1. 800. 973.1177
CAREER COUNSELOR’S CORNER
Your Opening Argument [J. Murray Elwood] Create a credible answer to that perennial threshold question, “Tell me something about yourself.”
THE NEW YORK TIMES, a few years ago,
missed the opportunity right at the beginning
Where you want to go
featured a front page picture of a personal
of the interview to establish your credibility
Your credentials to go there
injury lawyer advertising his skills in a televi-
and let your audience hear your “music”
sion commercial. The attorney appeared as
- your energy, your enthusiasm, everything
a prizefighter - in trunks and boxing gloves
that makes you an interesting and attractive
- slugging it out in a boxing ring with an actor
candidate.
Creating Your Profile Statement There’s an easy way to develop your own
posing as a legal opponent.
opening argument for phone screenings and Repeatedly, when interviewing job-seek-
face-to face interviews:
Most lawyers might hesitate to advertise
ing lawyers of all ages and backgrounds,
their skills so blatantly. But many lawyers,
the Legal Career Guru has asked the “Tell
First, read some of the samples [below].
while sensitive to the need of developing
me something about yourself” question.
Think how you would describe some of the
business and skilled in the subtle ways
Usually these lawyers pause and, no matter
highlights of your own career, what you
of promoting their legal services, remain
how articulate they may be professionally,
want to say, and how you would describe
blissfully innocent of one the most effective
bumble through their answer. They don’t
your legal experience. An “Accomplishment
techniques for marketing themselves in a job
make a good argument for themselves. Curi-
Storytelling” exercise might help trigger your
search - the profile statement.
ously, the diligence that lawyers would never
memory. .
neglect for a client is often forgotten when The one question most often asked of legal
making a case for themselves.
job seekers is that over-used phrase: “Tell me something about yourself.” You hear it
Next, use the form below as your guide. However, before you write out your Profile
Stating Your Case
when you are screened over the phone after
Statement word-for-word, talk it through in your mind and listen to how you are describ-
responding to a legal advertisement. Callers
In introducing yourself, when you are
ing your experience. Find words that fit, that
will ask, “Could you tell us a little bit more
screened over the phone, in the office of
sound “right,” then write out this internal
about your background?” You also detect it,
a potential legal employer, and especially
“script” and see how it looks, how it feels to
posed in one way or another, during an actual
during an interview with a hiring committee,
you. Be sure that you are as concrete as pos-
job interview: “Why don’t you just briefly run
it is critically important that you immediately
sible. Paint a word picture.
me through your background? “
establish your credibility. You must describe for your audience - as clearly and concisely
Some Samples
Successful sales people often say that if you
as possible - your work history, your specific
cannot compress the benefits of your product
expertise, significant accomplishments,
An associate, in her mid-30s, seeking to
or services in 60 seconds of less, you’ll lose a
educational background, and anticipated
transfer her credentials:
sale. That is why it is so important to prepare
career direction. You can do this with a
a creditable, well-scripted answer to the
well-prepared “opening argument,” or what
I am an attorney with significant experience
“Tell me something about yourself” question
career consultants call a 60-second sound
in the Delaware Valley nonprofit community,
because it is an interview door-opener. If
bite, profile statement, or “infomercial,” that
including the Girl Scouts and the American
you do not have a well-prepared, 60-second
provides your hearers with an excellent first
Heart Association. In addition, I was Chair
answer to that threshold question, and give it
impression and tells succinctly:
of last fall’s highly successful drive for the
back as if it were spontaneous and unrehearsed, you have stumbled badly. You have
PAGE 1
Battered Women’s Shelter. My law degree Where you are coming from
is from Syracuse University and I’m a cum
continued on back
1.800. 973. 1177
CAREER COUNSELOR’S CORNER
laude graduate of Bryn Mawr. Presently, I am
large Workman’s Compensation program. In
an Associate at the Bailey, Banks & Biddle law
this position, I recently uncovered a $500,000
firm.
fraud by a provider who was billing the agency for services never furnished. My law degree
At Bryn Mawr, I designed a new alumni
is from Rutgers University School of Law,
development campaign, recruited student
Evening Division, and my B.A. is in Human
volunteers, and managed a telemarketing
Services from Antioch College. After eight
event that realized approximately $100,000 for
successful years in my present position, I feel
the college development fund. So based upon
it’s time for new challenges and am seeking
my considerable experience in the nonprofit
a position in the corporate legal department
sector, I am considering a new direction in
of a major private security agency where I
institutional development with either a United
can offer my superior abilities in compensa-
Way agency or a private foundation. I possess
tion program management, and pension and
extensive local corporate and community con-
benefits oversight. I would describe myself as
tacts and I guess I would describe myself as a
a dedicated administrator with comprehensive
results-oriented professional who can identify
legal and management abilities.
objectives and achieve goals.
Getting Started A partner from a failing commercial practice: Use the above opening statements as a guideI presently provide direction and manage a
line and now write out your own Profile State-
comprehensive commercial and business
ment. Just answer the following questions in
practice as a partner in a 55-attorney, civil liti-
about a paragraph and then put your words
gation firm. I handle a broad range of issues,
together into one comprehensive statement.
including products liability, professional malpractice, and employment discrimination. As
WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?
managing partner, I introduced new computer and communication systems and streamlined
WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO?
case handling procedures, resulting in savings of over $1 million annually. In this capacity,
WHAT ARE YOUR CREDENTIALS TO GO
I also serve a diverse client base, including
THERE?
such companies as Ardmore Aeronautics, Bonato Designs and Pelagian Pharmaceu-
Practice Makes Perfect
ticals, where I act as outside counsel and troubleshooter on a variety of concerns, My
When you have completed your script, say it
law degree is from Georgetown University,
out loud. Make it conversational. Tape yourself
where I was on the law review, and I am a
and listen. Edit your Profile down to about one
graduate of Marquette University. Because of
minute. Do you tell a story? Do you paint a
my firm’s impending downsizing, I am seeking
picture? Then learn it word-for-word. At first,
a position as in-house counsel in a small to
it may sound stilted or “canned,” but with a
medium-sized corporate entity.
little practice, you will soon be giving it back naturally.
Counsel for a municipal agency seeking a lateral move:
Practice, practice, practice. Learn it by heart and keep practicing until it becomes smooth-
As counsel for the District of Columbia’s
er, more spontaneous and sounding unre-
Housing Authority (DCHA), I possess com-
hearsed. It could just be the greatest “opening
prehensive experience in risk management,
argument” you will ever make
claims adjustment, and the oversight of a
PAGE 2