Does a phone or video interview request instead of an in-person interview mean a firm is less serious about my candidacy?
Answer:
Just as document review, court filing, and many other law firm tasks and activities have trended toward the digital thanks to ever-improving technology, so has the hiring process. In fact, unless an attorney is already located in the same city as the office for which they are interviewing, it is becoming exceedingly rare for an in-person interview to kick of the process. An initial phone screen or video conference with the practice group's managing partner (and sometimes one or two more attorneys) has become the norm, even for top-notch superstar candidates.
In fact, I often recommend to my candidates that they dress up for a phone screen as if it were a formal, in-person interview, to sit up straight, be expressive, and do their best to convey their enthusiasm and professionalism to the interviewer. A lot of client interaction these days is over conference calls or via video, and partners want to know that you convey an impression of competence and professionalism in this medium so that they can trust you with handling their own client matters should they choose to hire you.
The interview landscape is constantly changing, but one thing that should never change is your approach to any interview, no matter the format - take it seriously, be well-prepared, and always be as professional as possible. After all, you don't want your first impression to be your last!
See the following articles for more information:
- 21 Major Interview Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs
- The Best Way to Prepare for a Job Search and Interviews
- How to Talk About Other Interviews in Your Interviews
- How to Answer the Tell Me About Yourself Interview Question
- How to Answer the Do You Have Any Questions for Me Interview Question
