Articles From the Team

Interviewers want to recruit you, not reject you

Interviews, believe it or not, are not so much about the interviewers thinking of reasons to reject you, more often than not they will actually think of reasons to employ you!

I was helping a lawyer candidate of mine prepare for an interview earlier this week. As we sat there drinking our coffee chatting about the job brief, everything was fine. However, my candidate became very nervous when the question of why they left their previous firms came up. "Why?" I asked. "Well, I don't want to explain why as they might not want to hear about it and think ill of me". Interesting that my candidate immediately thought an interviewer’s reason for asking why they left their previous firm was to try to get the lawyer to dish the dirt! If you think like this your answer could be in danger of being too far from the truth to give the interviewer a concern about what you've said. And remember, when you don’t tell the truth your eyes will drift away from eye contact, you'll start to fidget etc etc.

If the reason for leaving your last firm is not something you are proud of it’s important to think of a way of telling the truth but still paints you in a positive light, don’t blame your last employer. If the interview is going well then the interviewer will be looking for reasons to believe you and they will move on. Aslong as your answer is based on truth then you have nothing to worry about. However, be warned, never over egg the pudding!

For further information please contact BCL Legal or call 0845 241 0933.