Mastering the Public Interest Interview

BEFOREDURING

AFTER

THE INTERVIEW

OrganizationOrganization InterviewerInterviewer

Check the organization’s website

Latest cases / accomplishments

Talk to people who have prior experience with the office or organization (classmates, alumni, professors, clinical faculty)

Organization’s website? Linked in profile? Education Past experience

Before the Interview: RESEARCH

Before the Interview: Prepare for Questions

Compare how your skills, accomplishments, values and interests match the position and the organization. Know why the organization should hire you.

Think about how your past experiences have prepared you for this position. Know the skills you illustrated in your past employment/activities.

Consider the type of questions you’ll receive and ponder the experiences you will use to answer the questions

Know your resume! Also, be familiar with your writing sample/law review note/moot court argument.

Before the Interview: PLAN

Bring resume, unofficial transcript, writing sample & references (even if they didn’t request them all)

Review directions and map for parking lot location and the Tyler Haynes Commons

Arrange carpoolsAlternates

Check email this week. You may be moved to interview slot.

Want to practice your interview? Schedule a mock interview with OCP this week

DAY OF THE INTERVIEW

Allow 3 hours door to doorB3 lot parking lot is for students – look for yellow

signsIt is a LONG walk from parking lot to interview

location (wear comfortable shoes)A shuttle will run from 8:00am to 10:00 am Running late? Call 540-460-4839 (Terry’s cell) or

804-287-6695 (registration table)Check-in at student registration table 30 minutes

prior to first interviewIf you have back-to-back interviews, don’t worry. Just

go to the next interview as soon as you are done.

What the set-up is like

Interview will be in a large room with curtained booths

When it is your interview time, stand behind interviewee to let interviewer know time is up

BEFORE

DURINGAFTER

The Interview

The Interview: BODY LANGUAGE

Use body language to convey personality, enthusiasm and self-confidence.

Greet employer with firm handshake. Maintain comfortable eye contact with the

interviewer, as well as good posture. Use hand gestures and facial expressions as

you normally would in a conversation with a friend, thus avoiding any nervous verbal and physical mannerisms that may distract the interviewer. But be professional—don’t slip into slang or slouch.

The Interview: MOTIVATION

For most public interest employers, you must convey your motivation for wanting to work there.

If you have past work experience in an area related to the job you are seeking, highlight that experience.

If you do not, you must prepare to explain what motivated you to apply for the specific job.

Show enthusiasm - let them know you are interested in what they do.

The Interview: WHY SHOULD I HIRE YOU?

Think about each question and why the employer is asking it. Every question is really, “Why should we hire you?”  So continue to answer that question in every question the employer asks.

Draw from your accomplishments and experiences to answer questions. Every answer should be backed up by your specific experience. Don’t rely on opinions of yourself.

The Interview: GENERAL TIPS

Keep answers concise and tailored.Listen carefully - reflect before answering.

Don’t rush to fill the silence. The best interview is like a conversation:

allow for back and forth, don’t subdue your personality and ask questions during it.

The Interview: SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

Questions designed to see whether you have :

motivation

passion

interest

Why our office/organization? Why law school? To what other offices have you applied? How committed are you to the cause of

the office? How much experience have you had with

public interest organizations? Why this city, town or area? Greatest drawback of this position for

you? What two or three things are most

important to you in a job? What constitutes “success” to you? For public defenders: Is there any type of

crime you would have trouble defending, like child molestation or rape?

The Interview: SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

Questions designed to see whether you possess the necessary skills for the job

What do you bring to this organization? What community service project do you

believe allowed you to make the greatest impact and how?

Tell me about a difficult experience you had in clinic (or other work setting) and how you overcame it.

What would make you a good trial advocate?

How do you work under pressure? (give examples!)

How strong are your writing skills? What qualities do you think a good lawyer

should have?

The Interview: SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

Hypothetical or ethical questions—interviewers are often more interested in how you think through the problem you are presented rather than in obtaining the "right" answer.

How would you go about building a trusting relationship with a client?

How would you counsel a young client who had never before been arrested and is proclaiming his innocence in the face of a serious crime based completely on the testimony of several police officers. That client is facing a long jail sentence should he be convicted after a jury trial but is now being offered a plea-bargained sentence of probation. “What do you say to your client?”

The Interview: SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

Questions to get to know you. There is no right or wrong answer except no answer at all

What is the last book you read or movie you watched?

How do you spend your free time? Who is your hero/heroine? What five people would you invite to a

dinner party?

Don’tDon’t DoDo

Don’t dwell on them if the employer doesn’t

Don’t blame the Professor Don’t say that grades don’t

mean anything—instead show the employer that you can do the work

Don’t pretend you don’t know what your grades are or give a vague response to the question of what are your grades

Address question, but get to the positive quickly. Admit that grades are not what you had hoped, but continue with something positive, proactive steps you’ve taken, prior work performance, awards, etc.

If your grades improved over time, point that out.

If your grades in relevant courses were high, mention those. 

Use prior experience to indicate your legal abilities.

Be comfortable with your grades, pull out the positives, and practice speaking with confidence about them.

The Interview: GRADES

Good QuestionsGood Questions Inappropriate QuestionsInappropriate Questions

Why did you choose this employer?

What do you wish you’d known before you got here?

What type of work will I be doing?

What qualities make someone successful in this office?

Asking vague or imponderable questions (i.e., what is the office’s culture)

Asking questions that could be answered by basic research

The Interview: YOUR QUESTIONS

The Interview: THINGS TO AVOID

Speaking negatively of anyone (former employer, fellow students, law school)

Anything that suggests you are unfamiliar with the organization’s mission

Body language that is too stiff or too casual. Watch “umms” “like” “okay” or other filler

wordsVolunteering your flaws

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

The Interview

Directly After the Interview

Write down notes from your interview (to help you remember)

Send the Thank You letter Method:

For this job fair, email is preferred Terry will have final interviewer list and emails at end of

day Content:

Thank them for their time. Personalize note by mentioning discussion you had Reiterate your interest in the position

After the Interview: FOLLOW UP

Follow-up with Terry about the outcome of your participation Over 30 students attending this year Had many students get summer positions last year

from the job fair

After This Presentation

Provide Terry with Cell number if you have not done so

Terry Evans and Suzanne Wade will be the W&L representatives at the job fair

Pick up your student packet, which includes: Interview schedule/Memo/Map of University of

Richmond Campus/List of students attending to arrange carpools

A-D—Lauren Kozak E-K—Terry Evans L-Y—Suzanne Wade