewers will quickly mark those areas for questioning. Avoid appearing apologetic, defensive or insecure and be willing to talk about these areas briefly and openly.

If, for example, you received a "C" in Property, then say so and provide a brief explanation, such as it was a bad day, bad test or bad subject for you. Emphasize your good grades and the subjects that you loved and leave it at that. Most employers will not push you any further about these areas and being straightforward about them enables you to preempt any negative inference that the employer may be forming. You may also wish to turn a weakness or past mistake into something positive by speaking briefly about how you have changed or what you have learned from the experience.

Most of the tough questions you might face during an interview will fall into the categories noted below. Take time to anticipate the types of questions likely to be asked in your interviews. Think through what your answers would be without "scripting" them or making them sound too rehearsed. When you are composing an answer to a question, it is helpful to consider the interviewer's reason for asking it. The interviewer may pose hypotheticals or questions about substantive areas of law. By asking these types of questions, interviewers are trying to evaluate how well you reason and analyze and how clearly you think and speak. Your ability to articulate your response is often more important than coming up with the right answer or being an expert on the relevant case law.

Personal

• What is your greatest strength/ weakness?
• How would you describe yourself as a person?
• How would your friends describe you?
• Are you a team player or do you prefer to work on your own?
• What is the most difficult/rewarding thing you've ever accomplished?
• What are your outside interests and hobbies?
• What is the latest nonlegal book you have read?
• What is your idea of success?
• What is important to you in life?

Education

• Why did you go to law school? Have your goals changed since then?
• What courses in law school did you enjoy most/least? Why?
• Who is your favorite professor? Why?
• What clinical work have you done in law school?
• In what extracurricular activities have you participated?
• Why did you choose your undergraduate major?

Work Experience

• What type of responsibilities have you had in prior work experiences?
• What did you particularly like/dislike about that work?
• What tasks are you especially strong/ weak at doing?
• What major problem did you encounter on a job and how did you handle it?
• What have you done that shows initiative and creativity?
• Are you a self-starter or do you prefer guidance on projects?
• How do you work under pressure?
• How strong are your writing skills?
• Why did you leave your prior jobs?
• Why have you switched from your previous field to law?

Career Goals

• What are your short/long term career goals?
• How are you planning to achieve these goals?
• What two or three things are most important to you in a job?
• What kind of training/supervision do you want?
• How would you describe your ideal job?
• Where do you see yourself five/ten years from now?

Job Specific

• Why our office/organization?
• To what other offices have you applied?
• Why are you looking at this area of specialization?
• What qualifications do you have that will make you successful at this job?
• What would the greatest drawback of this job be for you?
• Why should we select you over all the other candidates?
• Why this city, town or area? What ties do you have here?

Key Questions to Ask

The following are types of questions to consider asking a prospective public interest employer. These kinds of questions should help you determine whether the job will be a good match for you. Important areas of inquiry include job responsibilities, substance of the work, nature of supervision, opportunities for training, type of work environment and future career potential. It is important to ask thoughtful questions as well as questions that are pertinent to the specific organization so that the employer knows that you are very interested in this particular job.

• Could you tell me more about the areas of specialization?
• On what kinds of cases or issues are you currently working?
• How do you enjoy your work overall?
• Could you tell me a little about how you came to work here?
• What do you consider to be the greatest drawback of your job?
• What kind of person is your office looking for in this position?
• What personal attributes are required in order to do this type of work well?
• Who would supervise my work?
• How much direction/autonomy is there in this position?
• What kind of training would I get?
• How would you describe the work atmosphere here?
• What kind of turnover has there been among staff attorneys?
• What are sources of funding?
• What are your greatest challenges for the coming year?
• What is the office's history of hiring summer interns into full-time positions?
• What are your expectations for the person hired into this position?
• What have people who worked here gone on to do?

Special Interview Issues

Questions to Avoid During an Initial Interview

While parental leave, part-time policies, benefits, vacation time, the possibility of splitting summers and salary may be of significant concern, you may want to defer raising these issues until a later interview or after you have been offered a job. By asking these questions during an initial interview, you run the risk of distracting the employer from focusing on your qualifications, especially in public defender and prosecution offices.

Ethical or Hypothetical Questions

Increasingly employers, particularly public defender and prosecuter offices, are asking ethical questions or hypothetical questions. Often the hypothetical questions are questions geared to evaluate the applicant's ethical barometer. The employers most likely to ask these questions are public defenders, prosecutors and legal services/legal aid. If confronted with one of these questions, bear in mind that the interviewers are often more interested in how you think through the problem you are presented rather than in obtaining the "right" answer.

Hostile Interviews

Occasionally, employers at criminal defense and prosecution offices conduct hostile interviews with potential employees. These employers are not targeting you personally; rather, the interviewers are interested in seeing how you respond to pressure that is comparable to that of adversarial courtroom trials. They are assessing how well you perform on your feet.

The key to handling a hostile interview lies not in the specifics of how you answer the questions thrown at you, but rather in your overall composure. Maintain a calm demeanor and respond non-defensively. Simply keep in mind the purpose behind this interviewing strategy.

Interviews with More than One Interviewer

Sometimes, because of time crunches, schedule conflicts or overall logistics, you may find yourself meeting with multiple interviewers. This scenario can result in a situation where you feel overwhelmed by the ratio of interviewers to interviewees.

You may be uncertain as to to whom you should direct your responses when asked multiple questions from the interviewers. You should attempt to recognize who among the interviewers has seniority and gear most of the interview contact to him or her. But it is critical to make sure that you do not disregard the other interviewers. Engage the remaining interviewers in your responses to give them the opportunity to ask further questions. When responding to direct questions, make initial eye contact with the person who asked the question, but as you expand on your answer, remember to make eye contact with everyone present.

Closing the Interview

Interviews may last from under twenty minutes to an hour or more. Although the interviewer usually determines the length of the meeting, you should be sensitive to indications that your time is ending. In the event that you have not yet asked the questions that you felt were pertinent or made certain points about your qualifications that you felt important to convey, you should do so when the interview begins to draw to a close. Take the opportunity to restate your interest in the position, if you are still interested and why you would make a special contribution to the organization or office. You may wish to ask when the organization plans to make a final decision on hiring for the position. Tell your interviewer how much you have enjoyed talking with him or her, how much you appreciated the time he or she has set aside for the interview and how excited you are about the position.

Telephone Interviews

Since many public interest employers cannot afford to interview on campus, you may find yourself conducting an interview with an employer over the telephone. This can be particularly challenging, since you are unable to meet with your interviewer face-to-face.

Phone interviews can eliminate some of the stress of in-person meetings. You do not have to worry about what to wear or directions to the office. However, there are certain disadvantages and added challenges to conducting a phone interview. First, you will not have the chance to see the organization's office space, nor will you be able to get a sense of its atmosphere. Therefore, it is essential that you ask specific questions about how the staff interacts and how the office is organized. Since body language (e.g., gestures, smiles, handshakes) will not be a factor in the phone interview, it is essential that your answers to questions be clear, concise and enthusiastic. You should prepare for the telephone interview in the same manner that you would for a face-to- face interview. Do not rely on written answers or outlines to questions, although a checklist of points can be helpful. You will find them distracting and the noise of rustling paper will distract the employer as well. Make sure when you schedule a phone interview that you establish who will initiate the call, in addition to the time and the date of the interview.

Thank You Notes

Always write thank you notes immediately after your interview. A brief but enthusiastic thank you letter written soon after the interview can be particularly effective and should be done automatically. The note keeps your name and face fresh in the employer's mind and expresses your continued interest in the position. These notes add a personal touch to the interview process and they forge the beginnings of a networking contact that could prove useful for you in future job searches. Traditional thank you notes are still preferable to emailed messages unless time is of the essence.

Be sure to include a few personal details of your conversation with the employer, such as your common geographical roots or the fact that you both worked with the same individual at an organization. In addition, enclose any materials requested during the interview, such as a writing sample, law school transcript or a list of references. Finally, offer to forward anything else that might prove helpful to their decision-making process. Refer to the sample thank you letter (.pdf).

References

Bring a list of references to your interviews, as you will most likely be asked at the close of the meeting for names of past employers, professors or mentors whom the employer can contact to talk about you and your work experience. Refer to the sample reference sheet (.pdf).