Obviously, the manner in which these topics are handled is different for each candidate because
each candidate is unique. There are no standard answers.
However, there is one topic – the
questions that a candidate should ask his interviewer – where I do repeat myself often. I have a couple favorite questions that invariably earn high marks from my candidates during their post-interview debriefings. In order to have more than a couple great questions at the ready, I decided to ask my fellow BCG recruiters about their
favorite questions. My goal was to develop a
list of truly outstanding questions - my “Top Ten” if you will - designed to
impress the interviewer and make my candidate more memorable – a key feature in a competitive market if one hopes to
secure an offer.
Before I get to my
Top Ten Interview Questions, I need to discuss the more mundane questions that you may want to ask at some point during the process as well.
For example, you probably do want to ask about how work is assigned, how feedback is given to associates, when you will get client contact, and how deals are staffed (partner to associate ratio.) I do not mean to disparage these questions. They are important and will provide important
information about whether any particular position is right for you. However, nearly all
candidates ask these questions and you want to be able to set yourself apart from the crowd.
To that end, you may want to employ one or more of the following questions which should elicit
thoughtful and animated responses. The questions are not in any particular order so they are not truly a David Letterman “Top 10”. Rather they are questions which,
based upon your interviewer’s personality and the general tenor of the interview, you may opt to use in order to
make your interview notable. Without further delay, my Top Ten Interview Questions are as follows:
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1. What has been your most exciting experience working at this firm?
2. Is there anything that you did not
know about this firm when you joined that would have been helpful or good to know?
3. If you and I were to work together on a matter, how would you utilize an associate with my
skill set?
4. If I meet your expectations, what career growth can I reasonably expect?
5. What precipitated your hiring need right now?
6. Why did you
choose this firm?
7. Of which accomplishment is this firm most proud?
8. Where could you use the most support in your practice right now?
9. How would you characterize the culture and philosophy of the firm?
10. What is your favorite part of your job?
I cannot stress the
importance of engaging your interviewer in thoughtful conversation and these questions go a long way toward said goal. You may not want to use all of them (or any of them) if the interviewer does not seem amenable to innovation. However,
commit them to memory in case you want to use them, as you may be pleasantly surprised by how these questions can
turn an interview around for the better. Good luck and remember – there are no stupid questions!
See the following articles for more information about law firm interviews:
