Non-Legal Interviewing

As a lawyer seeking to move into any non-legal position, you must convince your interviewer that you are truly willing to “shut the door” on the practice of law. You also must convince your interviewer of the following:

  • You possess valuable transferable skills that are relevant to your chosen field

    • E.g., writing, researching, negotiating, investigating, advocating, presenting, analyzing, having strong attention-to-detail, having a client-centric focus and building relationships

  • You are a hard worker and can learn new skills quickly and on the job with minimal hand-holding;

  • Especially if it is a position that requires a drastic pay cut, that you are truly understanding and accepting of the pay cut and are going into this new field with your eyes open;

  • You are willing to pay your dues and start at “the bottom” of whatever hierarchy may exist (or, more accurately, at whatever level is deemed appropriate considering your transferable skills);

  • You have done your homework regarding the new position and career, and you are fully informed and are serious about wanting to make the switch; and

  • You are proactively seeking this new career for the right reasons and are not reactively trying to flee the rigors of big law firm life in favor of something that sounds like a better lifestyle.

 

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