Articles From the Team

Interview questions YOU can ask to help find out more about your possible new role/ company!

An integral part of the process in finding a new legal position is being interviewed for the opportunity. This will often trigger in-depth preparation for the interview including gathering information on the organisation, researching key stakeholders as well as ensuring that your own technical knowledge is solid and that you have sufficient examples of your experience that you can employ to demonstrate your ability.

I am a huge advocate of this foundation for interview preparation. However, something that is often overlooked is the fact that an interview process is as much about a potential employer highlighting the benefits of their business, as much as it is about an individual demonstrating why they are the best person for the job.

A great way to develop your understanding of a new opportunity and business is to prepare and ask targeted questions. Below are some suggestions of the types of questions that you can ask to get information that might not necessarily arise out of a typical interview.

- How would you describe the working environment?

Some might say that you can judge the company based on an interviewer’s response to this question but realistically, their answer will be quite positive bearing in mind this person will be trying to promote their organisation. However, their answer will offer some insight as to how the individual/team communicates and how much flexibility/autonomy the team offers.

- What are some of the challenges that this team/department faces?

The answer to this question will almost always generate new information. Moreover, asking this question not only shows that you are commercially aware but that you are already thinking about how to assist the team to overcome the current challenges that they face.

- What learning and development opportunities are available in this team?

This question is full of ambition and shows that you still want to progress. Ultimately, businesses will want to develop their legal team and showing that you are on board with this approach is a good step forwards. This question also comes across in a more subtle way than ‘when are salaries reviewed?’ or ‘when do the promotion cycles run?’

Ensuring that you are well-informed about a new opportunity is absolutely vital to your career. Those individuals that work with BCL Legal are aware that this is merely a fraction of the advice that we can offer in terms of interview technique. Of course, we are here to help if you have questions that we can help you with!

For more information contact Liam Digan at BCL Legal.