How to be a success at a coffee interview

Coffee interview. Coffee meeting. Informal interview. There are many terms law firms use to describe having an interview at a coffee shop. Do not be fooled by the informal setting. Coffee interviews can be intense occasions, especially as they are often one-on-one with a Partner.  

When are coffee interviews used?

Clerkship recruitment normally consists of formal interviews and networking events. Coffee interviews usually do not appear until the graduate and junior lawyer level. Coffee interviews usually come after the initial formal first round interview for final short listed applicants.

Why do law firms use coffee interviews?

Reasons for having a coffee interview include:

1.       To gauge true personality to see if the applicant is a perfect fit for the firm.

Sometimes in formal interviews it is hard to assess a person’s personality, especially where the applicant is well prepared and smoothly answers all questions. Informal interviews are meant to expose your true personality.

2.       To test the applicant’s social skills.

Having manners, social grace and poise and being a master of small talk are all important skills for budding lawyers who will soon be dealing with clients. Make sure you:

a.       Open the door for others when entering the cafe;

b.      Smile as you enter and respond to coffee shop staff who greet you;

c.       Wait to be told where to sit before taking a seat and always wait for the Partner to sit before you;

d.      Be very polite to the waiter (this should go without saying, but I thought I would put it here just in case). If the waiter gets your coffee order wrong just live with what you are given. You will be talking a lot and might not drink any of it anyway;

e.      Sit with good posture on your chair. Do not fidget, but feel free to use your hands when talking. This will help you relax and appear more personable and trustworthy.

3.       To test the applicant’s ability to adapt to different environments.

A coffee interview can be challenging. You do not know ahead of time which coffee shop you are going to, as you normally meet at the office and go from there. The coffee shop could be loud, your ex-boyfriend could happen to be on a nearby table, the waiter could spill your drink on you. Your ability to adapt to these circumstances will be judged.

4.       To give the applicant a chance to relax and ask questions.

If you are amazing on paper but your first round formal interview was average because you were stressed, you may be given a coffee interview to help you relax enough to be yourself. If this is the case, you are on the front foot. The firm obviously want to employ you, and are giving you another opportunity to show them the real you.

5.       To give a job offer or to give an explanation.

A Partner’s time is precious (and costly at about $700/hr). If you are having a one-on-one meeting, the firm is seriously interested in you, and this Partner is probably personally gunning for your recruitment. I have friends who have thought they were going to a second round interview, but ended up at a coffee shop with a job offer. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss terms of employment and start date, but they did not know this in advance. Another friend was told at a coffee interview she was not successful for the job she applied for, but was offered a different job in a different team. If you are offered the job, be sure to respond with excitement and appreciation, but do not feel as though you have to make a decision on the spot.

Steps to success:

1.       Preparation

Prepare as thoroughly as you would for a formal interview, including substantial research on the firm. The two most important areas to ensure you cover as a junior lawyer are:

a.       What you can bring to the firm; and

b.      Why you want to work at that particular firm.

A coffee interview is set up like an informal conversation. In a first round interview you are mainly responding to questions. The role could be reversed at a subsequent coffee interview. You could be required to guide the conversation and ask most of the questions. Make sure you prepare plenty of questions in advance and bring up what you can bring to the firm and why you really want to work at that particular firm. Good areas to discuss are your Partner’s team, what kind of work a junior lawyer would have in that team, and whether you will have contact with clients. If the role you are applying for is fixed term (it usually is for graduate/junior positions) always ask if there is the possibility of ongoing employment after the contract ends. This shows you are looking to build a career at the firm long term. Firms invest a lot in training junior staff and want lawyers who have thought hard about where they would like to work.

2.       Suiting up

Dress like you are going to a formal interview. You may find your interviewer is tie-less and jacket-less. They have done this on purpose to help you relax and create a less intimidating environment. You, as the candidate, still need to dress as though it is an interview. 

3.       Rehearse answering the difficult questions

Your weaknesses will be targeted by your interviewer. Direct questions such as “why did you not get an offer at firm X” or “why did you leave your last job” would appear confrontational in a formal interview, but can appear casual and non-confrontational over coffee. Identify the weaknesses in your application and practice how you will respond. Remember that your task is to explain your situation in a positive light. Do not come across as defensive. Always end on a positive, such as “from this experience I learned the importance of X”.

4.       Speak freely – but not too freely

The coffee interview is set up to make you relax. Let your personality shine through, but don’t relax to the point you are speaking casually, as this can come across as arrogant or nonchalant.

5.       Do not be scared of silence

Do not be scared to give yourself time to think about your answer. It may seem like a long pause, but your interviewer probably won’t even notice. Contemplation can even make you appear intelligent, so do not rush your answer if an unexpected question comes up.

6.       Do not conduct a post-mortem on the interview

It can be hard to tell whether you performed well or not at a coffee interview, so try not to overanalyse your performance afterwards. I am being a bit hypocritical here, as I tend to do just this. My thoughts after one coffee interview:

a.       I ordered a green tea instead of a coffee. They will think I am strange.

b.      I didn’t drink any of the tea I ordered because I forgot about it.

c.       My small talk in the lift going down to the coffee shop was horrendous.

d.      While I smiled during the interview I didn’t smile enough.

In the end, it is unlikely the interviewer notice any of these things. Focus on the positives of your interview and try and get on with your life while you wait to hear back. Law firms will only coffee interview candidates they are seriously interested in, so you are in with a good chance. Good luck!