3 Top Interview Tips for the Paralegal Career
Any good interview book will tell you this one very important fact:
‘The First Impression is Everything!”
And, it’s so true. Employers have a few simple requirements of a potential new employee:
*Their skill set a/k/a knowledge must rise to the level of the job; and
*The transition into the culture of the law firm must be as seamless as possible.
So, how do you easily impress a new employer when they’ve never met you before?
How do you get across to them that you really are a fit for the job?
First, let’s cover the all-important “First Impression”. It’s quite easy, in fact, to make an excellent, indelible memory for the employer. Here’s how:
- Smile immediately upon meeting the interviewer/employer;
- Be sure you are dressed neatly and professionally;
- Make eye contact while smiling; and
- Be warm and approachable as you speak with the interviewer.
Next, it’s time to discuss “interviewing the interviewer”.
There are specific questions to consider when interviewing for a job in a law firm and many of those inquiries should come from you, the potential employee, not the interviewer. This type of interview is called a 180 degree interview. Instead of the questions coming solely from the office manager or hiring attorney, several are instead posed by you, the interviewee.
Why take this route in the interview? Well, it simply shows the employer that you have done your homework, you have an interest in the position and depending on the questions you ask, may give you great insight into the culture, work-life balance and just how efficiently the law firm is managed.
Lastly, the final tip is how to close out the interview successfully and on a good note. The usual ending by the interviewer is “We have more candidates to interview, however, we’ll be in touch if we feel you are a fit for the position”.
However, there is something you can do to leave a very positive memory in the interviewer’s mind. Simply tell the interviewer the following:
“Thank you for your time today. I am definitely interested in the job and I would like to be considered for the position.”
Make it known to the interviewer that you are ready to take on this position and begin your career with their law firm.
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