求职英语. 律师助理

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 profession?
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 discuss 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 boss 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 boss 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 assembled 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 boss and made some recommendations, which she and i discussed and eventually resolved. my boss was impressed with the work i had done.
i: what are your strengths and weaknesses?
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 weaknesses, 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 boss.
a: i did have an issue with someone who was getting on my nerves. i asked her if i could talk with her one day, and we had a good discussion. 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 possible 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