Career Services Blog
Interview Series, Part Three: At the End of the Interview and Beyond
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by Alice Emerson, Director of Career Programming and Public Interest Law and Jess Peterson, Assistant Director of Career Services
Congratulations– you’re on the other side of this interview! Well, almost. At this point, the interviewer has asked everything they have for you, you’ve asked the questions you have for them, and you can feel the “Thanks for meeting with us,” coming on. In these last few moments, there’s still time to show your enthusiasm for the opportunity. And even after you exit, you can continue to make a great impression and make sure they know you’re interested.
- If you are jazzed on the organization and position, make sure to reiterate your interest/excitement. Now is not the time to be aloof– if you feel like this is a great fit for you and you’re stoked about the work you’d be doing, make sure they know before you leave!
- Ask any final questions you have. For instance, you can ask if there is other information that would assist them with their decision, and/or whether they can provide you with an idea of when they will be making their decision.
- Make notes after your interview. Jot down how you feel it went, anything that stood out to you, which questions were harder for you to answer, and any new questions that may have cropped up since you parted ways with the interviewer. Also make note of what they told you about when to expect to hear from them, or anything else that feels important to remember. These notes will be helpful in case you get a call back, or have the opportunity to interview with them in the future.
- Send a thank you note. Within 24 hours, make a point to thank them for their time and consideration. If you would like more guidance on how to write a thank you, check out this article.
BONUS THOUGHTS: If the interview ends and you’re not feeling awesome about it, it’s okay. Some people don’t interview well, but are fantastic lawyers/employees! You can always consider being candid– tell them that interviews are a real challenge for you, but that you are capable of doing the work (be prepared with references to speak to your excellent performance).
Also, it’s important to maintain perspective. Most likely you’re only hearing about the jobs that people are landing, not a running list of positions they weren’t selected for. You don’t know the totality of the applicant pool, or how many people applied for a given position. Try not to get discouraged! Every interview is practice and can be a great learning experience, even if it doesn’t lead to a job. You may have made a great impression, but not be selected. That doesn’t mean that they don’t see your strengths or that they won’t remember you if you apply again the next year.
No matter how you feel about yourself as an interviewee, we hope the advice in this series has offered something new for you to consider. If you’re feeling like you could still use more support in honing your interviewing skills, we would love to help! Book an appointment with one of our advisers for a mock interview, or come see us for our Zoom Drop-In sessions on Fridays from 10:00 am-12:00 pm.