Allowing Your Personality To Shine Through at Interview

Rightly or wrongly, Lawyers are often portrayed as not having the best sense of humour, but this is perhaps due to the clients they work for and the importance of the work they are involved with. This does not mean that there are not big characters in offices around the country or to say that personalities are frowned upon by the industry. At interview, you should let your personality shine through as much as you can as it will help you understand if you will fit in at the firm as much for you as your potential employers.

Don’t let the tension of an interview stifle your personality with these top tips:

BE INDIVIDUAL

Law firms are not looking for a candidate who just does as they are told, but more individual personalities that show a spark and will drive their business forward. Make sure your answers to questions are not simply what you think the interviewer wants to hear and responses are honest to you as a person as well as relatable to your personal experience. Ensuring your answers are unique will help you stand out from your rivals and make you memorable to the interviewers.

HOW YOUR SOCIAL ACUMEN

A pivotal part of life as a lawyer is the growing of a contact base and the ability to remain social with clients. Showing that you can converse freely and sociably will give you the edge over more reserved candidates and make you a better prospect for growing and retaining business for a firm. Remember that law firms are investing in you and your capability to not just work in a team, but also grow business through excellent communication skills and ongoing client relationships. People tend to hire people they like.

RELEASE YOUR SENSE OF HUMOUR

Interviews are inherently tense affairs as you try to portray yourself as a suitable candidate for the role being offered. However, if there are opportunities to showcase your sense of humour without being glib then feel free to do so as it gives a glimpse in to what you will be like to work with on a daily basis. The demanding work life of a lawyer can require late nights and long shifts making a team with a sense of humour and character imperative to keeping morale high to guarantee the best results.

CONTACT

Sarah Stant is a very experienced legal recruitment consultant with over fifteen years in the industry, the last twelve of which have been spent recruiting lawyers at all levels in the South East of England.

Telephone +44 (0)1206 233 500

Email [email protected]

LinkedIn http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/sarah-stant/1b/b10/988