This place is not just about picking up women.

[GeorgeStrom]

At least I think so.


So here's my situation:

I'm in law school right now. I was invited to attend a dinner hosted by a major firm in the city. Every year they invite a few law students to a free supper so they can see if they want to hire them.

I will be there with a few of my colleagues from school. Obviously I want to impress my future employers.

The supper will be held at a fancier restaurant. It will be a mix of men and women lawyers.

What are some tips from the SS members?

Thanks in advance

 

[Unprez]

the opposite you would act in a club....

 

[jophil28]

What are some tips from the SS members?

Thanks in advance

Be "pin striped" every which way.
THis is a job interview, no less.

Think James Bond without the women and the C&F.

 

[Janez]

and put age into your profile ..

 

[TheSplat]

Smile. Smell good. Relax. Talk to everyone. Have a drink or two. Have fun. Show them that you're the kind of guy they will want to be around every day if they hire you. Stay professional though. Maybe get a phone number from a girl (not one in your party). That will impress the men.

 

[Ricky]

Find out what they are looking for , i.e. "their ideal employee" even ask them this. I've done this several times in interviews.

Then future pace yourself into that role... Provide examples later on in the conversation that show you can provide that type of service to their firm.

 

[DJDamage]

Find everything you know about that particular firm.

Make sure you know your sh1t.

Don't brag.

Don't talk too much.

Be humble.

Act enthusiastic and passionate about law but be careful not to kiss ass.

Avoid topics like politics or religion, your opinions could rub someone the wrong way.

Networking - try to get important contacts.

Do something that makes you stand out in a positive way from the rest of the students (A head above everyone else).

Remember that it is your job to sell yourself without looking like you are really trying too.

 

[Effington]

Smile. Smell good. Relax. Talk to everyone. Have a drink or two. Have fun. Show them that you're the kind of guy they will want to be around every day if they hire you. Stay professional though. Maybe get a phone number from a girl (not one in your party). That will impress the men.

This guy's on track, although I'm not exactly sure I'd try to pick up a girl. Remember, this is a job interview. The most important thing is to make sure everyone likes you--people hire people they like.

If you can, try to find out what type of people they hire. For example, in the accounting industry, the now-defunct Arthur Anderson had a pretty strict type of person they were looking for--very professional, hard working, good grades. However, Price-Waterhouse-Coopers look for more laid-back people that can get along anywhere; their recruiting process on campus involved barcrawls and drinking games. In my year, PwC hired my roommate, who was really outgoing and even has a dance minor, and the quarterback to the football team.

By far (and this goes for more than just job interviews), the most important thing is to be able to read people. If they want to stay professional and ask job/school questions, go that route. If they want to talk about what your weekend was like, try to get a feel for what type of stuff they do, and see if you can find a similar interest to talk about. I usually find out what type of music they listen to and go from there, since I'm a musician myself and will be able to talk.

Let us know how it goes!

 

[GeorgeStrom]

Thanks for the advice everyone, I'll put it to work!

I won't just be focused (purely) on impressing or getting the job.

I will definitely portray myself as someone that they would like to hang around with everyday at the workplace.

 

[#41]

If possible, contact your career services office and get in contact with someone from your law school who is a recent graduate and with the firm. If you can contact that person, they should be able to tell you what firm life is like for the associates and what qualities the partners are looking for. Tailor your behavior accordingly.

Do your homework on the firm yourself -- read up on them. Know their practice areas, office locations, and billables requirement.

Also, don't be the first person to "talk shop" (i.e. about law, law school, lawyering, etc.) at the table. It'll make you look uninteresting and boring.

Oh yeah -- and bring CASH with you to the event. If it's a really nice place, you'll want to have money to tip bartenders (if there are drinks before dinner), valets, coat check people, etc. Doing so will make you look professional and attentive to detail. Even if the firm takes care of all that, you never know when you're going to be in a situation where you'll need a couple bucks and you don't want to look unprepared with only a credit card / debit card in your wallet.

 

[GeorgeStrom]

If possible, contact your career services office and get in contact with someone from your law school who is a recent graduate and with the firm. If you can contact that person, they should be able to tell you what firm life is like for the associates and what qualities the partners are looking for. Tailor your behavior accordingly.

Do your homework on the firm yourself -- read up on them. Know their practice areas, office locations, and billables requirement.

Also, don't be the first person to "talk shop" (i.e. about law, law school, lawyering, etc.) at the table. It'll make you look uninteresting and boring.

Oh yeah -- and bring CASH with you to the event. If it's a really nice place, you'll want to have money to tip bartenders (if there are drinks before dinner), valets, coat check people, etc. Doing so will make you look professional and attentive to detail. Even if the firm takes care of all that, you never know when you're going to be in a situation where you'll need a couple bucks and you don't want to look unprepared with only a credit card / debit card in your wallet.

Thanks a lot buddy..

Yeah, will give me a good excuse to hit up a girl I know who works at the firm, maybe make a friend or two...

and true enough about the tips. I'm usually only going around with my credit card...I'll make note to bring some cashola