1. GO FOR THE GOLD - No matter how unsure you are about making a change, go for the offer. Too often, candidates go into the interview lukewarm and come out hot for the job. The feedback from the firm to the headhunter is that the initial interviewers found the candidate to be "unenthusiastic", "ambivalent", or "uninterested." Remember, you can always say "no" later but assume from the start that you will want to say "yes."

2. DON'T INTERRUPT ME! - You may have suddenly thought of the most insightful or profound comment but wait! Please wait until the interviewer stops talking. (Ask your friends and family if you have a tendency to interrupt - many people do not even realize that they have this habit).

3. DRESS FOR SUCCESS - When in doubt (and even when not in doubt), dress conservatively. You will not offend an interviewer by dressing conservatively whereas the trendy, nonconformist clothes may not impress. Also, skip the cologne/perfume.

4. THE EYES HAVE IT - Make eye contact, look interested, appear alert, speak clearly, do not slouch, yawn, lean on your elbows, look at your watch, badmouth your current employer, or use profanity.

5. E.T., LEAVE THE CELL PHONE HOME! - Believe it or not, candidates have been rejected for receiving cell phone calls during an interview. Remember, lunch with associates or staff attorneys is STILL part of the interview no matter how informal it may seem. In fact, be particularly on guard during lunches.

6. QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS - Be prepared with good ones. Do your homework. Remember, you are interviewing the firm or company as much as they are interviewing you. It's okay to ask about firm/company culture, long term expected growth, recent attrition, client base, success of other lateral hires, etc. Save the salary questions for the headhunter or for a later callback interview.

7. TIMING IS EVERYTHING - Be on time for the interview. A simple enough rule but one that is often broken. If you are going to be late, call ahead and apologize profusely. Apologize again when you arrive. Make sure you have the firm/ company telephone number (and the headhunter's number) with you in case of an emergency. If you absolutely MUST leave the interview by a designated time, make sure the headhunter gets it squared away with the firm/company in advance.

8. EXPERIENCE IS THE SPICE OF LIFE - Be prepared to discuss your work experience. That means specific transactions, cases, appeals, trials, wills, patent applications, public offerings etc. Many candidates prepare an addendum to the resume entitled "Representative Transactions" or "Sample Projects." Even if you don't attach an addendum, maintain an informal log that you can review before an interview.

9. FLATTERY WILL GET YOU EVERYWHERE - Try to get a schedule of the interviewers in advance. Look them up and know their backgrounds. Who knows...you may share a hometown, a birthday, undergraduate college or a law school. It helps to have some common ground and they will be impressed that you took the time to learn about them. Remember, an interview schedule can change at the last minute so don't be shaken if none of the original interviewers is on the final schedule.

10. R-E-S-P-E-C-T THE RC - The RC is the Recruiting Coordinator. He or she is the professional at the firm/company who is working with your headhunter to facilitate the interview and hiring process. The role of the RC varies significantly among employers. Some RCs merely route the resume through appropriate channels and schedule the interviews. Other RCs prescreen resumes, interview candidates and make recommendations to the hiring committee. RCs work very hard and are highly regarded by the attorneys for whom they work. Show them a great deal of respect and treat them as you would any of the other interviewers.