A few days ago I addressed a group of largely foreign lawyers, including many candidates for LLMs and JDs at US law schools. The panel discussion at the Inter-American Development Bank was sponsored by the International Law Section of the ABA, the American Society of International Law and American University’s Washington College of Law.
Many foreign lawyers requested tips on interviewing for US-based jobs. So, here goes:
TIPS FOR INTERVIEWING: USE AMERICAN STYLE LANGUAGE AND INFORMALITY
As international lawyers know, the Spanish spoken in Mexico City differs from that in Buenos Aires, and the German spoken in Vienna differs from that spoken in Frankfurt. Similarly, the English spoken in New York City is different from that spoken in Los Angeles.
Why is this important? Because when you are interviewing for a job, you want use some of the local parlance if you can: you want to speak in a way that the person interviewing you can imagine you as part of the team. In other words, you want the interviewer to think, “I’d really like to have this person as a co-worker. He/she would really fit in here.” You can enhance your chances of landing a job by helping the local employer envision you as part of the team. After all, studies show that most people, consciously or subconsciously, like to be around other people who are like them. Here are some tips to help you interview well, but follow them only as long as doing so feels comfortable and natural:
- Work on Fluidity: Foreigners interviewing for jobs in the US—even if they are native English speakers—often have accents of their country of origin. In some global companies, this is a particular plus; it may make such a candidate more appealing as the company tries to boost its image as an employer with a global workforce. However, it’s one thing to have a native accent, and it’s quite another to speak English in a way that is so stilted that your interviewer struggles to communicate with you. Maybe you read English expertly, but you speak it in a slow and stilted manner. If so, work with a tutor and practice, practice, practice. Keep your radio and television tuned to CNN and similar American news services to absorb the newscasters’ verbal pace, annunciation and the like.
- Integrate Local Expressions: If you learned English from a non-American, your slang is likely quite different from that used in the US. In addition, different parts of the US use very different slang. If at all possible, try to spend a few days before your interview integrating yourself into the local culture and becoming comfortable with its parlance. For example, you will hear New Yorkers talking about “catching the local”. During the interview try to throw in a few of the local expressions. If doing so seems awkward, either omit the expressions entirely, or use them with a self-deprecating laugh and flourish.
- Use Appropriate Formality: American business etiquette is often more informal than that of other cultures. Prior to an interview, you should try to evaluate the company’s formality. How do employees dress? How do they interact with each other? Sometimes current and former employees share details about their employer’s corporate culture on the internet. Or, if you have an acquaintance employed there, inquire about the level of formality. If all else fails, try to get a sense from articles about the company in newspapers and magazines. Even the company’s own promotional materials can give you clues.
- Integrate Industry Jargon: Let’s say you are interviewing for in-house legal positions with companies in a variety of industries. Make sure that you learn—and use—the jargon of the relevant industry when interviewing. Whether the potential employer’s industry is pharmaceuticals, energy or banking, each industry has it own professional terminology. If you don’t know some of the relevant terms, grab some trade publications and learn a few. Demonstrate your interest in the industry by mentioning how you have read some of these publications.
- Integrate Corporate Jargon: Even companies in the same industry use different expressions. These reflect a company’s unique culture. For example, one successful store chain makes its employees avoid the word “problems” and instead use the word “opportunities.” The employees of a now-defunct US-headquartered energy trading company coined—and often used—the term “optionality.” Try to discover some of these terms in advance by asking current or former employees, and integrate them into your interview.
- Dress Appropriately: In Silicon Valley, jeans rule. However, for a job interview you should never match the informality of the interviewer: instead, dress “one step up.” You want to show that you care enough about the interview to make an effort. On the other hand, you don’t want to appear so overdressed that you intimidate the interviewer—or subconsciously signal that you are far too formal of a person to fit into their culture. Do your research and dress a bit more formally than your interviewer will dress. For example, if you learn that men wear nice pants and jackets without ties to the office, dress the same but add a tie. Feel free to ask the assistant coordinating your interview for suggestions. If all else fails, go a day early and watch employees walking in and out of the office to assess their dress.
- Practice with the Concierge: Let’s say that your English is fluid, and you learned it in New York. You have just flown to Dallas for an interview, and you want to know how Texans speak. Grab the concierge at your hotel (assuming your hotel has one) and practice. A concierge usually has been chosen for his or her excellent people skills and so will be attuned to local customs. Again, don’t try to say “y’all” like a Texan might if it’s not natural for you, but do try to gauge the level of formality and pace at which locals talk. (Hint: Texans generally speak more slowly than New Yorkers.)
- Have Fun. You might be thinking, “How can I possible have fun at a job interview?” That’s precisely the point. If you try to relax and see it as a chance to make new business acquaintances (rather than a do or die job opportunity), you are more likely to come across well. Try to have confidence that another job will come along if this one doesn’t work out.
- Be Authentic: Regardless, the most important tip is to be authentic. Interviewers can spot inauthenticity a mile away—and forthright Americans may even mention this. Never do or say anything that makes you feel too uncomfortable in an attempt to “fit in”, because it will show.
