Legal Recruitment: Jobs for Lawyers, Legal Executives, Paralegals

Interview preparation is essential and whilst we will provide you with crucial information on the role, the firm and formal details of the interview etc, you need to do your own homework.

Re-read your CV or request a copy of it from your Recruitment Consultant
Plan your journey, allowing yourself plenty of time to get there, park etc
First impressions are very important so take care with your appearance by wearing your best suit or even invest in a new one (if it has been a while!) as the Partners/Interviewers that you will be meeting will have made the effort for you as they do with their clients. You want to portray a professional image which means it is important to wear a formal suit as opposed to co-ordinating separates, think about your haircut (ie when did you last have one??), make sure your shoes are polished and presentable, accessorises to be kept to a minimum and mobile phone turned off!! Offer a firm handshake and maintain regular eye contact throughout the interview. Also, be aware of your body language – don’t fidget!
Ascertain the format the interview will take and what the whole interview process will include beforehand so you can prepare yourself and eliminate the risk of any unwanted surprises
Research the firm in as much detail as possible, look at their website, legal publications (such as Legal 500, Chambers Directory), speak to any contacts you have who work or have worked for the firm to gain some ‘insider’ knowledge. Whilst you want an overview of the firm generally, you should be particularly interested in the nature/structure of the department you are hoping to join
Find out as much information as you can on the people who will interview you. There may well be profiles on the firm’s website
Specific information on the actual role is sometimes more difficult to come by. Some roles have formal job descriptions however the majority are often rather vague in nature but your Recruitment Consultant will be a useful source of information
Think about how your attributes and experience match the job specification and think of some examples that you can provide the interviewer as proof. How and why are you good at what you do? Some people feel uncomfortable ‘selling’ themselves however it is important that an employer appreciates just how good you really are! If you think about this before hand and how you are going to articulate it you will feel less self conscious at the time
Think about the type of questions you are likely to be asked at interview (examples are noted below) and how you are going to answer them. Be concise, provide examples and stop talking after you have answered a question. In stressful interview situations it is easy to find yourself rambling on trying to fill silences!
Prior to the interview think about some questions that are relevant to the role. (Some examples are given below)
Do not criticise your current employer as this is unprofessional
Leave the interviewer to bring up the subject of salary, particularly at first interview
At the end of the interview it is important to leave the interviewer with a positive impression. Thank them for their time and the opportunity to meet them and if interested in the role, make them aware. Ask about their timescale

After the interview, contact your Recruitment Consultant as soon as possible to discuss feedback. The sooner you do this, the sooner they can contact the firm to get their thoughts.