{"id":1465,"date":"2016-07-26T07:00:03","date_gmt":"2016-07-26T11:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.law.temple.edu\/voices\/?p=1465"},"modified":"2016-07-14T13:29:18","modified_gmt":"2016-07-14T17:29:18","slug":"common-job-interview-questions-answer-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.law.temple.edu\/voices\/common-job-interview-questions-answer-them\/","title":{"rendered":"Common Job Interview Questions and How to Answer Them"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’ve said before that interviews are really just conversations. It\u2019s not meant to be an inquisition. It\u2019s just an opportunity for the employer to get to know you \u2013 and for you to get to know the employer. The employer is looking for something that sets you apart from other candidates, your interest and enthusiasm, your motivation, and whether you can fit in.<\/p>\n

As part of that conversation, you can expect a few questions to come up more often than not. Below, you\u2019ll find common job interview questions along with advice on how to answer them.<\/p>\n

Oldies but goodies.<\/h2>\n

Why do you want to work for our organization?<\/h5>\n

If you don\u2019t remember anything that I say, please remember that you need to have an answer to that question. You need to be able to articulate \u2013very quickly \u2013 without looking at your notes, why you want to be there.<\/p>\n

Tell me about yourself \u2013 or \u2013 Tell me something that\u2019s not on your resume.<\/h5>\n

What they\u2019re really asking is for something that\u2019s interesting about you and is something fun to talk about.<\/p>\n

What are your strengths and weaknesses?<\/h5>\n

These questions have become a bit clich\u00e9, but you will be asked them; I promise you. 90% of you will be asked these questions at some point during law school so you have to have an answer.<\/p>\n

Why did you go to law school?<\/h5>\n

Make sure you have an answer to that \u2013 even if you\u2019re really not sure you were correct in your assessment.<\/p>\n

Behavioral Questions<\/h2>\n

There could be some questions that are called behavioral questions. What are you looking for in an employer? How do you handle stress? Behavioral interview questions are questions that try to predict your future behavior based on your past behavior. They usually start with, \u201cTell me about a time when you\u2026\u201d \u201cTell me ways you keep yourself organized.\u201d \u201cHow do you manage your time?\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s unlikely that you\u2019ll get behavioral questions in a first round interview. You\u2019ll probably get them in a second round interview \u2013 or what we\u2019d call a callback. Try to stay within the four corners of your resume when answering those questions. Tell me about a time where you had to persuade people you\u2019re right \u2013 doesn\u2019t involve a fight you had with your sister. It involves something within the professional realm, something on your resume, or an academic experience. Don\u2019t go outside of that box when answering those questions.<\/p>\n

Hypothetical Questions<\/h2>\n

There aren\u2019t that many employers who use hypotheticals in their interview process, but the District Attorney and the Public Defender do. If you have a DA or PD interview, prepare for these types of questions. These questions are really designed to see how you can think on your feet and the quality of your reasoning. Just answer the questions to the best of your abilities.<\/p>\n

You need to put a lot of thought into these answers, so practice them. Generally speaking, follow these rules:<\/p>\n