What decades in the courtroom taught me about persuasion, preparation, and leaving an interviewer convinced you belong in the room.
Most job seekers think an interview begins with the first question. In reality it begins the moment the interviewer first sees you. Before you have said a word, a picture is already forming in their mind.
After fifty years practicing law as a trial lawyer, I learned that persuasion often starts long before the argument begins. Judges and juries notice presence, confidence, and preparation immediately. The same forces are at work in a job interview. The candidates who understand this simple truth walk into interviews differently, prepare differently, and leave behind a lasting impression that keeps them in the conversation long after they have left the room.
For much of my professional life I stood in courtrooms presenting cases before judges and juries. A trial lawyer quickly learns that facts alone rarely win the day. People are persuaded by clarity, confidence, credibility, and presence. They observe how you speak, how you listen, and how you carry yourself. Long before the closing argument, an impression has already taken shape.x
Today, after five decades practicing law, I work as an executive coach and career strategist. Many of my clients are professionals and executives who want to move forward in their careers. Some are seeking advancement within their current organizations. Others are considering whether the time has come to move to a new company or a different field. Still others are actively pursuing new positions and want to maximize their chances of being interviewed and hired. In each case the goal is similar. We develop a clear strategy to obtain an interview and strengthen communication skills. We prepare the client to present the strongest possible version of themselves in an interview.
One of the most important lessons I share with clients is that an interview is not simply a question and answer session. It is a moment of persuasion. The interviewer is deciding whether they can imagine you as part of their organization. Your preparation should help create that picture clearly and convincingly.
Preparation begins with understanding the organization you hope to join. Too many candidates arrive at interviews knowing little more than the information listed in the job description. That is not preparation. Serious candidates study the organization carefully. What is its mission. What is its history. What challenges is it facing. What does the industry look like today and where might it be heading. What values appear to guide the leadership of the organization.
When candidates understand these things, their answers take on a different tone. They sound informed and thoughtful. The conversation becomes more interesting because the candidate is no longer speaking in general terms. They are speaking directly to the world in which the interviewer works every day.
Another critical element is the story you tell about your own career. Every professional has a narrative, whether it has been consciously shaped or not. The interviewer is trying to understand how your experiences have prepared you for this particular opportunity. If your story seems disconnected or accidental, the interviewer may struggle to see how you fit into the role.
Good preparation means connecting the dots. Why did you pursue the positions you have held. What skills did you develop along the way. What have you learned about leadership, teamwork, or problem solving. Most important, why does this new opportunity make sense as the next step in your professional journey.
Communication skills also play a decisive role. In the courtroom I learned that jurors pay close attention to more than the words a lawyer speaks. They notice posture, eye contact, tone of voice, dress, and pacing. Confidence and credibility are communicated through both verbal and nonverbal signals.
The same is true in interviews. Candidates should practice speaking clearly and concisely. They should listen carefully to the questions being asked and take a moment to think before answering. They should maintain comfortable eye contact and demonstrate calm confidence. They should avoid distractions. These small details strongly influence how a candidate is perceived.
An interview should also be a conversation rather than a one sided examination. Strong candidates prepare thoughtful questions for the interviewer. We suggest questions that will capture the interviewer’s attention. Questions reveal curiosity, judgment, and maturity.
For example, a candidate might ask how success in the role will be measured during the first year. They might ask about the most significant challenges currently facing the team. They might ask what qualities have helped previous employees succeed in the position. Questions like these demonstrate that the candidate is thinking seriously about contribution and performance, not merely employment.
As the interview draws to a close, another important moment arrives. Many candidates underestimate the importance of the final minutes of the meeting. Yet this is often when the interviewer forms a lasting impression. Trial lawyers are familiar with the law of primacy and recency. Jurors remember best what came first, and second best what came last. Interviewers are no different.
A candidate should take a moment to express appreciation for the conversation and reaffirm their interest in the role. A simple statement can be powerful. You might say that the discussion has increased your enthusiasm about the opportunity and that you would welcome the chance to contribute to the organization’s work..
Finally, I encourage clients to think about one larger question. What kind of wake do you want to leave behind you after the interview ends.
Imagine the interviewer speaking with colleagues after you have left. How will they describe you. Will they remember someone who was thoughtful, prepared, and engaging. Will they recall someone who seemed genuinely interested in the organization’s mission. Or will the conversation move quickly to the next candidate.
The wake you leave behind is shaped by everything you did before, during, and after the interview. Preparation, communication, curiosity, and presence all contribute to the final impression.
Careers often turn on conversations that last less than an hour. Yet those conversations can be transformed by careful preparation and thoughtful coaching. The skills required to present yourself effectively in an interview are not mysterious, but they are rarely taught. They can be learned, practiced, and refined.
Over the years I have seen talented professionals transform their job searches once they understand how interviews really work. With guidance, they sharpen their stories, strengthen their presence, and walk into interviews with clarity and confidence. If you are preparing for an important career move, thoughtful coaching can make a decisive difference. The opportunity you want may depend on a single conversation. It is worth making sure you are fully prepared to make your case.
(The author was a trial lawyer for five decades before becoming an Executive Coach.)
