Congratulations! You made it through the gauntlet of screening interviews and you’ve got a callback. That means you have generally put to rest any questions about your raw brainpower. Now the focus shifts more to “fit.” As one partner put it: “I don’t want any doorknobs. I have to work with these people.” 

At this stage, interviewers are trying to discern how well you will get along with others in the office—particularly under stress. They’ll also want to see if you have the poise and professionalism to represent the firm and cultivate clients. Finally, they will be looking for qualities such as initiative, attention to detail, and resourcefulness.

Here are some tips to engage your interviewers and turn your callback interviews into an offer:

Keep up with the news. Be prepared to chat about something beside law school. Although law school is not particularly conducive to fascinating extracurricular experiences, come up with one or two succinct stories that will interest the interviewer. Here, a trip to Cuba trumps your moot court experience. Also check the news in the morning before your interviews. If there is a huge story that everyone is talking about, you need to be able to discuss it. 

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