TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF

By Lynnette F. Baclig, Esq.
Graduate Fellow
Law Career Development

TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF

That is the million dollar question.  GGU’s Summer Job Fair is just around the corner, so now is a good time to brush up on some interviewing skills.  “Tell me about yourself” is a favorite question among interviewers for a variety of reasons, but mainly it’s a quick way for interviewers to get to know you.  This question is similar to the “why should we hire you?” and “what should I know about you?” interview questions.  These questions provide a great opportunity for you to emphasize why you are the perfect fit for the job. 

Use the power of storytelling to build your career.  According to Grammar Girl, good stories are moving when they engage the senses, move us morally, and connect us to others.  These tips can make good stories for applicants, BUT (with lots of the emphasis here) in an interview setting – DO NOT blurt out your life story.  Keep your responses short and simple in 90 seconds or less.  But, of course, show your excitement for the position.  The key to successful storytelling for interviewees is to convey enthusiasm for the job in a concise way.  After all, law students are drilled to write clearly and concisely so their interview responses should not be any different.  Concise storytelling is about disclosing only information relevant to the job.  Here are some tips to answer this common interview question in a concise yet engaging way by (1) sticking to a theme; (2) cutting to the point; (3) talking about real life experiences; (4) practicing; and (5) getting feedback from others.

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1.       Stick to a theme. 

Come up with a theme for the entire interview.  The goal is to cohesively prove your aptitude for the job by linking every interview question response to a theme.  The theme should tailor precisely to the position you are applying for or tailor to what the firm/organization represents.  Start by listing strong adjectives that are pertinent to the job, such as traits and skills, to decide a specific theme for the interview.  You can even piggy-back off of what you wrote in the cover letter you submitted for the position, but do not repeat your cover letter verbatim.  Themes can be generated from skills that are essential to the position or transferrable-skills gained from previous experiences or generated from an expertise in an area that’s valuable to the position you are applying for.  Themes can also come from a demonstrated commitment to a cause or client base or even an interest in a specific area of law.  This is about showing your passion and motives for the position that you are applying for.  Ultimately, a strong theme likely persuades interviewers to hire you.   

2.       Cut to the point from the very beginning and end strong. 

The first sentence should cut to the heart of the story and end on a strong note.  This sets the tone for the entire interview.  Often it is intuitive to tell a story about what you did in chronological order.  However, interviewers already know that information from your resume and interviewers will likely ask follow-up questions if they want to know more about a particular position listed on your resume.  So when interviewers say, “tell me about yourself,” a more interesting answer starts with the attention grabbing theme as discussed above and ends strong reiterating that theme.

3.       Talk about real life instances that embody your theme.

Think of real life instances backing up your theme.  To build a rapport with interviewers, tell them stories that are common to their experiences.  This could be about IRL instances in which you have applied traits, skills or passions essential to the position that you are applying for.  Think of this in IRAC terms.  Issue: Are you qualified for this job?  Rule: advanced litigation skills are required for this job.  But, in an interview setting, cut to the chase and get straight to the A and C of IRAC – application, and conclusion.  In the example above you would say, “I am qualified because I studied trial advocacy and learned the essential components of a trial. Then I applied those skills during my internship at x organization where I succeeded in x tasks.  Therefore, I developed strong litigation skills through my studies in trial advocacy and experiences as an intern.”  Done deal!

4.       Practice! 

Now that you have a script for your story, as with any performance, practice makes perfect.  So, tell me about yourself.  Practice responding to this question out loud at this very moment.  How did you start and how did you end?  Did you stick to your theme?  Is your theme tailored to the position you are applying for? 

Practice your script reciting it not in verbatim.  Do not memorize your script word for word because dry recitation is unimpressive, unauthentic and dull.  If you must write your script down, do so in bullet points so that you are not tempted to rehearse your script in verbatim.  The goal is to be flexible and open to direction because anything can happen during an interview.  This way, in the event that you are imprecise with your script, it does not stop you in your tracks or make you nervously fumble over your words.  Rather, you are relentlessly prepared to genuinely talk about each bullet point.  Answer this question while you are commuting or while getting ready for work or class, in the shower, making breakfast, etc.  The more practice, the more relaxed and confident you will be, and the more likely you will hit each crucial point bringing your interview to sweet home-base.  They won’t know what hit them!

Take advice from those who learn lines for a living.  Actors present organically, by having a deep understanding of what the heart of the script entails – what’s the deeper meaning behind the text?  Additionally, “try to tie the words you speak to the moves your body makes — the gestures you proffer at certain points in a speech for example or the welcoming posture you adopt when you’re greeting new acquaintances.  And infuse your delivery with some real emotion.”  That way you will charismatically leave a lasting impression on your interviewers.

Most importantly, the answer to “tell me about yourself” often applies to many other interview questions.  If you’re going to practice one interview question, this question is gold.  Because it is so broad, your response will likely encompass part of an answer to another more narrow interview question.   Thus, after practicing your responses to this question, you’ll be prepared to answer a variety of other questions.  So, practice, practice, practice telling your story in many different ways.

5.       Get feedback from others.

Long hours of practice may not be enough.  According to writer Annie Murphy Paul, practicing should be approached deliberately by “relentlessly focusing on our weaknesses and inventing new ways” to improve “ideally with the help of a coach or teacher.”  Try a faux interview session with a friend roleplaying as the interviewer asking the tough questions.  They may provide excellent feedback on where to cut your script or elaborate your script for the better.  However, the most effective way to get feedback is to schedule a mock interview with our LCD counselors.  It is also not too late to sign up for the 3rd Annual GGU Law Mock Interview Event occurring August 15, 2017, from 6 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., where volunteer attorneys are thrilled to help law students master their interviewing skills in time for on campus interviews.  Register on LCDonline by the deadline of August 11, 2017.

After taking these steps, if ever during an interview you are asked “tell me about yourself," take a deep breath and smell the roses. You know exactly what to say. 

Open Letter to Law Students: Your Legal Career Begins Now

Courtney Brown

Graduate Fellow

Law Career Development

Law school is not just another step in your education; it is where your legal career begins. It is important to use this time to create relationships within the legal community, build a strong reputation, and hone skills that will be useful throughout your career.

1.                  Relationships

There are many different groups of people that you will create relationships with while you are in law school: classmates, professors, lawyers, and school staff members. Although as law students we are told regularly how important networking is, many of us forget that relationships are built in many different settings, not just networking events. In fact, relationships with fellow classmates, professors, and law school staff are just as important as the relationships you create with attorneys at networking events, but are often overlooked.

It is easy to get lost in the craziness that is law school, and to focus entirely on classes and grades. It is also easy to treat classmates differently based on the grades they receive or the SORG positions they hold. However, like you would not be rude or dismissive to a co-worker you do not like, you should do the same with your classmates as they are professional relationships. You never know when and under what circumstances you will meet these people again; they could be a future client, judge, colleague or boss. “Classmates…can help open and just as quickly help close doors in your career.”

Equally important to relationships with classmates, are relationships with deans, professors, and other law school staff. At GGU we are fortunate to have a dean, professors, and staff that are invested in the success of their students, and are almost always willing and able to sit down and talk to their students. As law students, you should make sure you are taking advantage of these opportunities, because the relationships you build could be useful in the future if you are looking to work in academia or need information about a certain area of law that a former professor has expertise in.

2.                  Reputation

Just as you want to build relationships in law school, you also want to make sure that people know you for good reasons. Our reputation is one of the most fragile things we possess. Your reputation will follow you, especially “with classmate[s] who will become colleagues, partners, and the judges before whom we will stand.”

Law school is the time when you start showing classmates, professors, staff, and lawyers that you have a strong work ethic. Although good grades and rank will help boost you in the eyes of your classmates, there are a lot of other things to consider that are just as important or more important when building your reputation. Some easy ways to start building a strong reputation is by being on time to classes and meetings, as well as, being prepared for these.

On the same note as being on time for meetings, it is even more important that you show up for meetings and events that you schedule or commit to. I hear far too often about students not showing up for appointments or events they have committed to, and even worse is when they do not give any advance warning of their non-attendance. Not showing up or being late to meetings, events, or interviews is not acceptable when you are in law school, and especially not when you become a lawyer. It is your responsibility to make sure that you are calendaring your meetings and events, and getting into this habit now will help you when you graduate and need to calendar hearing, trial and deposition dates.

Other things that impact your reputation are the way you communicate with others and what you are wearing to school, networking events, and interviews. Both of these topics will be discussed separately in more detail below.

3.      Professional Attire

The way you dress and present yourself sends strong messages to those that see you. It can communicate to them your attitude and even your commitment to becoming a lawyer. It is always important to dress properly for the occasion.

Although law school observes casual dress codes for its students, you should still keep in mind that law school is designed to prepare you for being an attorney. Especially when you are tired from studying the night before, it is easy to wake up with just enough time to wash your face and put on some workout clothes. However, it is important that you put time into how you look. You want to make a good impression with those you come in contact with at the school, and looking sloppy will not do that.  Instead of wearing sweatpants or yoga pants, try to wear a nice pair of jeans and a shirt that fits well.

Even more important than what you wear to school, is what you wear to work, interviews, and networking events. When you go to a job interview, an informational interview, or a networking event, you should always wear a suit. The atmosphere of the legal community is slow changing, and it is always better to be overdressed in an interview or at an event because you are wearing a suit, then to be underdressed.  

4.      Social Media

Social Media is expanding in scope and size, and firms are becoming more involved in blogging and using LinkedIn and Facebook. With the increased use of Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn by potential employers, it is important that students use social media as a networking source and present themselves professionally to that network.

One of the most important things to do is to clean up your Facebook and Twitter profiles so that they present a professional persona to the outside world. Although Facebook and Twitter are more personal, you should keep in mind that what you post on Facebook or Twitter could be seen by a potential employer if they search your name.

If you have not already created a LinkedIn page with a professional headshot and the experiences and awards you have received, now is the time to do it. Use LinkedIn as a way to connect with people that others in your network know, because these connections could lead to potential job opportunities. Also make sure you are keeping your profile updated so that potential employers can see your experience and accomplishments if they access it.

5.      Communication

Effective communication is very important skill for an attorney to have, especially since being an attorney requires that you be able to communicate with many different groups of people. Unfortunately, many lawyers are not good at it, especially when it comes to communicating with their clients. In fact, failure to adequately communicate with a client is one of top complaints made by clients against their attorneys. One of the best parts of GGU is that they provide students with many opportunities to learn and practice how to effectively communicate in the many different situations you will be in as an attorney. You should take advantage of these opportunities so that you are better prepared when you graduate and get your first attorney position.

There are many ways to communicate with people, but it is important to keep in mind that “in-person communication is better than telephone communication and telephone communication is better than electronic communication,” when deciding how to communicate with someone. Although face-to-face communication may be the best way to build a relationship, most of the interactions you will have with other attorneys, professors, and colleagues will be through email, so learning how to send a proper and professional email is something you should start working on now.