Interviews for public defender jobs are different from most of the interviews you’ve had to date. They tend to involve more probing questions that stray beyond your resume. Employers want to know how committed you are to public defense, whether you care about and will relate well to your clients, whether you have the ability to stand up and fight in a system that is stacked against you, and whether you will last in the job. They also want to test your intelligence, public-speaking skills, and figure out whether you will fit with the culture of their office. In short, the questions will often be deeper than the typical get-to-know-you interview. In the first part of this two-part event, we will discuss what factors interviewers are considering and how to craft your answer to the inevitable question - why do you want to be a public defender? So grab a lunch and join us to learn how to tackle these interview questions.
