Below is a fairly exhaustive list of the most common on-campus interview questions.
One of the most important steps in on-campus interview (“OCI”) preparation is practicing your interview questions aloud. Many students hand or typewrite their answers to prepare for the interview, but few students go the extra mile by practicing the questions out loud.
This is important because thinking about the answers is very different from speaking them. And students who find themselves speaking the answers for the first time during the interview often feel unprepared and might stumble over their words.
Before you can begin to write, review, and then practice your answers aloud, you need to know what law firm interviewers ask. Of course, no interviewer can anticipate every question. But the more questions you are prepared to answer, the more confident you will feel.
Law Firm On-Campus Interview Questions About You
- Tell me about yourself.
- Why did you go to law school?
- What do you like most about law school?
- What do you like least about law school?
- Where do you see yourself in five/ten years?
- Which geographic areas interest you most? (or) Why this geographic area?
- What do you like to do in your spare time?
- Why do you think you’ll make a good lawyer?
- What would you most like to improve about your experience and skills?
- How do you handle criticism?
- Tell me about a time you faced adversity or your biggest challenge.
- Do you consider yourself a self-starter, or do you prefer more guidance on projects?
- How would your peers describe you?
- What is the most recent book you’ve read?
- Tell me something interesting that isn’t on your resume.
- Do you work best on teams or on your own?
- What personal qualities have made you the most successful?
BigLaw OCI Questions About Your Goals and Academic Performance
- What classes are you taking this semester?
- Tell me about your writing sample.
- What topic did you select for your Law Review/Journal Note?
- What issues will you be arguing in Moot Court?
- Why did you decide to participate in [co-curricular]?
- What do you hope to gain from your law degree?
- What was your favorite first-year course and why?
- Why do you want to work here?
- What do you know about the firm?
- What are you looking for in an employer?
- How can you contribute to our firm (or practice area)?
- Are you interviewing with other employers?
- Have you been invited to a second interview with other employers?
- Do you have any other offers?
- Please explain your grade in [course where you did not perform as well as usual]?
- How do you handle the stress of law school?
- How have you handled online courses?
On-Campus Interview Questions About Your Experience
- Tell me about [a previous experience on resume].
- Why did you choose to work with [previous employer]?
- What did you like best about [experience listed on resume]?
- Why did you select your undergraduate major?
- Why should we hire you?
- What makes you stand out from your peers?
- How have you handled the stress of the pandemic?
- What is your greatest strength?
- What is your greatest weakness?
- Do you want to do transactional work or litigation?
- What practice areas most interest you and why?
- Tell me about a time you had to work with a difficult group and how you handled it?
- Tell me about a time you had to work with a difficult manager and how you handled it?
- What is your greatest accomplishment?
- Tell me about a time you faced failure and how you handled it?
- What questions do you have for me?
Additional Resources for Nailing the Interview
This list will help you prepare for on-campus interviews. But, you should check with your law school career advisor to see if they have a similar list that may contain some different questions.
You may also enjoy Landing the Big Law Firm Job: How to Answer the Most Common On-Campus Interview Questions, which provides an in-depth analysis of the following questions.
- Where do you see yourself in five years?
- Why did you go to law school?
- What classes are you taking this semester?
- Tell me about yourself.
- Why do you want to work here?
For each question, this chapter of the On-Campus Interview Success Series provides:
- An analysis of why firms ask the question;
- Examples of how not to answer the question; and
- Guidance on how to give the strongest answer to the question.
Conclusion to The Most Common On-Campus Interview Questions
The first step in being thoroughly prepared for any on-campus or legal interview is to practice your interview skills. And the best way to do that is to know what questions to expect.
If you’ve encountered any unique questions during the interview process, please drop them in the comments below!
If you find my blog helpful, please share it with a friend, and follow @TG_Elsher on Instagram for more interview success tips.
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