The General Counsel Interview and Hiring Process: How to Prepare

The interview process for general counsel positions is very different from the hiring process for in-house counsel jobs.

From the longer timeline to the multiple rounds of interviews with various stakeholders, you won’t want to be caught off guard.

Keep reading to learn what you can expect in terms of the recruiting timeline and interviewing process for general counsel roles.

If you’d rather watch or listen, you can view the video “Understanding the General Counsel Interview Process, Questions, and Answers” by clicking here.

MANAGING YOUR EXPECTATIONS DURING GENERAL COUNSEL INTERVIEWS

First and foremost understand that due to the relatively limited number of general counsel positions, you will have limited options unless you’re willing to relocate.

Be sure to let a recruiter know right away whether or not relocation is in the cards for you.

Not going to lie—the interview process will feel like it’s dragging on forever.

From your perspective as the job candidate, the length of the GC hiring process averages four months. And it likely started a month or two before that internally with the organization.

There are lots of moving parts when a company conducts a general counsel search, including the coordination of the interviewers’ schedules.

That said, do not circumvent the search firm or recruiter who is your contact for the interview process. This can backfire, so resist the temptation to reach out to someone inside the organization to try to move the interview process along.

(If you know someone within the company, be sure to let the recruiter know from the outset.)

Another reason for the longer timeline is that the hiring process for GCs involves multiple rounds of interviews.

THE GENERAL COUNSEL INTERVIEW PROCESS

You’ll want to pace yourself and buckle in for at least three rounds of interviews with various internal stakeholders.

Recruiter Screening

Your first point of contact will likely be a recruiter—either one that works internally for the organization or one that works for an external search firm.

During your screening interview, you’ll want to make sure you know your résumé forward and backward and display executive presence.

You’ll also want to use the recruiter screening as an opportunity to learn more about the role to see if it’s something you’re actually interested in.

At a minimum, be sure to ask why the organization is conducting a search for a GC.

Also request basic details about the role itself such as the title, the placement of the position within the organization as a whole, and the reporting structure.

First Round Interview(s)

During this stage of the interview process, you’ll be meeting with members of the legal department and most likely team members from the business/non-legal side of the organization.

Your priority in preparing for this round of interviews is doing a deep dive on all publicly available information on the organization:

• Navigate company’s website
• Read industry blogs and articles
• Review bios of executives you’ll meet, looking for similar interests
• Study public filings and financial statements
• Review analyst reports?
• Listen to company’s last webcast conference
• Read annual report, press releases, and marketing materials
• Research executive compensation

You’ll also need to demonstrate deep knowledge of the organization’s industry, how they fit into it, and who their competitors are.

It’s not uncommon to be asked to deliver a presentation to some of the team members during an early round interview—so don’t be surprised if you’re asked to prepare one!

Interview with the CEO

If you get high marks from everyone in the first round, you’ll be elevated to a one-on-one interview with the CEO.

This interview is for both you and the CEO to see if you have compatible personalities and would be able to develop a strong working relationship.

Many CEOs want a trusted advisor and business partner in a GC. You’ll want to consider what you want in a CEO you’ll be working alongside.

Interview with Board Members

Next stop on your GC interview tour—following a successful CEO interview—will be with one or more of the board members.

They’ll want to get a sense of your understanding of corporate governance and best practices, including your experience in properly documenting actions taken by the board, navigating challenging ethical issues, and knowing when (and when not) to raise concerns to the board level.

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK THE COMPANY

In addition to preparing answers to anticipated questions , you’ll want to be asking your own questions of the company to assess whether or not the role is a fit with your values, strengths, and interests.

Some questions you may want to ask:

• What would a successful GC accomplish in their first year here?
• What characteristics make for a successful GC in this industry?
• Which metrics does the company use to evaluate performance and define success?
• What can the legal department do to improve?
• What would company leadership like to see changed?
• Are there any significant legal issues that need immediate attention?

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD NOT ASK THE COMPANY

It’s not that you can never ask these questions, but rather that you should either be asking the recruiter about them or saving them for when you’re negotiating your job offer.

You’ll want to hold off on asking about things like what the typical work week looks like in terms of hours, vacation policy, travel commitments, and compensation.

For more company-specific questions, you’ll want to ask your recruiter about:

• Whether there are any internal candidates
• CEO’s current standing with shareholders and board
• The CEO’s tenure and experience
• Any concerns regarding CEO’s or CFO’s ethics

Once you make it to the offer stage, you can get all the info about compensation and benefits as you embark on your offer negotiation journey.

NAVIGATING YOUR GENERAL COUNSEL INTERVIEW PROCESS

If you're looking for feedback and support as you navigate your lengthy GC job search, take a peek at my 12 month program, Make Your Next Move?.

You’ll have access to my signature framework that walks you through searching for GC positions, implementing a LinkedIn strategy, writing résumés and cover letters, navigating the interview process, and negotiating your job offer.?

Plus, you’ll have opportunities to get feedback and coaching from me in both group and 1:1 settings.

We’ve had lawyers in the program land their ideal GC jobs—and you could be next!?

Feel free to send me a DM if you want to learn more about how I can support you in your General Counsel job search.

Annie

P.S. You can access the original article and accompanying video at https://thejdnation.com/blog/general-counsel-interview .