Performing in an interview
I joined Clayton Utz after almost ten years in London recruiting graduates into law, finance and consulting firms. The best part of my job is the time of the year when we start offering talented students places on our clerkship and graduate programs, and being able to support aspiring future lawyers as they take the first steps into a rewarding career in law. Outside of work, I can be found cooking in the kitchen or relaxing at the beach.
We recognise that interviews can be nerve-racking at the best of times. We know your mind could be running a million miles per hour thinking about what questions you may be asked. Below are my tips to help calm the nerves and ensure you showcase yourself on the day:
Completing a Face to Face Interview
1. Arrive early
Look up the address and work out how you'll travel to the interview ahead of time. Maybe do a practice run to check how long it takes you to ensure you arrive with enough time.
To avoid any panic on the day plan to arrive early. That way if public transport has an unexpected delay or you get stuck in traffic, you have time to call ahead and/or work out if you need to change your mode of transport. Consider aiming to arrive around half an hour early. Grab a coffee or small bite to eat nearby to help settle your nerves, knowing you're only walking distance from your interview.
Head to reception and notify them of your arrival approximately 5-10 minutes ahead of your scheduled interview time. Use this time to go to the bathroom and take some deep breaths.
2. Greet your interviewers with a firm handshake and smile
There is nothing worse than shaking a limp hand, so make sure you have a firm (not tight!) grip on your interviewer's hand when shaking.
Smiling from the start sets the tone of the interview and demonstrates open body language towards your interviewers. It will often be reciprocated too!
3. Be aware of your body language
Sit up straight in your chair at all times as this shows engagement in the conversation.
Be aware of your hands, especially if you're prone to fidgeting.
Try to place them in your lap, in a position that is comfortable for you.
Continue to smile throughout the interview and maintain regular eye contact with your interviewers.
4. Take sips of water to avoid your mouth from going dry
If a glass of water is available, take sips from this during the course of your interview &ndash often the best time is when you're being asked a question.
If you're unsure whether a glass of water may be available, you can either ask for one at the start of the interview, or bring along a water bottle.
5. Be aware of your speaking volume in the room
Sometimes the interview room may be small, so be conscious when you're talking to adjust your voice projection to an appropriate level.
6. Take your time to collect your thoughts before answering a question
There is no expectation to immediately answer a question once the interviewer has finished asking it.
Take some time to consider what the question is asking, think through which example best demonstrates this, and then provide your answer – taking a 10-15 second pause is appropriate.
You may consider repeating the question back to help you gather your thoughts.
If need be, you can always ask for the question to be repeated to ensure you're clear that you're answering the question accurately.
Completing a Video Interview
At some stages of the process, you may be required to complete a video interview, instead of face to face. Below are my tips to help set yourself up for success!
1. Log into the video link slightly early to test your audio and video connection
Download any software needed for your interview. Make sure you login early so you can trouble shoot any tech hurdles.
Check your audio – often you can test this before logging in to the call with the software's system
Check your video – this includes making sure that the lighting in the room clearly shows your face and the background is not distracting for your interviewers. Consider setting yourself up so a plain wall is behind you as the background.
Be mindful of your outfit – wearing professional attire will ensure you demonstrate a good first impression when the video connects, and show you are serious about the role.
2. Greet your interviewers with a smile
Unfortunately you won't be able to shake your interviewers' hands in this case, however a smile is still important!
Consider it like a virtual handshake! Similar to being in person, a smile demonstrates open body language.
3. Be aware of your body language
Sit up straight in your chair at all times as this shows engagement in the conversation.
Be aware of your hands, especially if you're prone to fidgeting. Try to place them in your lap, in a position that is comfortable for you.
Continue to smile throughout the interview and maintain regular eye contact with the camera/screen.
4. Take sips of water to avoid your mouth from going dry
Make sure you arrange to have a glass or bottle of water next to you before you start the call so you can take sips throughout the interview.
5. Be conscious of any delays on the call
Sometimes the connection isn't working perfectly and you may find that there is a delay between you and the interviewers. Be mindful of this and ensure you pause briefly before answering a question just to make sure you hear it all before answering!
6. Take your time to collect your thoughts before answering a question
Similar to a face to face interview, there is no expectation to immediately answer a question once the interviewer has finished asking it.
Take some time to consider what the question is asking, think through which example best demonstrates this, and then provide your answer – taking a 10-15 second pause is appropriate.
In the event that you don't hear the question clearly because the video/audio connection was poor, don't be afraid to ask for the question to be repeated!