Interviewing

High-Impact Interview Questions: 701 Behavior-based Questions to Find the Right Person for Every Job, Victoria A. Hoevemeyer

American Management Association, 2006. Targeted to employers, this book offers the right mix of theoretical and practical advice to be a very usable, approachable book for interviewers and trainers of interviewers. Although not specifically oriented to legal hiring, the book will provide legal recruiters and interviewers with a solid understanding of what competency-based behavioral interviewing is all about and why it yields more relevant information about a candidate's strengths and weaknesses. The numerous sample questions not only provide clear examples of behavioral interviewing questions to ask but also suggest questions that can be used in evaluating interview results. Career counselors who want a better understanding of behavioral interviewing may also find this book helpful.
Available in NALP's Bookstore

The How-tos of Informational Interviewing: A Step-by-Step Guide

NALP, 2004. This pamphlet available for bulk purchase demystifies and encourages the basic process of informational interviewing.
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Available in NALP's Bookstore

An Insider's Guide to Interviewing: Insights from the Employer's Perspective

NALP, Updated 2004. This 32-page booklet offers students inside advice from hiring attorneys on what makes a student stand out during an interview; tips on cover letters, resumes, and the offer process are also featured.
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Available in NALP's Bookstore

Fair and Effective Interviewing

NALP, 2003. This tri-fold pamphlet available for bulk purchase is a useful handout for all interviewers; it stresses the importance of asking job-related questions and avoiding questions that either are discriminatory or may suggest subtle biases.
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Available in NALP's Bookstore

Sweaty Palms: The Neglected Art of Being Interviewed, H. Anthony Medley

Warner Business Books. Although not specifically law-related, Sweaty Palms remains a classic, with solid advice that will help both those new to being interviewed and those who want to brush up their skills. An excellent chapter on illegal and discriminatory interviewing questions is included that will interest employers as well as interviewees.
Available through bookstores and online booksellers

Job Search Resources

See also Career paths, Career transitions, Interviewing, and Networking.

Guerrilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of Your Dreams, 2nd Edition, Kimm Walton

West, 2008. Walton's very readable handbook has become the classic in its field — pulling together the best advice from career services professionals to address every aspect of the job search process, from conquering insecurities to exploring practice areas to getting a large-firm job without stellar grades.
Available in NALP's Bookstore

From Lemons to Lemonade: Winning Job Search Strategies for Entry-Level Attorneys, Richard L. Hermann

DecisionBooks, 2012. New from lawyer/legal counselor Richard Hermann, this is the first volume to be released in what will become a three-volume "New Lawyer's Survival Guide" series. Addressing this book to law students and new lawyers, Hermann offers: sure-fire strategies for cracking the toughest job market in 80 years; tips on enhancing one's credentials to maximize job and career opportunities; 21 effective job search techniques to improve one's competitive status; 800+ things one can do with a law degree outside of the traditional practice of law; and more. As the co-founder of Federal Reports Inc., AttorneyJobs.com, and Law Student Jobs Online, Hermann brings a rich background in the industry to the advice he offers.
Available in NALP's Bookstore

Managing Your Legal Career, Richard L. Hermann

ABA, 2010. To compete today, you need up-to-date, reliable information on how to establish and manage your legal career. This thorough guide is divided into short, specific sections that touch on what you'll need to do before a job hunt, while you're looking, as you're sitting in the interview, once you've gotten an offer, and all the steps in between. Hermann addresses both private and public sector and both the publicized and "hidden" job market. His concise yet comprehensive advice addresses discerning what employers really want, understanding the market, expanding your legal career horizons, dissecting and responding to a job ad, identifying hidden skill sets and matching them with opportunities, keeping up with application technology, online networking, and negotiating the terms of employment. Extensive appendices are also featured, with checklists and exercises to ensure you're ready for your job search or transition.
Available in NALP's Bookstore

The Lawyer's Career Management Handbook: Your Bridge to a Satisfying Career, Marcia Pennington Shannon, Editor

West, 2010. This 600+ page guide offers comprehensive career management advice for lawyers considering a transition and for law students, beginning with 10 chapters asking "Who am I" and then continuing with 19 chapters on job searching in challenging times (including chapters on resumes, cover letters, interviews, and search strategies and on various types of job searches, from private sector to public service to academia, in-house jobs, and alternative career job searches). Seventeen chapters then address aspects of success on the job, and three closing chapters address the broader topic of success in life. Extensive resource lists are included. Most of this book's chapters were contributed by Shannon & Manch staffers, many of whom had former experience as NALP members.
Available in NALP's Bookstore

Choosing Small, Choosing Smart: Job Search Strategies for Lawyers in the Small Firm Market, 2nd Edition, Donna Gerson

NALP, 2005. An experienced career counselor offers comprehensive information on career paths for lawyers who choose practice in a small firm; job search advice and tips for succeeding at a small firm are also featured in this book.
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Available in NALP's Bookstore

The Right Moves: Job Search and Career Development Strategies for Lawyers, Valerie Fontaine

NALP, 2006. Author Valerie Fontaine presents an experienced headhunter's inside view as she tells lawyers at all stages of their careers how to increase their marketability - whether to land their ideal job or to position themselves for success with their current organizations. Fontaine tells lawyers how to conduct an effective self-assessment and design a personalized career plan; stay abreast of trends in the legal marketplace; determine where to look for opportunities; maximize their marketability; write effective cover letters and resumes; ace all types of interviews; handle offer negotiations; choose the right work environment; make smooth career transitions; work smarter, not harder; and position themselves to springboard ahead.
Available in NALP's Bookstore

The Lawyer's Guide to Finding Success in Any Job Market, Richard L. Hermann

Kaplan Publishing, 2009. Legal career expert Richard Hermann, founder of Federal Reports and co-founder of AttorneyJobs.com, is the author of this manual on surviving and thriving in the legal profession even during an economic downturn. Distilling the advice and information he offers his career transition counseling clients, including tips on job hunting, resume building, and interviewing, Hermann addresses which practice areas will be going strong no matter how the economy fares; what kind of education and expertise one will need to impress future employers; whom to talk to about breaking into a new field; how to develop a business plan for a solo practice; what opportunities exist for law graduates outside of legal practice; and whether the number of positions in these fields will hold steady or even grow.
Available in NALP's Bookstore

Career Match: Connecting Who You Are with What You'll Love to Do, Shoya Zichy

AMACOM, 2007. As the name suggests, this book is primarily meant as a self-assessment tool. Based on Myers-Briggs, it helps readers identify types of jobs that may be most suited to their personality types. Concrete job search tips based on personality type are also included, and students who struggle with interviews will also gain tips on adjusting their communication style.
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Available in NALP's Bookstore

The Legal Career Guide: From Law Student to Lawyer, Gary Munneke

American Bar Association, 2002. This guide offers step-by-step advice on planning a law career, executing a job search, and moving into the legal market.
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Available in NALP's Bookstore

Law Firm Recruitment in Canada: Job Search Advice for Students and Associates, Wendy Griesdorf

Irwin Law, 2004. This book is specifically directed to Canadian law students searching for jobs in Canada.
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Available from Canadian publisher Irwin Law

Before You Hit Send: Guidelines for Using E-Mail Effectively for Job Search-Related Correspondence, Katie Schendel

NALP, 2002. This pamphlet available for bulk purchase focuses on making e-mail contacts with employers as professional as possible.
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Available in NALP's Bookstore

Negotiating with Small Firms

NALP, 2004. This 12-page brochure offers tips on negotiating salaries with small firms.
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Available in NALP's Bookstore

Starting Off in a New Direction: Job Search Strategies for Second-Career Lawyers, William A. Chamberlain

NALP, 2003. This 12-page brochure addresses the special advantages, perspectives, and challenges faced by second-career lawyers.
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Available in NALP's Bookstore

Judicial Clerkships

Behind the Bench: The Guide to Judicial Clerkships, Debra Strauss

BarBri, 2002. Directed to students but useful to career counselors as well, this comprehensive book demystifies the clerkship process, explaining the work that clerks do and all aspects of the application process. One caveat: this book has not yet been updated to reflect the current timing guidelines for applications.
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Available in NALP's Bookstore

The Courts: An Excellent Place for Attorneys of Color to Launch Their Careers

NALP and American Bar Association, 2007. Now available free online, this 16-page brochure addresses the benefits of becoming a judicial clerk; the kinds of positions available; the types of courts that hire clerks, interns, and externs; financial considerations; locating suitable opportunities; and the application process. NALP and the ABA Judicial Division Standing Committee on Minorities in the Judiciary collaborated to write this brochure.
Available as a free PDF download

Judicial Clerkships in Brief

NALP, 2005. This tri-fold pamphlet provides a brief discussion of typical duties of judicial clerks, followed by short descriptions of federal and state court clerkships.
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Available in NALP's Bookstore

Federal Online System for Clerkship Application and Review (OSCAR)

The federal Online System for Clerkship Application and Review (OSCAR) can be accessed by going to www.uscourts.gov and choosing "Careers") or at https://oscar.uscourts.gov.

More on Judicial Clerkships:

The NALP Judicial Clerkship Section has prepared a bibliography (PDF) of suggested resources and program titles. In addition, please see the current NALP guidelines for clerkship hiring plan implementation.