October 26, 2022 | LR&EL Society
By: Seth Goldstein
On Tuesday, October 18th, 2022, the St. John’s Labor Relations and Employment Law Society hosted its Fourth Annual Interview Skills Workshop. During the first hour, Seth Goldstein moderated a panel of seven St. John’s School of Law alumni in various positions within the field of Labor and Employment Law. Among the esteemed panelists included: Richard Balletta (’88), Elyssa Cisluycis (’21), Sarah Mannix (’15), Marijana Matura (’08), Craig Roberts (’97), Mary Smith (’90), and Alyssa Zuckerman (’13). During the second hour, the panel was joined by Victoria Cantrella (’10) and Courtney Sokol (’15), in addition to many of the panelists for students to engage in mock interviews and get real-time, helpful feedback.
During the panel portion, students learned invaluable tips and tricks. Alyssa Zuckerman shared the best question she had been asked in an interview (whether anything the interviewee said caused any concern and whether they could take time to consider and elaborate on it); Marijana Matura talked about how an interviewee once brought up their prior work experience in a pizzeria, and the conditions therein, that sparked their interest in labor and employment. Sarah Mannix shared tips on how to answer the oft-dreaded “tell me about yourself” question, including to provide a narrative, speak clearly, and show that you can handle strange and tough questions without faltering. Mary Smith and Craig Roberts talked about appropriate research prior to the interview and types of questions that might hint at being well-prepared. For example, don’t ask about working in Manhattan if their office isn’t in Manhattan and don’t ask about practicing in corporate law if the firm doesn’t practice in that area. Elyssa Cisluycis shared tips on how to show genuine interest in Labor and Employment law through writing samples, coursework, and the questions you ask during your interview, regardless of experience, to show employers that you have considered this area and are passionate about it.
The virtual panel and interviews afterward were well-received by students. Fanta Ba (’23) said the event was “phenomenal and super informative.” Nathalie Lindor (’25) said that the event was “incredibly valuable,” and provided “an opportunity to get real-time feedback and critiques from a senior level attorney in the field with similar interests, in a low stakes setting before the 1L-summer interview process starts.”
All in all, the night was a great success, and the entire LRELS organization thanks the students and attorneys who participated!
