1. Do your homework
Nowadays, that’s more than just a quick read of the company’s website. Check the person who is interviewing you on LinkedIn to see if you have any contacts in common and make sure you have searched for the company’s latest news on the morning of the meeting.
2. Wear something you feel your best in
This doesn’t only apply for a face-to-face meeting, even if you are talking over the ‘phone, wearing your work clothes can help you feel confident and relaxed, which will come across in your conversation.
3. Practise running through your CV
Most first interviews will be a combination of you talking through your skills and experience and some questions from the interviewer to test your knowledge in relation to the role. Make sure that you have a succinct overview of your top achievements and relevant skills ready prepared.
4. When it comes to competencies, be a STAR
A handy mnemonic to help you craft winning answers to those killer questions that begin “Tell me about a time when you…”, this stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result. Set the scene briefly, describe the task at hand, what you personally did and what happened as a result. Again, there’s no harm in preparing a few of these in
advance if you there are question topics you’re expecting.
5. Embrace the small talk
You are being interviewed from the moment you meet, so remember to enjoy gettingto know the person who is interviewing you. Exchanging a few considered pleasantries or finding an interest or acquaintance in common will help you build rapport and relax. Similarly on the way out, remember to thank your interviewer and any reception or assistant staff you meet.
6. Give yourself plenty of time
It’s a basic, but make sure you know where you are going (especially if there are multiple entrances or buildings), check your route online and aim to arrive five minutes early. If you are more than five minutes early for an in-person meeting, wait before announcing your arrival in case your interviewer is having a really busy day.
7. Show off your team-player skills
Our clients come to Obelisk not only because they know our consultants are great lawyers, they also want to work with people who can fit into a new team quickly and get results. Remember to describe examples of when you’ve done this in the past.
8. Take a breath
If you’re worried that you’re talking too fast, or if there’s a question that you need to think about, remember to take a breath for a second or two longer than normal. This will help you relax and give you time to compose your thoughts. If you find a question unclear or challenging, it’s fine to ask a clarifying question before answering, for example, “I think you’re asking me about X..have I understood that correctly?”. Alternatively, you might check at the end, “Has that answered your question or can I add any more?”
9. Remember this is your interview too
Have a list of questions you’d like to ask in the back of your mind, ready for the time towards the end of the interview. Focus on questions that show your interest in the role, such as about the other members of the team, commercial colleagues, the culture of the business or the strategy of the legal team.
10. Share feedback with the Obelisk team as soon as you can afterwards
First impressions really count, so make sure you debrief with your Obelisk contact ASAP, while the meeting and any follow-up questions you may have are fresh in your mind.
For more tips and advice, watch our Move the Needle webinar on Mastering the Art of Interviews here.
