By: Joseph Clifford
On Tuesday, September 29th, the St. John’s Labor Relations and Employment Law Society hosted its Second Annual Mock Interview Night. The premise and purpose of the event remained the same: law student “interviewees” were paired with SJU Law Alumni and other Labor and Employment attorney “interviewers” for rounds of simulated interviews. The participants acted the part, and the attorneys then gave constructive criticism. Two rounds of interviews were followed by two separate discussion panels for attorneys to share more helpful tips to the students.
What did change for this year’s event was the venue, or the lack thereof. LRELS President Elyssa Cisluycis and Vice President & Program Director Michelle Capobianco worked tirelessly to coordinate our first ever Virtual Mock Interview Event, which was conducted via WebEx. Participants were sent off into “breakout rooms” for their first interview, switched “breakout rooms” for their second interview, and reconvened into two separate panels for further discussion all without leaving the comfort of their own homes. LRELS E-Board member Joe Benincasa said he learned many “useful tips” from his conversations, and fellow E-Board member Sara Salmonson “enjoyed the time spent getting to know each other and learning about [her] attorney’s legal career!”
Students and attorneys were excited to meet each other in this setting, and the attorneys offered many pieces of advice to 1L’s, 2L’s and 3L’s. Starting with the resume, SJU alum Lisa Harris, Partner at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP, gave two crucial tips: “Know what is on your resume, and also be prepared to talk about something that is not on your resume.”
Alum Craig Roberts, Partner at Jackson Lewis in Melville, NY, urged students to do their homework by knowing about the firm interviewing you and asking questions that show you are interested. And Chumi Diamond, Associate Counsel at the New York State United Teachers union (NYSUT), warned about the intimidating “What is your greatest weakness?” question by advising a student to prepare an honest answer that does not make your employer doubt your competence for the position.
The elephant in the virtual room, conducting these and other interviews virtually, prompted further discussion. Lena Ackerman, SJU alum and Assistant General Counsel for NYSUT, explained students could practice by “recording yourself with a friend, and watching yourself over again.” Ackerman also mentioned that while it is harder to do online, be aware of miscommunication and speaking over your interviewer.
David Marshall, Faculty advisor of LRELS and Of Counsel at Locke Lord, told the students to “be conscious of your background,” adding that interviewers might get distracted with the disorganized spaces behind you on a video conference. And when asked about interview attire, Richard Balletta, NYS Office of Attorney General, Labor Bureau, suggested students treat it like a regular in-person interview and dress for the position, even if your interviewer may not. In all, the night was a great success, and the entire LRELS organization thanks the students and attorneys who participated!
