My Chicago Law Moment: Katie Funkhouser and Jessica Michaels, both ’13, Launched an Interview Practice Program—and Felt the Power of Alumni Support
It takes practice to make a good first impression.
At least that’s how Katie Funkhouser and Jessica Michaels, both ’13, felt after attending a mock-interview event hosted by the a Chicago Bar Association during their 1L year. On-Campus Interviewing was coming up that summer and the repetition had helped them hone their sales pitch, refine their interpersonal communication skills, and build confidence.
Which is what made them think: everyone at the Law School should get a chance to rehearse before OCI.
“We realized it was really helpful to have the experience of speaking with person after person after person, and we wanted to bring that to the Law School,” Funkhouser said. And so she and Michaels approached the Law School’s Office of Career Services and ultimately helped launch the SPIN program, a Speed Practice Interview Night in which Law School students participate in a series of short meetings with alumni “interviewers,” speed-dating style.
When they launched the program the next year, the women were struck by two things: the demand—nearly all 1Ls wanted to sign up—and the willingness of the Law School’s alumni to help.
“I think the thing I most appreciated was how receptive the alumni were,” Funkhouser said. “It really made me excited to be a part of the alumni community as well. Everyone thought this idea … sounded great, and they were willing to volunteer their time and trek down to Hyde Park and give it a try. Everyone was very helpful, very enthusiastic.”
When the two women graduated and became law firm associates—Funkhouser works in Sidley Austin’s Chicago office and Michaels works in Mayer Brown’s Chicago office—they saw the value of preparation from the other side.
“Being the person conducting the interview, you know how busy you are, and you know you’re taking this break from your day to talk to someone; they really get one shot to impress you,” Michaels said. “It’s hard [for interviewees] to maintain the enthusiasm when [they’re] doing it over and over and over again, but … if they’re tired or unenthusiastic, [or] not really selling themselves the way they did in the first or second interview, that reflects poorly. … [Job interviews are] something that you’re just not prepared for until you do it.”
Added Funkhouser: “I think [speed interviewing] helped me realize the importance of the first couple of minutes of the interview, when you and interviewer get to know each other … and you see the way the interviewer is projecting himself or herself. You see the importance of how you come across right away. You get better, the more you do it, at coming up with short answers to questions about yourself.”
My Chicago Law Moment is a series highlighting the Law School ideas, experiences, and approaches that have impacted our students and alumni. Video produced by Will Anderson.