It’s that time of year again. The time when law firms descend upon law schools; the time when students interview for law firm jobs. This year the competition is fiercer than ever, with fewer firms recruiting on campus, and fewer interview slots available for those that do. Acing the interview (and your summer program) has never been more critical – here are tips on how to do it.
1. Get your resume in order. Using the standard legal resume format is important, but there is still some room for variation (and thus, error). If your career services office has a resume workshop, attend it. You should also ask fellow law students and junior associates for copies of their resumes, so you can get a sense of what works best. Don’t cut and paste from your old resumes; tailor the presentation and wording of your past job experience to cater to the job which you seek. And since a resume typo can undo all your hard work, no less than three friends should proof your resumes for grammar and substance.
2. Dress with flair. Many “how to interview” guides advise you to wear conservative, dark suits, plain shirts, and if you’re man, whit shirts and staid ties and if you’re a woman, drab heels, limited jewelry and no perfume. But rigorously adhering to the guidelines makes for no impression at all. And that’s not a good thing.
Most law students have very similar resumes and experiences, so it’s important to make a (physical) impression in an interview. Alligator shoes and neon wigs are still out, but tailored suits, pastel colored shirts and interesting ties for men and well-designed heels and bold jewelry for women can help convey a dynamic and engaging personality. Snazzy glasses are another great option.
3. Take advantage of mock interviews. Mock interviews are like exam review sessions – vital if you want to pass. Career services personnel and associates who act as interviewers will give you an idea of the types questions you may be asked and you can use the opportunity to refine the questions that you plan to ask. You’ll also get feedback on your interview style, resume and even dress, which can be invaluable to honing your interview game.
4. Do your research. Conducting research on law firms means more than just checking out the firm’s website or conducting simple Google searches. Any question at all – from recent deals the firm has worked on, to that day’s Wall Street Journal articles – can come up in the interview, so it’s essential to go in prepared. Resources such as NALP (for core statistics on firms), Practical Law Company’s Interview Resource Center (for the latest information on what the firm has been working on and know-how on transactional practice) and Vault.com (for the low-down on what associates themselves say about their firms) can give you the edge by helping you ask and provide thoughtful and researched questions and answers that a deeper understanding of the firm’s landscape.
5. Prepare for practice. Once you’ve scored the summer associate position, your work isn’t over. Offers to join as an associate upon graduation are no longer guaranteed, so you need to add value from day one. One way to prepare for your job is to take practice-oriented classes in trial advocacy or transactional law. In addition, Practical Law Company offers students free access to practice notes, how-to guides, legal updates and more so you know how to run a closing or assemble disclosure schedules before you’re ever staffed on a deal.