3 Things to Do When You Didn’t Get the Job

Yes, it stings when you prepped for an interview and get turned down. But we lawyers know how to persevere! Here are three things to do:

1. This is the easiest to do and helpful for your job search: look up who got the job. Chances are you are interested in similar jobs at similar companies. Now you know what your (winning) competition looks like. Fill in any holes in your skill set.
2. Try to get feedback. I wouldn’t email the interviewer for feedback because no lawyer is going to put in writing why you got turned down. If you have their number, pick up the phone (and ask nicely so they don’t get the sense you will sue), e.g., “Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me. I really appreciate it! So that I can improve, is there anything you suggest I get better at?” Or ask your recruiter (both internal and external), who may be more accessible and willing to answer. Plus, it’s helpful to build on this relationship in case another position opens up in the future.
3. Before your next interview, practice your standard answers to typical interview questions (tell me about yourself, why do you want to leave your current employer, why are you interested in us, what is your relevant experience) with an audience. First, you will see how hard it is to sound engaging within 60-90 seconds (it’s SO easy for lawyers to go long because they always want to explain all the details). Second, your audience can tell you what is easy to understand and what is not, if your delivery is boring, and if you gave good examples, all areas difficult to gauge for yourself.