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I'm not one of those people who grew up with it as their dream or has a background to pull from so I'm a bit at a loss. Any help would be much appreciated.

Well, why do you want to be a prosecutor?

Thats a valid question that can best be answered with I have no idea. Which isn't exactly helpful to me in an interview.

Anonymous User wrote:I'm not one of those people who grew up with it as their dream or has a background to pull from so I'm a bit at a loss. Any help would be much appreciated.

There are two types of people who want to be prosecutors -- (1) those that want courtroom and/or trial experience and (2) those that are true believers in justice. Those two types are not necessarily mutually exclusive, but many times they are. People who are interviewing you, do not want to hear that you are the former (even if they are one themselves), at least not exclusively. They want some sense that you do want to prosecute as a commitment to public service.

So, here's one way to spin it. Now, mind you, people will have heard this spiel, I know I did when I hired prospective people for the USAO, but it certainly is better than "I don't know."

I know that looking at my resume and background, it is isn't apparent why I would be interested in criminal law, much less prosecuting X crimes with your office. But having gone through law school these past few years, I've come to the realization that being a prosecutor is the quiddity of what being a lawyer is all about -- trying cases and making a difference in people's lives. I don't want to simply make a career out of making a corporation richer or bigger. I want to make a difference in the world. For me there is no better way to simultaneously achieve both of those goals than as a prosecutor. I can help society upholds its laws while at the same time work in a setting where lawyers should be spending their time -- the courtroom.

Or words to that effect ...

Anonymous User wrote:Thats a valid question that can best be answered with I have no idea. Which isn't exactly helpful to me in an interview.

If you can't convince yourself why, how do you expect to convince someone else why?

Anonymous User wrote:Thats a valid question that can best be answered with I have no idea. Which isn't exactly helpful to me in an interview.

Okay, um, do you want to be a prosecutor? Or did you just apply to a DA's office in the hope of finding work after striking out elsewhere?

it's ok to say law and order is the reason you want to law school and the reason you want to put bad guys behind bars