Top interview tips for Paralegals

 

Top interview tips for Paralegals

 

By Emily Lonsdale

 

Interviews can be daunting, especially if you haven’t done one for some time, if this is your first virtual interview, or if this is your first interview as you move into the legal job market. The key to a successful interview is preparation. 

Below are my thoughts on interview preparation before a virtual or face to face interview. 

 

Make sure your tech is set up properly

Make sure that you have received the link to your video call and it works. I advise candidates to log in around 20 minutes before, just to make sure that everything is working. If it’s not, we should be able to sort the issue before starting the meeting. It means you are a lot calmer and not worried about being late. 

Make sure that you are set up in a well-lit area of the house, with a blank background ideally. If possible, sit at a table/desk, where the camera is at an appropriate height. Test out your microphone and camera beforehand.

 

Ensure you know your CV very well

You must be prepared to be questioned on anything on your CV, so make sure that you know it inside and out and that you can expand on anything. Go through it and think about the skills and legal matters/projects that you have listed. You should be able to confidently discuss any matter/project, your duties and responsibilities, how you worked with the wider team, how you worked independently, how the matter was concluded, and what you learned. Highlight your achievements. Be proud of them!

Be prepared to expand on decisions that you have made during your career. Think about decisions that you have made concerning study, career moves and choices of legal areas/disciplines. It is important that you can talk through reasons for leaving previous employment, always remaining positive. 

If you have been given a job specification, try and draw synergies between this and your skills. Use examples of work that you have done. Remember, an interviewer will be looking to establish whether you have the skills necessary to carry out the job. By using your CV, past experience, and knowledge, you need to demonstrate exactly why you are perfect! 

 

Research the law firm and interviewers

There is nearly always an interviewer that asks; ‘Why this firm?’, ‘What do you know about us?’, ‘Why do you want to work here?’, so it is important that you have done your research on the law firm, the team, and the interviewers. 

Use the firm’s website as a starting point. It is also important to use other information from sources including directory rankings, legal articles, relevant news, and LinkedIn. A good recruitment consultant will also be able to provide you with a lot of information. 

You should also find out who will be conducting your interview and look them up. You will be able to learn about their career from their LinkedIn page and perhaps any shared interests.

When answering questions, try and relate the information that you find back to yourself and your motivations. For example, if you have found out that your interviewer does a particular type of work, tell them why that work is interesting to you.

 

Consider and plan for the common interview questions

 It’s a good idea to consider how you’d answer some of the more typical interview-style questions. These may include: “tell me about yourself” and “what are your strengths/weaknesses?”. You may also be asked, “why do you want this role?”. It’s important not to emphasise that the paralegal role is just a “stop-gap” until you secure a training contract. Law firms want to see a passion and commitment for that particular role. Practice with a friend or someone at home.

 

Think about your questions

An interview should be a ‘two-way conversation’, so I encourage candidates to have questions that they want to ask that are important to them. For example, if this move is about progression, ask questions around the career structure that is currently in place. If your move is about the quality of work, ask questions around the type of work that the team undertakes (showcasing your knowledge about the team, as above). 

We also advise candidates to prepare questions to show a genuine interest in the firm. Just be careful that you don’t ask something that has already been covered in the interview. Interviewers have commented in the past that they are as impressed with the questions that a candidate asks, as the answers they have given to their questions. Your interview is an opportunity to set yourself apart from the crowd and really sell yourself. So, ensure you do your preparation and leave a lasting positive impression.

 

If you need any help in preparing for your interview, please contact Emily Lonsdale on 0117 945 1632 or emilylonsdale@chadwicknott.co.uk.

Emily is an Associate within the Chadwick Nott Paralegal team and recruits Paralegals and Legal Executives in all practice areas within the South West, Midlands and South East.

 

In association with Chadwick Nott