5.

All of us have had times in our lives in which we felt unmotivated, or encountered problems 
which seemed insurmountable. Describe such a situation and explain how you dealt with it.

This question goes to the heart of professionalism-how do we maintain high personal and 
professional standards day-in and day-out, even when inspiration and motivation are lacking. 
Look for evidence of structure, e.g., (1) Getting up in the morning, showering, getting dressed-
physically preparing for work/study as if one was motivated, rather than waiting for inspiration to 
strike; (2) Sitting down at the desk with books open and beginning the motions of studying 
knowing that habit can replace inspiration. 
 

6.

Describe a situation where you failed to reach a goal?

  Interviewers try to determine how you 

deal with adversity and see if you have a need to win every time. Identify a situation where you 
had to adjust your sights and, if possible, go back to succeed at a later date.  Succeeding, however, 
is not as important as your demonstration of an ability to deal with tough times and make 
adjustments. 

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS YOU COULD BE ASKED 

Skills & Strengths 



How will you contribute to our organization? 



Are you a better public speaker or writer? 



What do you think will be your chief strength as a lawyer? 



What do you think will be your primary weakness as a lawyer? 



Tell me about your writing sample. 

Past Work Experience 



Tell me what you did before you came to Loyola University School of Law? 



Walk me through your resume – what are the highlights of your career to date? 



Tell me about [any job on your resume].  What did you do?  What did you learn?  What did 
you like most about the job?  What did you like least? 



How would your previous supervisors describe you? 



Of all the jobs you’ve held, which was your favorite and why? 



Tell me about a time you went above and beyond the call of duty in a job. 



Tell me about a time you voluntarily took on a leadership role in a job. 



What type of work have you found most satisfying? 



Tell me about a challenge you faced in one of your past jobs and how you overcame it. 



Have you ever had to deal with a difficult client or supervisor?  How did you handle the 
situation? 

Work Style 



What motivates you? 



How would you describe your work style? 



Do you prefer working independently or as part of a team? 



Give me an example of a time you worked on a team, and how well you think it worked. 



Are you a leader or a follower when asked to work as part of a team? 



What kind of a boss do you prefer?