CVs and interviews
The most common interview Qs
We've compiled a list of the most common interview questions to ensure you're prepared for any interview.
Your current situation
- Why do you want to leave your existing role?
- What do you like about your current role? What do you dislike?
- What's your ideal job?
On the job
- What successes have you enjoyed in your current role? How were they achieved?
- What sort of supervisory/mentoring/management experience do you have?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- How would your boss/team describe you?
- What difficulties have you found in your job how have you overcome them?
- Give examples of trials/deals you’ve been involved in
- (In-house): How regularly do you use Counsel? How do you instruct them? Who do you regularly instruct?
How good are you at...
- Time recording?
- Dealing with targets?
- Prioritising?
- Delegating?
- Marketing/Business Development?
Other
- How much do you know about us?
- Why are you looking to join us?
- What sort of culture do you fit into best?
- Where does your initial interest in law come from?
- What do you want to achieve over the next 2/3/5 years?
- What do you like to do outside work?
- Where did you go for your last holiday?
- What was the last book you read?
- How IT-literate are you?
Private practice specific
- What do you currently bill in fees/what's your billing track record? What's your charge out rate?
- What contacts have you introduced to the firm? Do you have a following?
Any questions?
Interviews are a two-way street. Be ready with your own questions; those that matter the most to you.
Examples
- How’s this opportunity arisen?
- What’s the structure of the organisation/department?
- What’s the culture of the organisation? Team spirited? Is there an open door policy?
- How much training, support and development opportunity is there?
- What are the future plans of the business/department?
- Who do you regard as your main competitors?
- What types of individuals are in the department currently?
- How do you appraise the performance of your staff?
- What are the long term prospects for the person who gets the job?
- Ask the interviewer who they worked for beforehand and how long they’ve worked in their current role
- What IT systems do you currently have in place?
- How many files will I be expected to handle?
- How much business development am I expected to be involved in?
- Does the organisation encourage marketing and development of client relations?
- Will I have responsibility for any junior members of the team?
- How many chargeable hours are staff expected to bill per month?
- What is the ratio of support staff to fee earner?
- Is the office open plan or cellular?
- Who would I directly report to?