Whether you’re simply looking to shift your career focus into the non-profit sector or you're pursuing a dream of working with an organization such as the ACLU or the Legal Aid Society, one of the biggest obstacles you might face will come in the form of your interview.  While you may be ideally qualified for a number of public interest legal jobs, many of the non-profit organizations that you’re applying with will be interviewing several other individuals who are just as qualified as you are.  To get the position you want, you’re going to have to ace the interview… and that might not be quite as easy as it sounds.  Unlike applying for a job at a firm where significant resources are devoted to attorney training, non-profit organizations look not only for individuals who share a commitment to their causes, but they also look for extensive legal experience. Adhering to the following tips will help shore up your chances of landing the job you want . . .

Update Your Resume

Before you begin applying for public interest legal jobs, take the time to give your resume a thorough update.  Remember that you want your resume to reflect your strengths and experience, so trim away items that have little significance to the job that you’ll be applying for.  Try to keep your resume focused on your legal experience, and if possible keep the length to within 1 page.

Write a Strong Cover Letter

Contrary to popular belief, interviewers do read cover letters. Make sure that your letter is specific to the position and organization you are applying to—do not use a generic cover letter for all of your job applications. Further, ensure that your cover letter highlights the key experience you have that will make you an asset to the organization. Pair specific characteristics of the organization with specific characteristics about yourself and your job history that will make you a good fit.

Be Prepared

Once you’ve landed the interview, prepare, prepare, prepare. In your interview you will need to display your knowledge and experience with confidence.  Build this confidence by taking the initiative to learn more about the organization that you’re interviewing with, both with respect to their mission and their history. Also, take the time to research the attorneys who work at the organization, and pay close attention to their backgrounds. This might even mean checking to see what publications they’ve authored recently, or what seminars they have given. Then have a friend do a mock interview of you, asking the questions that you predict they'll ask.

Get a full night’s sleep before the interview and make sure that you don’t skip breakfast.  Dress in a nice suit, preferably in a conservative color, and review both your resume and any materials that you will be bringing with you just before you leave to go to the interview.  Try to arrive 10-15 minutes before your interview is scheduled to start in order to give yourself time for unforeseen delays.

Anticipate Hard Questions and Give Strong Answers

Organizations within the public interest sector tend to operate with smaller staffs than other firms and organizations. Therefore, they must hire sharp people who can multi-task with ease. Therefore, interviewers in the public sector will will ask you a number of questions that require strong answers.  Don’t give simple “yes” or “no” answers… take the time to explain your answers, making sure that you remain confident and calm the whole time.  Common questions such as “Why are you interested in working with our organization?” and “What experience do you have that makes you well-suited to working within our organization?” may seem like easy questions at first, but make sure that you take these questions seriously and give them the thought that they deserve.  Quick and easy answers simply aren’t going to impress the interviewers. In today’s legal market, you need to go above and beyond.

Engage the Interviewer

While you need to maintain a professional attitude, this doesn’t mean that you have to be boring.  Ask questions, especially regarding the specific aspects of the non-profit that you’re interviewing with. Make sure, however, that you are not asking questions that are easily accessible on the organization’s website or with a google search (like "what exactly does your organization do?"). It will help you to have these questions prepared so that you won’t fumble or sound inarticulate when the questioner asks whether you have any questions. A good way to prepare your questions is to research the backgrounds of the attorneys with whom you will be interviewing.

Following this advice will greatly increase your chances of landing a legal job within the public interest sector. JD Diversity wishes you much success in your quest.