How to Prepare for an Interview…

The more you prepare for an interview the higher your success rate will be. You should be prepared to answer and ask a variety of questions. The following list of questions is a great place to start for any interview situation.

Education

• Why did you choose to become a legal or office administrative assistant or paralegal?
• How long did you attend college to complete your legal training?
• Would you briefly describe the course requirements?
• Which course did you like the most?  Why?
• Which course did you like the least?  Why?
• Do you anticipate obtaining any further training or education?  In what areas?

Work Experience

• What aspect of your current position appeals to you the most?
• In your current position, which job functions do you like the least?
• Do you recall a specific incident in your current position where you were praised for going above and beyond the call of duty?  Why was that?
• Do you enjoy working independently?  Are you able to exercise independence in your current position?  Can you provide an example?
• Do you currently have an opportunity to work as part of a team?
• Do you enjoy the team approach?
• Can you describe an example where you were required to be part of a team to complete a project on a particular file?
• Do you recall a situation where it would have been preferable to you to work independently rather than with a team?  Why?
• Can you describe an incident in the last six months that would describe one of the toughest situations you have had to face when dealing with a deadline?

More general type questions

• Tell me about yourself?
• Tell me about your background, accomplishments?
• What are your strengths?  Weaknesses?
• How would you describe your most recent job performance?
• What interests you about our company?
• How do you stay professionally current?
• What outside activities are most significant to your personal development?
• What do you know about our company?
• Why should we hire you?
• What do you look for in a job?

Below are questions you may want to ask the Interviewer

• Why is this position open?
• What would you like done differently by the next person who fills this position?
• What are some of the objectives you would like to see accomplished in this job?
• What are some of the long term objectives you would like to see completed?
• What are some of the more difficult problems one would have to face in this position?
• What advancement opportunities are available for the person who is successful in this position, and within what time frame?
• What significant changes do you foresee in the near future?
• How is one evaluated in this position?
• What accounts for success within the company?

Remember, a lack of questions may be mistaken as a lack of interest. 

These questions and the preceding interviewing tips are presented only as interviewing guidelines.  They are meant to help you prepare for the interview.  Some questions may or may not be appropriate for your interviewing situation.

By practicing your responses to some of these questions, hopefully you will not be taken off guard if asked one of them.  Most importantly, relax, go with the flow, and let your own personality show – it’s your time to shine.

Last and most important – if you did not get the job, do not consider yourself to have failed – remember you should be proud of the fact that you were one of the select few to have been invited to  interview out of all of the resumes received and try to consider each interview as an opportunity to get better and better at the process!