Potential interview questions
Technically, not every item is a question; some are statements; but all are intended to prompt you for a response.
Better questions are not those that can be answered with a “yes” or “no,” but are open-ended questions that invite thoughtful response. Even if you are asked a question that can be answered with a “yes” or “no,” (e.g. “Are you comfortable with the amount of travel this job involves?”), you can certainly add a word of explanation to back up your answer (e.g., “Yes. I actually look forward to the opportunity to travel and to work with the staff members in some of the other offices).
Best questions are those that ask you how you behaved in the past, be-cause past behaviour is the best predictor of future behaviour.
Not every interviewer will ask you every one of these questions. Howev-er, if you are prepared to address these questions, you will leave the impres-sion that you were prepared for your job interview, even if additional ques-tions take you by surprise.
What are your long-range goals and objectives for the next seven to
ten years?
What are your short-range goals and objectives for the next one to
three years?
How do you plan to achieve your career goals?
What are the most important rewards you expect in your career? Why did you choose the career for which you are preparing?
What are your strengths, weaknesses, and interests?
How do you think a friend or professor who knows you well would
describe you?
Describe a situation in which you had to work with a difficult person (another student, co-worker, customer, supervisor, etc.) How did
you handle the situation?
How do you determine or evaluate success?
In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our
organization?
Describe a contribution you have made to a project on which you
worked.
What qualities should a successful lawyer possess?
What two or three accomplishments have given you the most
satisfaction? Why?
Describe your most rewarding college experience. Why did you select your college or university?
What led you to choose your major or field of study? What college subjects did you like best? Why?
What college subjects did you like least? Why?
Do you think your grades are a good indication of your academic
achievement?
What have you learned from participation in extracurricular
activities?
In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?
Describe a situation in which you worked as part of a team. What role
did you take on?
What went well and what didn’t?
In what part-time or summer jobs have you been most interested?
Why?
How would you describe the ideal job for you following gradua-tion? Why did you decide to seek a position with our organization?
What two or three things would be most important to you in your
job?
What criteria are you using to evaluate the organization for which
you hope to work?
Are you comfortable with the amount of travel this job requires? Are you willing to spend at least six months as a trainee?
What the interviewer is looking for.Interviewer says: Tell me about yourself.
Remember, this is a job interview, not a psychological or personal interview. The interviewer is interested in the information about you that relates to your qualifications for employment, such as education, work experiences and extracurricular activities.
Interviewer says: What do you expect to be doing five years from now? Ten years from now?
The interviewer is looking for evidence of career goals and ambitions rather than minutely specific descriptions. The interviewer wants to see your thought process and the criteria that are important to you. The inter-viewer is not looking for information about your personal life.
Interviewer says: Why should I hire you?
Stress what you have to offer the employer as relates to the position for which you are interviewing, not how nice it would be to work there or what you want from the employer. Remember that you are being compared to other candidates, and in fact more than one candidate might be a very good employee. Deliver to the employer reasons to see that you are a good fit (show you know yourself, know the field/industry, know the organization, and know the position).
Interviewer says: What are your ideas about salary?
Research salaries in your field before your interviews so that you know the current salary range for the type of position you are seeking.
Interviewer says: Why do you want to work for our company/organiza-tion?
Not having an answer is a good way to get crossed off the candidate list, and is a common pet peeve of interviewers. Research the employer before your interview; attempt to find out about the organization’s products, loca-tions, clients, philosophy, goals, previous growth record and growth plans, how they value employees and customers, etc.
Unfortunately it’s very common for job-seekers to directly state, “I real-ly want to work for your company/agency/organization/firm”, but then to be unable to answer the question “why?” Without the answer to “why?” the initial statement becomes meaningless.
Ролевая игра.
Группа делится на подгруппы, состоящие из четырех человек. Один студент из подгруппы будет исполнять роль «Работодателя», трое других — «Соискателей на должность юрисконсульта компа-нии». Работодатель должен выбрать самого достойного на эту долж-ность, для этого он должен заранее продумать, какие вопросы он за-даст каждому из соискателей, как будет оценивать их в соответствии с рекомендациями, данными выше. Соискатели тоже должны хоро-шо подготовиться к собеседованию, прийти с написанными заранее заявлениями (анкетами), просмотреть вопросы, которые обычно за-дают на собеседовании, и подготовить свои ответы на них (Potential Interview Questions). Работодатель начинает:
(Opening) Good morning Mr. (Ms) (X, Y, Z). I have got your ap-plication form and I would like to ask you a few questions about your-self.
(Closing) Thank you very much, Mr. (Ms) (X, Y, and Z). I’ll make my decision and contact you in the near future. Goodbye.
После того как соискатели пройдут собеседование, работодатель должен оценить каждого из претендентов по предложенной ниже шкале оценок, написать краткую характеристику каждого из соис-
кателей и огласить свое решение о том, кто из них и почему будет принят на работу.
| MR (MS) X | GRADES |
| QUALIFICATIONS | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 |
| LEGAL SKILLS | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 |
| APPROPRIATE EXPERIENCE | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 |
| PERSONALITY | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 |
| OVERALL GRADE | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 |
Note: 1 = not at all suitable; 10 = very suitable
GLOSSARY
award — 1. (присужденная) награда или наказание 2. решение суда 3. присуждать что-либо, награждать чем-либо
to give (the highest) award — присуждать (высшую) награду to award a degree — присуждать степень
to award a judgment — вынести судебное решение
college — 1. университетский колледж 2. специальное высшее учебное заведение
University’s undergraduate college — университетский колледж, го-товящий бакалавров
conduct — 1. поведение 2. вести, руководить, проводить rules of conduct — правила поведения
to conduct an examination — проводить экзамен degree — ученая степень
Bachelor’s degree — степень бакалавра Master’s degree — степень магистра
law degree — степень в области юриспруденции to earn a degree — заработать степень
to pursue a degree — стремиться получить ученую степень draft — составлять план, проект, черновой набросок
to draft documents — составлять документы to draft a motion — составлять ходатайство
to draft an agreement — составлять соглашение (договор) fair — 1. честный, справедливый 2. честно
by fair means — честным путем
strict but fair — строгий, но справедливый
graduate — выпускник, окончивший высшее учебное заведение to graduate (from) — окончить высшее учебное заведение и полу-
чить степень бакалавра law — закон, право
natural law — естественное право
prescriptive laws — предписывающие законы, основанные на праве давности или обычая
substantive law — материальное право
to amend a law — вносить поправки в закон to apply a law — применять закон
to be against the law — быть противозаконным to break a law — нарушать закон
to enforce a law — обеспечить (принудительно) исполнение закона to make a law — издавать, принимать закон
to obey a law — соблюдать закон to repeal a law — отменять закон to study law — изучать право law and order — правопорядок
master — 1. магистр 2. овладевать (знаниями, языком и т. д.)
to take one’s Master’s degree of Law — получить степень магистра права
to master legal terminology — овладеть юридической терминологией to master communications technology — освоить современные тех-
нологии общения
to master writing skills — овладеть навыками письма property — собственность, имущество
private (public) property — частная (общественная, государствен-ная) собственность
to own a property — владеть собственностью
right — 1. правота, справедливость 2. право, привилегия civil rights — гражданские права
right of audience — право выступать в суде to respect rights — уважать права
rule — 1. правило 2. норма 3. предписание, приказ rule of law — норма права
rules of behaviour — правила поведения rule of court — судебное предписание rules of practice — процессуальные нормы
skill — 1. мастерство, искусство 2. компетенция 3. ловкость, умение skills in logical reasoning — навыки логического рассуждения
to develop high notch organizational skills — развивать высочайшие навыки самоорганизации
legal skills — профессиональные компетенции юриста
society — 1. общество, общественный строй 2. ассоциация, орга-низация
democratic society — демократическое общество well-ordered society — высокоорганизованное сообщество training — обучение, подготовка
clinical training — учебная практика
legal training — профессиональная подготовка (обучение) юристов on-the-job training — обучение по месту работы
trainee — практикант