ANSWERING COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS 

 
Different interviewers have different styles, so it’s hard to predict what kinds of questions you will be 
asked when you interview.  Preparing for a wide variety of questions is the best way to head into any 
interview confident that you will be able to answer any question that comes your way.   
 
Practice Your Answers Out Loud: As you read through the questions below, stop to consider how you 
would answer each one – and then verbalize those answers out loud.  You will find that “knowing 
what you think you will say” and actually saying it are two different things.  Practicing answers aloud 
will ensure that your answers are well organized, concise, and articulate.  It may take you several tries 
to get your answer to come out best.  You do not want to go into an interview with pat, preplanned 
answers or you risk sounding scripted – but you do want to go into an interview confident that you 
will be able to talk about your skills and experience in an engaging and articulate way. 
 
A.

Why should we hire you?

 This is the question behind every question you will be asked.  Make 

sure that your answers express your interest in the practice of law and the particular employer you 
are interviewing with.  Prepare to give the interviewer concrete examples of your strengths, skills 
or and experience.  Saying that you have “strong leadership skills” doesn’t really tell a potential 
employer anything, but discussing a group, program or project that you have led does.  Make sure 
that your answers reflect the characteristics employers are looking for – good judgment, problem 
solving skills, dedication, strong work ethic, legal writing and reasoning skills, the ability to work 
independently, the ability to get along with others, and plain old common sense.  
 

B.

Tell me something about yourself.

 Employers are looking for a 60 second focused, concise 

statement that showcases your experience, career progress, major accomplishments, some of your 
best traits, and casts you in a positive light.  A good answer includes some personal information 
(especially if it ties you to the geographic location of the employer or practice area) and your 
professional goals.  For example:  “I’m a transplant to Chicago, but I’m here for good.  I was born 
and raised in Cincinnati, but I came to Chicago for undergrad, and worked as a consultant here for 
four years in PriceWaterhouseCoopers’s tax group.  My wife teaches 3rd grade at St. Athanasius 
in Evanston, so we live in Evanston now.  I’m MJ Candidate at Loyola, and I’m really enjoying it, 
especially my business law class.  I’m interested in building on the experience I gained at 
PriceWaterhouseCoopers as a senior consultant.  That’s one of the reasons I’m so interested in 
XYZ Company – I’ve heard great things about your tax group.” 
 

C.

Why are you interested in our firm/organization?

 Research the firm by going to the website 

and searching the internet and be able to articulate specifically what about the organization that 
interests you. Look for facts: specific practice areas, successes, clients, (successful completion of 
the merger between Client A and Client B).  
 

D.

Why are you interested in this geographic area?

 Do you have any ties to this community?  If 

students have lived/worked in the area, this is easy.  For students with no ties to the area, you 
should refer to ties to the east coast; experience in large urban areas; visits to the city; interest in 
living & working in a large city/small town; extra points if they have talked to classmates/friends 
who have lived and worked in the area and can give details about events/places/neighborhoods.