Search for 1725 Solicitor and Legal job vacancies in the UK:
The in-house interview
Even though in-house interviewers will be looking for completely different skills and experience to those in private practice, the key to a successful interview is the same – preparation. And that starts with facts about the company and facts about you.
Facts about the company & Legal Team
There’s no getting around it – you need to find out all you can about the company you’re looking to join, challenges to their industry and the job itself. It’ll not only tell them you’re someone who has a genuine interest in their business, but also help you judge whether they’re right for you.
Start your research on the company’s own website and news sites, find out the size of the company (multinationals’ legal departments are like law firms, while smaller businesses are very different) and look at competition, challenges and changes in regulation that affect their industry. If you have any relevant contacts, ask them as much as you can – it’s good to show you’ve gone beyond their website and done your homework.
It’s also a good idea to check out the Legal Team and your interviewers; the Law Society website and LinkedIn are ideal ways to do that.
Facts about You
The interview is primarily about you, so make sure you have the answers you need at the ready. You’ll need to know your CV inside out – you might be asked to talk about specific points on it, and give relevant examples of your knowledge and experience.
You’re bound to be asked why you want to move in-house (if it’s your first move) or why you’re looking at their company. If you’ve been on secondment, tell them what you enjoyed and why. Just remember: moving out of private practice is a big career change – and they’ll be able to tell if you’ve not thought it through.
Competency focussed answers
The in-house market primarily uses competency-based interviewing techniques, so be ready to support your answers with relevant examples from your past experience and behaviours.
Questions are likely to start with “Give me an example of when…” or “Please describe an occasion…”. They’ll cover your past behaviours and performance, learning from past behaviours, future adaptability and your knowledge and understanding of issues, in order to assess you against each essential criteria or competency.
If a job specification’s available, study it in detail – it’ll help you focus on examples of relevant experience, how you reacted and what you did. And think about your strengths and weaknesses, using specific examples to provide evidence.
The interview
In-house interviews are not only very different from private practice, but also vary from one organisation to another – in many cases you may be asked to complete an online, multiple choice personality test beforehand, too.
If you’re being interviewed for a role in an established in-house team you’ll probably be interviewed by a fellow solicitor (and even asked to undertake a contract review exercise as part of a more technical interview). If you’ll be first in-house counsel (or for a second or third stage meeting), you may be interviewed by non-legal stakeholders such as the FD or MD, with the discussions taking a more commercial format and the emphasis on your ability to explain legal issues in plain English. (Salary and notice are unlikely to be discussed at your first meeting, but always be prepared!)
Whoever you see though, show you’ll be a good fit with the company culture – technology companies are more laid-back than banks, for example, and retailers more straight-talking than pharmaceutical companies – and demonstrate your desitre to join them. And remember, a warm handshake, eye contact and positive body language always make a huge difference!
Your questions
You’ll doubtless be asked if you have any questions, so use them to show your enthusiasm and interest. For example, you might ask how the team’s structured, why the position has come about or even how your career might progress with the recruiting company.
If you’re called back
A second interview means the interviewers will be looking at whether you can be trusted to take over part of their company – so make sure you’re thoroughly prepared with a much deeper knowledge of the company. After all, you’ll probably be meeting the FD and CEO this time.
A few interview questions
Every interview is different, but the intention will always be to understand the experience you’ve gained, your business involvement and your motivations. Key questions may include why you want to move in-house or why the particular role or company is of interest. To give you an idea, here are some typical examples of competency-based questions.
- What work related problems have you faced recently? How did you approach the problem? What was the outcome? Would you do anything differently?
- In your previous job, how did you go about establishing relationships with your colleagues / customers?
- Describe a time when you referred an urgent decision upwards. Why did you need help?
- Tell me about a time when you took responsibility for making a key decision. How did you defend your decision?
- Tell me about the last time that you exceeded your personal targets.
- Can you give me an example of when you have had to communicate a decision that you knew would be unpopular?
- When have you been disappointed in the results of those you have led, what was the cause, how did you react, what was the outcome?
- Tell me about a time when you have been really busy, how did you keep a track of items that needed your attention?
- Tell me abut a difficult work relationship, why is this difficult, what have you done to overcome these difficulties?
- Tell me about a time when you questioned or challenged a way of working. Why did you question it? What alternatives did you suggest? To what extent were your ideas used?
1ST MAY 2012
What is your role at DAC Beachcroft? I am an associate in the employment and…
2ND APRIL 2012
What is your role at Sintons? I am a partner in the company commercial…
