10 Do’s & Dont’s for Interview Success

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10 DO’S & DONT’S FOR INTERVIEW SUCCESS

  • DO your homework. Research the firm online prior to your interview.
  • DO a practice answer/question session beforehand and have someone give you feedback.
  • DO dress like you care. Wear a business suit, preferably in navy, black or dark gray (no matter how junior or senior you are or how casual the firm is).
  • DO ask good questions that reflect your intelligence, knowledge of the firm and commitment to this field.
  • DO not be afraid to repeat the same information to each interviewer (do not assume they share the same information with each other).
  • DO know your resume and be prepared to articulate 4 key points that summarize what you bring to this position.
  • DON’T be late! Try to arrive at least 15 minutes early to the building and allow extra time to go through security and get to the appropriate floor.
  • DON’T talk negatively about your past experiences, jobs or employers.
  • DON’T be too casual no matter how comfortable you feel with the interviewer.
  • DON’T give the interviewer “canned” responses. Try to give specific examples and answer each question as sincerely as you can.

REAL EXAMPLES OF WHAT LOST A CANDIDATE “THE” JOB:
It all reflects on your judgment, which is KEY in this field.

  1. Candidate forgot to remove the sunglasses from the top of her head.
  2. Candidate decided not to wear a business suit when meeting Partners for final round of interviews.
  3. Candidate was too casual and acted like the interviewer’s “friend.”
  4. Candidate was too forward and asked questions in an inappropriate, direct manner (i.e. “Is this position going to be administrative? Because it sounds like it is even though you are telling me it isn’t going to be.”)
  5. Candidate spent half the interview “bashing” her current director and firm.
  6. Candidate lied on his resume and implied that he had more experience than was true.
  7. Candidate said that the main reason for getting into legal marketing was because “I think I may want to go to law school in the future and I want to test out a law firm first.” or “My father is an attorney.”

Copyright Wisnik Career Enterprises, Inc. You may reproduce this article for non-sale use with the company’s permission.