Nova Law Careers Blawg

Looking for a Job? Follow the ‘80/20 Rule’, Hiring Partner Says

Posted from ABA Journal Daily Newsletter, Jun 10, 2010 9:52 AM CDT
By Debra Cassens Weiss

Law students going through on-campus interviews should follow the “80/20” rule, a hiring partner says.

That means the job candidate should do 80 percent of the talking, according to hiring partner William Krais and recruiting coordinator Carole Mecca of the law firm Porzio, Bromberg & Newman in Morristown, N.J. “A candidate who has nothing more to say 10 minutes into a 20-minute interview will not do well,” they write in an article for the New Jersey Law Journal.

They also advise candidates to be prepared. “While fledgling second-year law students may not know exactly what they would like to do, if a candidate comments that he wants to be a criminal defense lawyer, or she wants to be a family lawyer, but our firm has neither of those practice areas, then the candidate has not done his or her homework and does not have a particular interest in our firm,” they say. “Also, if a candidate knows ahead of time who the interviewer will be, then the candidate should, at a minimum, look up the interviewer on the firm's website.”

Job seekers should also bring a writing sample and at least an unofficial law school transcript to the interview, they say. And candidates should help themselves stand out by offering some interesting details about their hobbies or interests. Have they written a novel, or do they cook ethnic meals or volunteer their time in a soup kitchen? Firms want students not only with good academic credentials but also people who will enrich the workplace.

Copyright 2010 ABA.  All rights reserved.

Don't be a Day Late and a Dollar $hort!

Please join the Career Development Office for our “Critical Career Deadlines Program”

Tuesday, 2/9 at 12 pm and 5 pm

Faculty Study

 Don’t be a Day Late and a Dollar $hort! 

 

We will be covering 1L, 2L and 3L/4L timelines to ensure that you make the MOST of your law school experience!  We realize it’s difficult to keep track of all the job/internship application deadlines you face throughout law school, which is why we’re developed a written timeline to guide you.  You will have an opportunity to ask questions and will walk away with a better sense of where you are now and where you’re going.  This is critical, especially given today’s tough economy. 

 

We also have copies of the timeline available in our office or on our website at http://www.nsulaw.nova.edu/career/cs/publications.cfm. 

 

Make sure to attend either the day or evening session … Don’t be a Day Late and a Dollar $hort! 

Interviewing for a Job? Avoid using cell phone or texting in the waiting room!!

Important Etiquette tip from the Culture and Manners Institute (http://www.cultureandmanners.com/):

There is one story that, when I tell it in a university setting, I can see the whites around the eyes of the students.

A woman approached me after a talk in Oklahoma and said, "I am the receptionist in my office. The hiring manager has asked me to keep an eye on the job candidates in the waiting room and report back to him which ones are talking on their cell phones, checking messages or texting. Those are the candidates we do not hire.

Avoid using your cell phone or text messaging while sitting in the waiting room before an interview or even a sales call (which is in itself, an interview). Take out a notebook and study your notes (for surely you have done your research on this company -- their leadership, mission statement, sales figures, etc.) Go over the answers to tricky questions in your head. Even if you usually review notes on your phone or PDA, use something else so you don't appear to be checking messages. Leave the impression that you are focused on the business at hand and not distracted by other things in your life.