By Virginia Hess, Guest Blogger
Second semester is in full swing. In between all that reading, preparing your class outlines, and getting needed sleep, you are trying to line up summer plans. For some of you lucky ones, perhaps a summer legal program abroad will be waiting for you. But, if you are like the vast majority of law students, you are trying to land some sort of legal job this summer so you can eat and pay rent, as well as gain valuable experience.
Hopefully, by now you have your perfect outfit. The amazing and perfectly fitting black jacket is a holiday gift from Mom and Dad. It goes really well with a very inexpensive black skirt that just needed the waist band taken in a bit. You found a black and white small geometric print sleeveless top on super-special with a neckline that is professional (i.e., you are not going to be caught dead in this top at the club…). You already had basic black pumps with a “sensible heel”. You searched for some sort of folder for your resume and writing sample, but could not find anything practical and reasonably priced. So, you decided to hit the outlet mall and found a black purse that can double as a small brief case. You put your resume and writing sample in a simple manila folder to prevent dog-ears and slid the whole folder into your new purse. You decided to wear hose as it is a morning interview and it is cold outside! Your hair is neat and makeup is professional. Thankfully, you remembered to take off the green glitter nail polish from last week that was really chipping… You look great and are ready to go to that interview…
Real 1-L student going to her first ever legal interview.
But wait….stop….are you really ready for this interview? Are you “prepared”?
Being “prepared” encompasses a lot of different items, not just sporting that fabulous outfit. The following is a checklist of items to help you be as prepared as possible for the interview. The list is not necessarily in order of importance:
- Get a good night’s sleep. Eat breakfast. I know I sound like a mom (well, I am a mom to a lawyer and I-L), but these are important. You will feel better and respond better to questions when you are rested and alert.
- Be on time. The traffic around the Bay Area has gotten really bad lately, so give yourself a lot of extra time. You can always sit in your car and study. If there is an accident or unavoidable traffic, call and explain the situation. Don’t be late!!!
- Have several copies of your resume. While I will not dwell on what makes a good resume in this post, the resume is very important. Keep it to one page and list your hobbies at the bottom. I like talking to students about their hobbies. It is a good way to lessen interview stress and get the candidate talking freely. Candidates are also evaluated on whether or not they will fit into a firm’s culture. Is this a person you want to go to lunch with on a regular basis? (Never pass up an offer to go to lunch, even if you feel you will gag on your food). Don’t be afraid to show the interviewer who you really are.
- Have a writing sample, even if one is not required. You can always offer a copy if the subject of your writing ability comes up. Again, keep it rather short. It’s not that we don’t want to read your writing sample; it’s just that we have way too much to read. Like you do!
- Research the firm and particular attorney who will be interviewing you. This is so much easier than it used to be. Before the internet, unless the firm was listed in the print version of Martindale-Hubbell, you could only find out about a firm by word of mouth or what was listed at the law school. Look at the firm’s website. Do a general internet search on the firm to locate news about the firm, firm blogs, individual attorney articles and achievements. And make sure not to mix up firms! Don’t mistakenly say you are interested in employment law when the firm specializes in intellectual property.
- Be mindful of your body language. That starts with a firm handshake and simultaneous eye contact at the very beginning of the interview. A limp, wet handshake is not good. I suffer from cold hands, so I know we cannot always control that, but at least make sure your hand is dry and your grip is firm. I would tuck a tissue in my hand and shove it in my purse, briefcase or pocket, right before I went into the interview.
- Look the interviewer in the eye, especially when you talk. This is very important. I know it is hard to achieve a balance between looking at the interviewer and looking somewhere else (don’t look at your feet!), but find a natural and comfortable rhythm. Don’t fidget. Don’t tap your legs. Don’t flip your hair. Don’t slouch. Again, I sound like a mom but the goal here is, as with your outfit, not to distract the interviewer.
- Practicing for an interview is an excellent idea. Actors practice their lines. Comedians practice their jokes. So, why not practice the interview? Have a fellow law student throw some curve-ball questions at you (and make sure you reciprocate for them!). Answer the question asked, just like exams. And make sure you have a good answer for why you want to be a lawyer. As basic as that question sounds, your answer should be truthful and compelling (or why in the world are you doing this to yourself?).
- So, the interview is wrapping up and you made it through without unintentionally spitting. What to do now? Ask the interviewer when they may be getting back to you with their decision, if they don’t tell you. If that response time has come and gone, send a follow-up email. No response may very well mean the interviewer is just too busy to make a decision and get back to you. This was something I didn’t realize until I started hiring law clerks. Since the law clerk hiring may take second chair to getting billable work out, delays are often not personal. So, nudge the interviewer but gently. I would say send one email follow-up (after your “thank you” note below).
- Send a thank you email shortly after the interview. Not the same day, that feels desperate. But the next day or two is fine. I have also received handwritten notes as well. I happen to like these, especially if the interview went well and the stationery is really fun. Mention a topic or response that resonated with the interviewer.
- If you happen to receive a rejection letter, have your pity-party quietly, and then send a follow-up email thanking the interviewer for their time. You never know if you were “number two” and “number one” decided to take another job. Or maybe more work required more law clerks. Be gracious. You never know when you might run into this lawyer again in your future, as an employer, colleague or adversary.
So, you survived the interview. Your shirt needs to be washed as you really sweated a lot, and you ruined your hose. But, you got through it. Think about what went well and what didn’t. Work on the weaknesses. Celebrate the strengths. And get ready to do it again!
Virginia Hess offers a full spectrum of representation for the small and medium sized business. She is able to assist a business during its whole life cycle, from its formation as a sole proprietorship, corporation or LLC, to a possible sale or winding down. In addition to her background in working for for-profit business clients, Virginia’s passion extends to the non-profit world. Her experience in non-profit agencies extends beyond her lawyer skills and into the boardroom.
