Legal recruiters have an important job: finding the right person to work in their client’s firm. Law offices and the like fill positions through various means, from the traditional SEEK search to advertising through universities. But legal recruiters have the experience to sort through the potential candidates efficiently and decide whether they’re fit to meet their client. Although deciding who gets the job isn’t up to them, the law offices value their input so you must make a good impression.
- Dress properly
This applies to every interview situation. You might tell people you’re ‘just’ going to see the recruiter, but that doesn’t mean you show up in jeans with a blazer. Dress like you’re about to walk into the actual law office. If you got a call from a firm’s internal legal recruiters, that could very well happen!
- Have good manners
Yes, you have an amazingly witty sense of humour and are well-educated, but blatantly showing off impresses nobody. Say please, thank-you, be engaged and make eye contact with everyone. Two recruiters might be in the room, but just because one is asking all the questions doesn’t mean the other is sitting there for no reason. And call the legal recruiters by their names, too. It shows you’re paying attention.
- Be honest about your reasons
What makes you the best fit for this job? Why do you want to work for this company? What salary are you expecting? Legal recruiters need to pass on this information to whoever makes the decision to hire you. Think hard about what makes the law firm you applied to so attractive and if you can see yourself there long-term.
- …and your weaknesses
Anyone who says they’ve got no weaknesses won’t get any calls back. Recruiters and employers need to know about your weak points so they can anticipate them. Saying you have a weakness, but you want to improve on it, is also a sign of honesty.
- Don’t be attached
Legal recruiters have a list of positions available from their clients, so don’t get too attached to the job you applied for. You might be better suited to something else on their list. Don’t shoot down the opportunity because it doesn’t ‘meet your standards’. In law, you must be flexible and roll with whatever hand you’re dealt.
Liked this article? You’ll love these:
