Interviewing Tips

Looking for interviewing tips to help you successfully navigate the interviewing season? The key is to be prepared with both your answers and with what your non-verbal cues say about you. Practice will help you perfect your inteviewing skills and boost your confidence. Check out these other helpful tips for preparing for and conquering the interview.

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Problem-solving and goal-oriented is the new multi-tasking

Multitasking has now become a dirty word to employers seeking to hire Millenials. While it can be good in small doses, multitasking makes it harder to learn and retain important information. I know you think knowing how to find information is more important than retaining it, but hiring partners do not. So, in order to make yourself more marketable, here's a list of the competencies employers are looking for instead.

• problem solver
• adatable
• independent
• self-confident (not to be confused with arrogant or omnipotent)
• client-oriented
• continuous learner
• goal-oriented
• hard working
• able to stay on task and complete it in a timely manner
• iniatitive
• self-motivated but able to take directions and criticism

Keep these things in mind when answering questions from employers about specific instances or accomplishments. Work experience or other practical experiences are also going to be very important and set you apart from other candidates. Highlight how you handled real world client experiences and remember firms want to know whether you will stay for a while and not just use them as a stepping stone to the next employer, so be specific about why you're interested in working there.

Email mistakes to avoid

Email is now an acceptable form of communication just about everywhere, including the legal field. It's quick and easy, and some prefer email communication to picking up the phone. However, before hitting send, you should make sure your email doesn't leave you looking unprofessional. Check out the top 10 email mistakes, and make a good impression today.

Most students looking for their first position after law school aren't necessarily thinking long term. Why should they? The average person will change jobs seven to twelve times over the course of their career. This is true even for lawyers. There are many factors to consider when deciding which employer is right for you. One factor most people don't think of right away is their potential new boss. What type of person will allow you to be the most successful? Finding your dream boss may be more achievable than you think, and worth the time to consider before saying yes to an offer.

In a down economy, the basics are more important than ever!

With the recent downturn in the ecomony, many law students are nervous about their prospects for summer employment and after graduation. The most helpful advice to allay these fears may be the most simple -- go back the basics: networking, being proactive in your summer employment and in your job search, understanding what an employer is looking for and how he/she runs his business. If you are currently in a position with a legal employer, make sure you are making the most of that opportunity. Take on as many substantive projects as you can and do a good job. Meet as many attorneys as you can. Ingratiate yourself with the support staff. Attend all the social events and interact with your peers and your superiors.

With a projected smaller number of offers being made by firms, candidates are going to have to be at the top of their game when interviewing. Regardless of the market, the most important factor in successful interviewing is to know yourself - your skills, values, and interests - and be able to cogently define your professional goals and what you can do for the employer. So what specifically can you do to prepare. Here are a few tips:

• Know what you can control about the interview process - don't listen to rumors, have more than one interview suit (keep it conservative), and don't feel pressured to have even one drink at an employer function.
• Do practice interviewing every chance you get. Use friends, alumni and especially the CSO to your advantage.
• Do your research. Go beyond their website. You need to know as much about this employer as you can before you sit down with them.
• Be enthusiastic. Show the employer you want to be there and have a concrete reason (other than I need a job) for applying to them.
• Think beyond your GPA. Whether it's great or not so much, employers are also looking for great experience (not necessarily all legal), good writers, and most importantly someone with good people skills. If you have strong interpersonal skills, you can interview above your GPA. All it takes is practice.

In a down economy, it's often hard not to focus on market forcasts, which you can't control, and focus on presenting yourself in the best light to employers, which you can control. To accomplish this, trust your judgment, ignore the hype, and rely on your career advisor to help you make wise decisions.

Clerkship confusion

Are you thinking about a federal judicial clerkship, but are unsure whether it's the right move for you? The New York Lawyer has an excellent article that might help you cut through the confusion. A registration is required to read the article, but it is free.

Key to networking - live an interesting life

More and more firms expect their young associates to take on a variety of tasks unheard of ten years ago. One of those tasks in rainmaking at an early stage in your career. Business development may seem like a daunting task, but learning early how to generate business is a valuable asset to new associates. The lawjobs.com Career Center has an interesting article that gives you some advice on how to develop the necessary skills early in your career. The key is networking. And the key to networking, according to the author, is to live an interesting life.