Looking for any job in the legal industry requires patience, preparation, and positivity. If you’re looking for a judicial clerk position it is a good idea to assess your situation, research the availability, and prepare for the interview. Here are some great tips for interview preparation.
- Research the judge. Before you step foot in the office for the interview, do your homework. Research everything you can about the judge, including previous cases and rulings, their published work, where they went to school. If you’ve done this you should be able to impress the judge with your knowledge.
- Prepare to meet with the judge. This is more about confidence than about any specific answers to questions. You want to show the judge that you can be reliable and dependable. Be prepared to spend about 30 minutes or so answering the judge’s question about your background and your interests.
- Prepare to meet with the other clerks. You will also need to meet with the rest of the Judge’s staff. Be prepared to spend about 20 minutes with the other clerks. It is more difficult to prepare for an interview with the staff because you aren’t able to research them specifically but again it is important to be genuine and authentic. They want to see if you’re someone they can work with and trust.
- Be able to discuss your resume thoroughly. Judges and their staff tend to be pretty analytical about information so they will likely go through your resume form start to finish. They will want to know about your previous employment, why you’re interested in working for them, and may even go far enough back to ask you about your education. It is important to research the judge but it is equally as important to make sure you know your own message.
- Ask questions. You will want to prepare some thoughtful questions of your own to ask in the interview. Ask questions that can give you a bigger picture view of the judge and the expectations of the job.
- Be willing to accept the job. It isn’t uncommon for a job offer to be made on the spot. The interview is usually the last step in a long candidate consideration process and if they feel you’re the right person for the job they won’t want to let any time pass between the interview and the offer. Choose your interviews wisely and be prepared to accept the job immediately.
Are you looking for a position as a judicial clerk? NRI Staffing specializes in legal placements and can help you today!
