Here’s a question for the readers today: what is the best piece of interview advice you’ve ever received? (Or: What’s the best tip for interviewing you learned the hard way?) As millions of job-seekers flood career fairs at business schools and law schools, this seems an apt time to talk about it. (Pictured: Will Work for Cheese, originally uploaded to Flickr by walknboston.)
For my $.02, the best interview advice that I got was to figure out what wasn’t on your resume, but is a great employee trait. Are you a great team player? Extremely creative? Can you think outside the box but in a practical way? Lovely — now try to remember stories from your past that illustrate those qualities. Try to do this with two or three traits (and memories that illustrate those traits). I wouldn’t advise you to rehearse these stories — you never want to sound rehearsed in an interview — but you may want to spend 5 minutes and bang out an email to yourself putting the memory to words. Not only does this a) boost your confidence, but b) it gives you a go-to story if you get asked one of those odd questions that interviewers sometimes throw at you.
Ok, readers — what’s your best interview advice?
Check out all of our old interviewing posts here.
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Remember the intereview isn’t about YOU. It’s about THEM.
So, like selling anything you don’t say
“this is great”
ideally you say
“this is why XXX is good for you”
Sorry not well explained but they don’t care about you per say, just how you will make their life easier
(ps as usual, free advice is worth what you pay for it)
Question I wasn’t ready for: First paragraph of the press release when you are appointed?
Does anyone have any advice for the appropriate way to ask questions of the interviewers when you’re facing a panel? Should you direct a different question to each panel member? Should you ask each interviewer for an answer to the same question? Or should you pose a question and allow the panel members to decide among themselves who will field an answer?
Thanks!
I am a 3L preparing for a callback at BigLaw on Tuesday and all this advice has been SO helpful (and perfectly timed)! I had a question (I am also posting on the Weekend Thread) about a “reception.” The recruiting officer told me to arrive at 4:30 for a “reception” followed by interviews from 5 to 7pm. As my callbacks last year were all in the morning, I’m not sure what to expect. I’ll be wearing my “interview suit” but I’m not sure if other interviewees will be at this reception or what the nature of this will be in general. (Obviously I will stay on my best interviewing behavior but not sure what else to prepare for!)
Any advice would be appreciated!
I followed this advice at a recent job interview, and I got the job! Thank you for all the advice. I read this thread over and over in the course of my preparation and I believe it helped.
Thanks ladies!
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