Body Language and Demeanor - Find The Right Balance Of Confidence, Try Not To Be Nervous, Engage Your Interviewer, Tell A Story
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Interviewing is like dating: It involves the art of mutual seduction and possible commitment. You are trying to look attractive to potential employers, while they are trying to woo you in turn. You use interviews to figure out if you are a good match. After an employer is willing to commit, you may tell them you are not ready to settle down until you see what else is out there. In this delicate interviewing dance, body language and demeanor are some of your strongest weapons—assuming you use them correctly.
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Although it is important to exhibit confidence during an interview, make sure your confidence is not read as arrogance. No matter how much interest you are receiving from legal employers, you still need to work hard to receive offers. A cocky demeanor and arrogant questions can alienate potential employers. According to one recruiting coordinator, her firm screens out arrogant candidates, no matte…
Unless you have a great deal of experience, you are probably going to be nervous. Even seasoned interviewees occasionally get butterflies. Being nervous weighs you down, makes the interview seem interminable, and makes you look uptight. More importantly, it prevents you from being who you are—a bright lawyer with personality and charm. Although being nervous is not something you can easily …
Some career counselors may instruct you to focus solely on your skills and credentials during your interviews. The reasoning behind this advice is that you only have a short time to demonstrate you are qualified, and you will not receive an offer if you waste precious time on small talk. Having been on both sides of the interviewing table, we can confidently tell you this is the worst advice you c…
You can give the best, the most correct, and the most prepared answers to the interviewer's questions. But you will still sound bland and boring if you do not interject personality into your answers. During her clerkship interview, Karen impressed the judge with her professional attire, her confident demeanor, and her resume. Sadly, Karen lacked the ability to tell a coherent story. Every t…
Another important trick of the interviewing trade is flattery. Whether you are interviewing as a senior lateral attorney or a 1L, you will be surprised how far flattery can get you, and how receptive the interviewers are to compliments. The trick is to be prepared and to sound so genuine that the interviewer does not see through you. If you think about it, this is pretty easy. With tools such as G…
First impressions matter. Your handshake should be neither too weak nor too strong, and you should sit up straight but appear relaxed. Do not slouch or sit on the edge of your chair. Place your arms where your interviewer can see them, with your palms open (this shows that you have nothing to hide). Maintain good eye contact at all times. Do not use too many gestures because they may distract your…
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