14.律师助理
CONVERSATION 会话
（A=Applicant I=Interviewer）
I: Let抯 begin by having you tell me about yourself and your background.A: I have been working as a paralegal for the last 10 months through an agency that specializes in the legal field.My experience has been supporting attorneys in the field of labor law, where I have been able to apply my paralegal education.I was commended on my ability to take information and break it down into usable facts.I really love research and analyzing facts.My major in college was English, and as a result, my writing skills are my major strength.I am looking for a position where my research and writing skills can be used.
I: What do you think are the key qualities needed to succeed in the paralegal profeion?
A: Flexibility would certainly rank high in this type of job.In my last position, I supported four lawyers, and it was not unusual for them all to give me high-priority items to do in the same day or week.There were days when I had to stop and prioritize my work just to get a handle on everything.I would discu the urgency of their work with each of them so I didn抰 drop the ball.At the same time, I made sure each of them felt like his or her project was important on my agenda.I think communication is probably the next key quality.It really worked well when I talked with each of them, explained my situation, and got their input.I: Can you give me an example of a time when you had to work above and beyond your job description?
A: There was a very important project that had to be researched and completed by the end of the week.Even though I worked extra hours every night for almost two weeks, my bo and I stayed until 2 a.m.for two nights before the final wrap up.It was very rewarding to have put so much effort into a project and see the really great results.My bo gave me a bonus for my extra effort.
I: Tell me about a time when you had to research a case and encountered some obstacles you had to overcome.
A: I remember a case that was filled with obstacles.The first thing I did was research through documents and past cases that had similar circumstances.I aembled the facts and then tried to put them together and analyze the next step.I was able to get some input from another lawyer I happened to see at lunch.Through some hard work and fact digging, I was able to find a way to overcome most of the obstacles.I took my findings to my bo and made some recommendations, which she and I discued and
eventually resolved.My bo was impreed with the work I had done.I: What are your strengths and weaknees?
A: My strengths are my caring about getting the job done.I am very results-driven and have been able to meet all my deadlines in past jobs.As far as weaknees, I really enjoy my work, and sometimes I put in too much time.But I am aware of my tendency to overwork and have learned to pace myself more.
I: Tell me about a time when you had a confrontation with a coworker or bo.
A: I did have an iue with someone who was getting on my nerves.I asked her if I could talk with her one day, and we had a good discuion.It turned out she was not aware of the impact of her actions and that she really needed an explanation of the procedure.I took the time to explain the procedures, and there haven抰 been any problems since that day.I: When do you find a job satisfying?
A: My biggest satisfaction is when I experience growth in a job.When I first started as a paralegal, I had a lot to learn.But through hard work, advice from some good mentors and continuing education, I have come a long way.I抳e learned to be flexible when poible and to deal with difficult people in a positive manner.
I: How would your coworkers describe you?
A: First, they抎 say I have a lot of energy and enthusiasm.I really enjoy working with people.Secondly, they抎 say I had great customer service skills.I put the customer first.And thirdly, they抎 say that I know the law.I put a lot of effort into my education as a paralegal and take it seriously.
I: Do you have any questions?
A: Yes, I do.On a scale of one to 10, what would you say morale was in this company?
I: 讲讲你自己和你的背景，我们开始面试吧。
A: 过去的十个月，我一直在一家法律专业代理处做律师专职助理。我的工作就是在劳动法领域为法律事务代理人提供帮助，这样我就可以应用所学到的律师助理方面的知识于工作中。我具有获取信息并能把它们转变成可用事实的能力，这一点受到了人们的称赞，而且我喜欢调查和分析事实。我大学时的专业是英语，所以写作技能是我的专业特长。我希望找一份能发挥我调查和写作技能的工作。 I: 你认为作为一名律师助理，取得成功的关键品质是什么？
A: 在这类工作中，灵活性当然排第一位。我的前一份工作就是帮助四位律师，他们经常会在同一天或者同一个星期各自给我同样重要的工作去做。有时候，我必须把我的工作分出优先级，以便把每一份工作都做好。我会和他们每一个人商量一下工作的紧要程度，这样我就不会误事。同时我使他们每个人都确信在我的日程当中他（她）的工作是重要的。我认为第二重要的品质就是沟通能力。每次我和他们讨论问题时，这一点都很有帮助。我把我的处境说给他们听，听取他们的意见。
I: 你能给我举一个你必须加班而且超出你的工作范围的例子吗？
A: 曾经有一个非常重要的项目必须在周末之前调查清楚并完成。尽管我每晚加班都快两周了，有两个晚上我和老板还是工作到凌晨两点，直到完成。在一个项目上付出很大努力并能得到这么好的结果，是很值得的。对我的额外工作，老板嘉奖了我。
I: 讲讲你某一次为了调查一个案例，遇到了许多困难，但你必须克服这些困难的经历。
A: 我记得有一个案例遇到了很多障碍。我首先要做的就是调查清楚所有文档以及过去类似情形的案例，我将所有证据都收集起来，放在一起，等着
