Job Interviews That Work: How Clients and Candidates Can Best Prepare
A good job interview is like a two-way conversation with a clear goal: to determine whether there is a real match — both in terms of skills and personality. In practice, however, things often go wrong, not due to bad intentions, but because of insufficient preparation. This happens on both sides — candidates and companies alike.
At Legal Staffing Experts, we guide legal recruitment processes every day, and one thing is clear: the best matches don’t happen by chance — they are prepared.
For Candidates: Let Your Expertise and Personality Shine
A legal professional can be highly skilled, but if they don’t convey that effectively during the interview, potential is lost.
Some practical tips:
🔹 Know your interviewer: Find out who you’ll be speaking to, their role, and how formal or informal the company culture is. A conversation with a Legal Manager is different from one with an HR Business Partner.
🔹 Tell stories: Give examples of how you handled certain cases. “I have experience with contracts” sounds weak. “In my previous role, I reviewed NDAs daily and negotiated with IT sector suppliers” makes a real impression.
🔹 Be honest about your ambitions: Many legal professionals say what they think the company wants to hear. Recruiters see through this quickly. Want to grow? Say it. Looking mainly for stability and variety? Say that too.
🔹 Come prepared: Sometimes candidates say they can’t quite remember which position they applied for — that signals a lack of preparation. Before the interview, re-read the job posting and study the company’s website: what they do, where they operate, company size, etc. Mention these during the conversation to show you are prepared and genuinely interested.
🔹 Ask your own questions: About legal challenges, the team, the decision-making process. This shows engagement and helps you get a better picture of the role.
For Employers: Truly Bring the Candidate Into the Story
Job interviews are not a one-way street. If you want to attract top candidates, you also have to convince them. Many companies underestimate this, especially in the legal sector where high-quality candidates are limited.
🔸 Provide enough information beforehand: Share a clear job description, as well as context about the team, projects, and short-term expectations.
🔸 Keep the conversation concrete and ask the right questions: “How would you handle case X?” or “How do you coordinate with other departments?” are better than the standard “What are your strengths?”
🔸 Showcase your company culture: A legal professional chooses not only for the work itself but also for the atmosphere, leadership style, and level of autonomy. Make sure these aspects come across.
🔸 Give timely and honest feedback: Nothing hurts your employer brand more than candidates waiting weeks for news. Even a “no” is appreciated if it’s given respectfully and on time.
📌 AI: Not a Hype, but a Daily Reality in Legal
It’s worth mentioning AI as a topic in the interview. Not every legal professional has hands-on experience with tools like Kira, Luminance, Harvey, or ChatGPT, but understanding what’s possible is becoming increasingly important. More and more companies are automating routine tasks such as NDA checks, clause comparisons, and legal research.
Candidates who understand this evolution — or have experimented with it — are highly valuable. Employers who address this openly in interviews position themselves as future-proof.
Teamwork = Success
A strong job interview happens when both parties come well-prepared, communicate openly, and keep the long term in mind. That’s exactly where Legal Staffing Experts makes the difference: we ensure the right match — and the right conversation.
Looking for legal talent that not only fits on paper but also in your team?
We’re happy to guide you — from intake to onboarding. Email info@legalstaffingexperts.be.
Currently job hunting and want feedback on your CV?
Contact us at info@legalstaffingexperts.be. We’ll review your CV and give you tailored tips.
