How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..." Forum
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How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
professionally in X years?
I got this during a screening. Does the attorney want me to answer "i want to be partner" or what kind of response are they getting at? I just mumbled that I wanted to be an expert in a certain practice area.
I got this during a screening. Does the attorney want me to answer "i want to be partner" or what kind of response are they getting at? I just mumbled that I wanted to be an expert in a certain practice area.
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
I tend to go with some BS about taking on more and more responsibilities each year, with my goal being to be the guy people can always trust to get something done right the first time. It's crap, but I never have a great answer to this question either.
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
Tell them you want to work at the firm forever and raise your family in the area. This is because brand new associates are expensive. The firm is going to lose money on you at first, so they need reassurances you'll be around long enough to justify your salary (or even just to justify wildly overpaying you to "work" as a Summer Associate).
The ultimate goal is to convince them you want to be a slave to the firm, working yourself up to slave-driver eventually.
The ultimate goal is to convince them you want to be a slave to the firm, working yourself up to slave-driver eventually.
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
Equity partner with no friends, husband or children. I used to have a dog, but my parents decided to raise it for me.
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
I disagree with fetishizing the firm in this way, you don't know much about the firm beyond what Google and a few websites tell you, and maybe some word of mouth. Its weird to marry yourself to a firm like that without having tried it out - shows perhaps lack of judgment and immaturity, although it does show "enthusiasm" for a firm. Its important to show an interest in a particular firm, but its gotta stop at a certain point short of fetishizing it.
I think a better response is to show your ambition/focus as a lawyer, as opposed to talking up a firm from the outside - its kinda glib and maybe insulting to their intelligence.
I think a better response is to show your ambition/focus as a lawyer, as opposed to talking up a firm from the outside - its kinda glib and maybe insulting to their intelligence.
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
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Last edited by NYAssociate on Tue Oct 05, 2010 7:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
Even I have boundaries during interviews.NYAssociate wrote:I don't think booyakasha was being serious. At least I hope not.
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
I told them I wanted to be on a partnership track doing litigation (which is pretty much true, btw). End of story.
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
If you don't have a strong connection to the city you're interviewing in I think it's a good idea to sneak in a "love the city, can see myself raising a family here"-type comment.
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
I think answers such as this are the right/good answer. Firms want confidence and people that can see themselves, even if it is bravado, being leaders.dresden doll wrote:I told them I wanted to be on a partnership track doing litigation (which is pretty much true, btw). End of story.
My answer was generally along the same as dresden's, but I would add something about being the go-to guy in X practice area. That wasn't bravado though, I truly want to be the best at whatever area I practice.
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
I've heard the opposite, actually. If you don't show commitment to the firm, you're much less likely to get an offer.Anonymous User wrote:I disagree with fetishizing the firm in this way, you don't know much about the firm beyond what Google and a few websites tell you, and maybe some word of mouth. Its weird to marry yourself to a firm like that without having tried it out - shows perhaps lack of judgment and immaturity, although it does show "enthusiasm" for a firm. Its important to show an interest in a particular firm, but its gotta stop at a certain point short of fetishizing it.
I think a better response is to show your ambition/focus as a lawyer, as opposed to talking up a firm from the outside - its kinda glib and maybe insulting to their intelligence.
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
I agree with the first Anon poster.Anonymous User wrote:I've heard the opposite, actually. If you don't show commitment to the firm, you're much less likely to get an offer.Anonymous User wrote:I disagree with fetishizing the firm in this way, you don't know much about the firm beyond what Google and a few websites tell you, and maybe some word of mouth. Its weird to marry yourself to a firm like that without having tried it out - shows perhaps lack of judgment and immaturity, although it does show "enthusiasm" for a firm. Its important to show an interest in a particular firm, but its gotta stop at a certain point short of fetishizing it.
I think a better response is to show your ambition/focus as a lawyer, as opposed to talking up a firm from the outside - its kinda glib and maybe insulting to their intelligence.
I think commitment to the city is important, but not the firm.
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
Don't say doing their wife and you should be fine.
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
No wonder I haven't been getting many callbacks...Fark-o-vision wrote:Don't say doing their wife and you should be fine.
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
I had an interesting discussion with an interviewing partner with him. I didn't know how to answer it, so I bluntly told him I didn't. I explained that I'd done different things before coming to law school and found it hard to predict where I'd be in 10 years as a result, and I also talked about not being sure whether I'd make partner since that's partly out of my control.
He talked rather honestly about his expectations, saying he didn't expect me to say I was going to make partner since he knows a lot of associates leave after three to five years and his firm is fine with that. From his perspective, he talked about trying to separate out people who are clearly interested in still developing practical legal skills in some way in 10 years, as a way of telling those who are actually wanting to practice law from those who are just getting a law degree and hoping to go do something outside the legal profession within a few years. I could easily understand why they'd want to hire people who actually want to be practicing law.
It was a great discussion, and I got a CB out of it.
He talked rather honestly about his expectations, saying he didn't expect me to say I was going to make partner since he knows a lot of associates leave after three to five years and his firm is fine with that. From his perspective, he talked about trying to separate out people who are clearly interested in still developing practical legal skills in some way in 10 years, as a way of telling those who are actually wanting to practice law from those who are just getting a law degree and hoping to go do something outside the legal profession within a few years. I could easily understand why they'd want to hire people who actually want to be practicing law.
It was a great discussion, and I got a CB out of it.
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
Even though your first paragraph was a mess to read, I like your style. Good answer -- I think partners enjoy honesty, to a certain extent.Anonymous User wrote:I had an interesting discussion with an interviewing partner with him. I didn't know how to answer it, so I bluntly told him I didn't. I explained that I'd done different things before coming to law school and found it hard to predict where I'd be in 10 years as a result, and I also talked about not being sure whether I'd make partner since that's partly out of my control.
He talked rather honestly about his expectations, saying he didn't expect me to say I was going to make partner since he knows a lot of associates leave after three to five years and his firm is fine with that. From his perspective, he talked about trying to separate out people who are clearly interested in still developing practical legal skills in some way in 10 years, as a way of telling those who are actually wanting to practice law from those who are just getting a law degree and hoping to go do something outside the legal profession within a few years. I could easily understand why they'd want to hire people who actually want to be practicing law.
It was a great discussion, and I got a CB out of it.
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
Don't say "Doing your wife." Don't say "Doing your wife."Fark-o-vision wrote:Don't say doing their wife and you should be fine.
"Doing your.... son?"
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
It depends on the firm.pandacot wrote:I agree with the first Anon poster.Anonymous User wrote:I've heard the opposite, actually. If you don't show commitment to the firm, you're much less likely to get an offer.Anonymous User wrote:I disagree with fetishizing the firm in this way, you don't know much about the firm beyond what Google and a few websites tell you, and maybe some word of mouth. Its weird to marry yourself to a firm like that without having tried it out - shows perhaps lack of judgment and immaturity, although it does show "enthusiasm" for a firm. Its important to show an interest in a particular firm, but its gotta stop at a certain point short of fetishizing it.
I think a better response is to show your ambition/focus as a lawyer, as opposed to talking up a firm from the outside - its kinda glib and maybe insulting to their intelligence.
I think commitment to the city is important, but not the firm.
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
For those confused:Adjudicator wrote:Don't say "Doing your wife." Don't say "Doing your wife."Fark-o-vision wrote:Don't say doing their wife and you should be fine.
"Doing your.... son?"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXop3zIPkic
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
True. Some partners/associates refuse to recognize the homogeneity of firms.Anonymous User wrote:It depends on the firm.pandacot wrote:I agree with the first Anon poster.Anonymous User wrote:I've heard the opposite, actually. If you don't show commitment to the firm, you're much less likely to get an offer.Anonymous User wrote:I disagree with fetishizing the firm in this way, you don't know much about the firm beyond what Google and a few websites tell you, and maybe some word of mouth. Its weird to marry yourself to a firm like that without having tried it out - shows perhaps lack of judgment and immaturity, although it does show "enthusiasm" for a firm. Its important to show an interest in a particular firm, but its gotta stop at a certain point short of fetishizing it.
I think a better response is to show your ambition/focus as a lawyer, as opposed to talking up a firm from the outside - its kinda glib and maybe insulting to their intelligence.
I think commitment to the city is important, but not the firm.
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
I would have dinged you.amyLAchemist wrote:Same, and I mention something about specializing in patent proceedings I am interested in. Seems to be good, or at worst innocuous.dresden doll wrote:I told them I wanted to be on a partnership track doing litigation (which is pretty much true, btw). End of story.
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- Objection
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
Yeah, but you're also kind of a douche.pandacot wrote:I would have dinged you.amyLAchemist wrote:Same, and I mention something about specializing in patent proceedings I am interested in. Seems to be good, or at worst innocuous.dresden doll wrote:I told them I wanted to be on a partnership track doing litigation (which is pretty much true, btw). End of story.
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
How so, friend?Objection wrote:Yeah, but you're also kind of a douche.pandacot wrote:I would have dinged you.amyLAchemist wrote:Same, and I mention something about specializing in patent proceedings I am interested in. Seems to be good, or at worst innocuous.dresden doll wrote:I told them I wanted to be on a partnership track doing litigation (which is pretty much true, btw). End of story.
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
It's a good answer. The response was from boredom.amyLAchemist wrote:I guess I am not sure what they are looking for here. I wanna work towards/become a partner and focus on patent lit. It's not the most exciting answer, given, but it is the truth.pandacot wrote:I would have dinged you.amyLAchemist wrote:Same, and I mention something about specializing in patent proceedings I am interested in. Seems to be good, or at worst innocuous.dresden doll wrote:I told them I wanted to be on a partnership track doing litigation (which is pretty much true, btw). End of story.
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Re: How do you answer "so where do you see yourself..."
Thanks. Keep the responses coming.
Seriously? What are you waiting for?
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