Preparing for an interview is of utmost importance. Do not be misled: Poor preparation, not a poor resume or poor grades, is the primary reason candidates do not receive offers. If you've landed an interview, your resume and grades have gotten you in the door. Now your job is to nail the interview and receive an offer.
Arriving at an interview, you want to ensure that you are an informed candidate. That means knowing the particular company you are interviewing with inside and out as it applies to you. According to Michael Kayan, Hiring Partner at Constantine Cannon, “Substantive preparation by the candidate before an interview is obviously important. Good preparation generally connotes interest and seriousness of purpose on the part of a candidate. I like to ask a candidate what s/he already knows about our firm, and then I'll elaborate on that initial base of knowledge. I'm impressed when a candidate has done more than pay a quick visit to our firm's website and disappointed when a candidate has merely done that, or less.”
According to Kayan, you should do your research. There are numerous sources you can look to and specific items that you should review prior to your interview.
Carefully review the firm website, NALPdirectory.com, our exclusive Vault guide, Lateral Link's forthcoming Research Center , and any other resources at your disposal in preparing to intelligently discuss the firm during your interview. When researching the firm, please pay particular attention to the following to successfully demonstrate both your genuine interest in and deep knowledge of the firm:
- the biographies of the partners and associates with whom you are interviewing
- the overview and structure of the department or practice group to which you are applying
- the list of clients the firm or department regularly counsels
- the list of award or accolades the firm or department has received
- the list of publications or articles published by members of the department in which you are interested
In addition to this factual information, it is important to identify aspects of the firm that are relevant to you, including law school connections, sub-fields of expertise, mentoring programs, diversity or affinity groups, and recent press releases.
Please remember that being a prepared and informed candidate will make you stand out as a truly motivated and diligent candidate, whereas attending an interview without sufficient preparation will ensure that the hiring partner is put off by your lack of interest and that your candidacy will be overlooked.
This article was written by Miguel Escobar. Miguel is a graduate of NYU School of Law and a former associate at a top New York law firm. Miguel is currently a Director in Lateral Link's New York office. |
