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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
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Battered Women’s Shelter. My law degree Where you are coming from
is from Syracuse University and I’m a cum
continued on back