If you are pursuing a legal career, then you know the importance of a good legal internship. Finding a good legal internship can be challenging as you need to rely on your social networks and law school career center to help boost your prospects. Finding an internship dealing with the type of law you want to practice is crucial.
For example, Rachel Lader is a legal intern interested in becoming a trial lawyer. She made sure to find an internship that allows her to help in the preparation phase for trials. This sort of internship matches perfectly with the type of law she wants to practice in the future. Picking an internship that matches well with your interests will help you to get the experience needed in order to further your legal career.
Once you’ve found an internship that matches your interest, the next big thing that matters is the often-dreaded interview. Here are some tips to help you nail your internship interview:
Dress The Part
The people who are evaluating you want to make sure you will fit into their existing operation. Dressing the part is extremely important as it allows them to visually imagine you working in their office and what you will look like when there.
If you aren’t sure how people dress at the firm, the safest bet is to err on the side of formal dress at your interview. By dressing formally, it shows the interviewer that you are taking this opportunity seriously.
Preparation
Most interview questions are very common, so it’s important to brush up on them beforehand. Here are some of the most common questions you’ll be asked:
- How comfortable are you using a computer?
- Tell us about a time you had when it was difficult working with someone?
- Tell us about a time you failed and how did you handle it?
- What are you hoping to learn or gain from this internship?
- Can you tell us about a time when you had to meet a tight deadline and how you handled it?
Your Turn To Ask Questions
In almost any interview, you are given an opportunity to ask questions of your own. Don’t make the cardinal mistake of not asking any when this opportunity is given to you? Instead, here are a list of questions you can use at this phase:
- What does a typical day look like around here?
- Will I be working with one person, or will I be working with everyone?
- What do you enjoy most about working here?
- If you had to start your law career again, what are some things you wish you would have known?
- What are the most challenging parts of working this job in your opinion?
These sorts of questions help the interviewer see that you seek information and care about the opportunities afforded to you. This will help you come off as a problem solver and self-thinker, which are qualities that most employers look for.
As you can see, by answering and asking the right questions, you can increase your chances for internship success!
