What is your biggest strength and weakness? This is another question so common and foreseeable that you should have a ready response for it. In addition to the trait itself, the interviewer is also trying to get a sense of your self-awareness. This answer will be remembered and will be evaluated in terms of how the trait adds to or detracts from the organization.

Universally valuable professional strengths include responsiveness, keen listening skills, an ability to understand the desired business outcome and articulate how it can be achieved, resourcefulness, efficiency, and creative thinking. Ahead of the interview, think about which of your strengths is crucial to success in the role and be able to provide an example from your practice that illustrates this strength.

Conversely, on the weakness side, select something to discuss that does not directly impact your ability to do the job, such as your reluctance to delegate work, and make the point that you are mindful of this weakness and making strides to address it in your practice. Do not dwell on a weakness-respond to the question and move on.  

Why do you want to leave your present job? (Translation: Are you being fired?) This question, in part, goes to your standing with your present employer. While some may view this as an opportunity to engage in a frank and open discussion of their current employers’ shortcomings, a better approach may be to focus on what you seek in a new opportunity. This is not to suggest that you change the subject or avoid the question, but rather to point out that you can focus your response on a positive (what you seek in a new position) versus a perceived negative (what you seek to escape in your present position).

One note of caution here: Take a minute to consider what additional questions your response may raise. For instance, if you say you wish to gain access to a different practice area, the interviewer could ask if your current employer will allow you to make an internal transfer, and if not, why? If they would, why wouldn’t you want it?

Also, here an employer may be trying to determine the depth of your interest in an area of law other than the one in which you have focused. For example, what backs up your stated (and seemingly newfound) interest in white-collar litigation when for the past five years you’ve focused on general commercial litigation? Think through your responses ahead of the interview. Your first stab at these answers ideally should not be in front of a potential employer.

What is your current compensation? While it is rare for this to be asked during an initial interview, it will probably surface at some point early in the process. If you are asked about your current compensation, it is in your best interest to answer directly—to do otherwise may leave the impression that you are unresponsive or evasive. Once the answer is out there, though, add other relevant information as the circumstances warrant. For instance, if you are relocating from a market where compensation is significantly above or below the norm where you are interviewing, point this out along with your expectation of a commensurate cost-of-living adjustment either upward or downward.

It is equally important to clarify what the employer includes in the concept of “compensation” to ensure you are both on the same page. Distinguish between your base salary amount and your projected bonus amount when describing your compensation, and inquire as to the various components that make up the compensation package being offered by the employer.

While law firm salaries tend to be lockstep (and therefore predictable), in-house employers ask questions about compensation to determine whether you understand the range of compensation for the position and whether you are comfortable with it. In other words, they want to ensure they are not wasting their own time and yours if the compensation level is a nonstarter. Therefore, make it clear that you understand the compensation package being offered and that it is acceptable to you in light of the totality of the opportunity. These sorts of questions can offer an employer a comprehensive summary of your qualifications and interest in the job. A solid preparation will allow you to create the best possible impression, will enhance the likelihood of further discussions, and may even result in an offer of employment.
 
Sadie J. Madole is an attorney and legal recruiter with Garrison & Sisson, a legal search consulting firm in Washington, D.C. She practiced law for 10 years in a law firm and with the Treasury Department before joining Garrison & Sisson. She can be contacted at smadole@g-s.com.