Bad Interview Moments Forum

[rpupkin]

Founding partner took me to a practice group partner because I had an interest in that group. The group's partner was a southern belle. Just gorgeous. But also super Republican and conservative. For some reason I talked about enjoying volunteering and helping the poor. Convo abruptly ended. No offer.

Pro-tip: Conservative Republicans—particularly the religious ones—are generally into volunteering and helping the poor. Such volunteering helps justify/rationalize their policy preferences ("If the government would just eliminate social programs and lower taxes, generous Americans will help the poor through volunteerism.")

The convo probably ended abruptly because you're a weirdo.

[rpupkin]

It took me forever to park, so I was in a hurry to get to the firm's office for my first callback of the OCI season. I arrived with about a minute to spare. I sat down in the lobby. As I started interviews, I noticed people staring at my chest area. I looked down from time to time but didn't see anything, so I figured I was just imagining things. The morning interviews ended, and I went to lunch with two associates. As we were walking to the elevator, one of the associates (an alum from my law school) said, "wait a sec, let me fix that," and he pushed down the back of my collar. It was then i realized that my suit collar had been popped up for the entire morning. I couldn't see it because it was the back of my collar. Everyone had been staring at my collar, not my chest. My heart sank. No offer. It was especially difficult given it was my first callback. I laugh about it now, but at that associate lunch, I literally had nothing to say because I was so upset with myself.

Lesson: look at yourself in a mirror or window right before you go to an interview

Better lesson: Don't self-implode and refuse to speak at lunch because your collar was messed up.

[Anonymous User]

ok nobody is that braindead and blatantly racist. OP is trolling.

OP Here. I go to school in the south and this was for a regional firm. Make of that what you will.

[A. Nony Mouse]

ok nobody is that braindead and blatantly racist. OP is trolling.

This is pretty naive.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Got a post-CB offer call from my 1st choice firm around 5PM. Had a screening interview the next morning that was too late to cancel, so decided to go to keep up appearances. Just a quick background, I'm Asian with a patent-eligible undergrad degree. The screening interview was for a V200-ish firm that has no IP group. The interviewers were an older (60-ish) white male partner and a young white female associate.

As soon as I walk in, the partner asks, "Hey, <Chinese Restaurant> owner near our firm has the same last name as you, are you related?" Um... no.

After I sit down, the partner says, "So, the associate here went through our summer program and knows everything about that. If you have any questions, you can direct them to her." Partner then pulls out his cell phone and starts checking e-mail.

Interview then proceeds with the associate and I having a conversation like normal screening interviews, while the partner ignores us. The associate mentions that there's a food court in the building next to theirs with great food, and asks me what my favorite kind of food was. Don't really have one, but answered, "Sushi."

Partner looks up from his phone and says, "I don't understand sushi or people who like it. To me it's disgusting." Returns to checking e-mail.

Later in that interview, my undergrad degree was brought up. I mentioned that even though my background looks like I want to go into IP, that's not the case. Associate asks, "Oh! So what do you want to do?" I respond I was interested in litigation in general.

Partner looks up again and says, "That's a stupid answer. That's what everyone says."

No CB, obviously. Was extremely thankful I already had an offer, otherwise I would've actually cared.

Those race-based comments were stupid. But Are you seriously taking umbrage with a partner checking his email during an interview THAT WAS MEANINGLESS BECAUSE YOU ALREADY ACCEPTED AN OFFER? What's more rude, checking emails to get work done during a waste of time interview, or wasting this partner and associates time with a meaningless interview?
Don't do interviews when you know you will decline an offer. There's no such thing as "too late to cancel" even if you got an offer you plan to take while walking into the office.

I must be missing the part where interviewing partner knew OP accepted an offer.

Yeah, whether the OP should have canceled or not is completely different from whether his interviewers behaved appropriately, since they had no idea he was just phoning it in.

[Anonymous User]

It took me forever to park, so I was in a hurry to get to the firm's office for my first callback of the OCI season. I arrived with about a minute to spare. I sat down in the lobby. As I started interviews, I noticed people staring at my chest area. I looked down from time to time but didn't see anything, so I figured I was just imagining things. The morning interviews ended, and I went to lunch with two associates. As we were walking to the elevator, one of the associates (an alum from my law school) said, "wait a sec, let me fix that," and he pushed down the back of my collar. It was then i realized that my suit collar had been popped up for the entire morning. I couldn't see it because it was the back of my collar. Everyone had been staring at my collar, not my chest. My heart sank. No offer. It was especially difficult given it was my first callback. I laugh about it now, but at that associate lunch, I literally had nothing to say because I was so upset with myself.

Lesson: look at yourself in a mirror or window right before you go to an interview

Better lesson: Don't self-implode and refuse to speak at lunch because your collar was messed up.

OP here. Of course. That I had literally nothing to say was an exaggeration. Lunch wasn't terrible. My point is that there is a very simple solution to my problem an many other by simply looking in the mirror.

[Anonymous User]

You didn't get the offer while you were walking into the office. I'm sure if you had called the firm and informed them of that you were accepting an offer, they would have had no issue cancelling the interview. Those people have real jobs. They don't want to waste time interviewing you if you're not interested. It's both common sense and common courtesy.

Sorry I wasn't clear, this was OCI screens, so they were at school all day interviewing people. But, something to keep in mind. My screening interview was the second one of the day, scheduled for 8:20 AM. Whether or not I could've or should've cancelled, it feels like some of these responses presume I wanted to waste my time and the interviewers' time. Based on advice given on this forum, and from the school CSO, my understanding at the time was that common sense and common courtesy required a full day's notice if you were going to cancel on someone, otherwise you go. I went because I felt obligated to. Do you guys really think I wanted to get up at 6AM and put on a suit to go to an interview for a job I wasn't going to accept?

[lavarman84]

You didn't get the offer while you were walking into the office. I'm sure if you had called the firm and informed them of that you were accepting an offer, they would have had no issue cancelling the interview. Those people have real jobs. They don't want to waste time interviewing you if you're not interested. It's both common sense and common courtesy.

Sorry I wasn't clear, this was OCI screens, so they were at school all day interviewing people. But, something to keep in mind. My screening interview was the second one of the day, scheduled for 8:20 AM. Whether or not I could've or should've cancelled, it feels like some of these responses presume I wanted to waste my time and the interviewers' time. Based on advice given on this forum, and from the school CSO, my understanding at the time was that common sense and common courtesy required a full day's notice if you were going to cancel on someone, otherwise you go. I went because I felt obligated to. Do you guys really think I wanted to get up at 6AM and put on a suit to go to an interview for a job I wasn't going to accept?

It's a bit more understandable then. But the CSO is self-interested. I'd still say give them the head's up in the future. Think both sides would prefer not to do the interview if you're already accepting another offer. Regardless, it doesn't excuse the partner's behavior.

[misterjames]

Not nearly as bad as any of these but it happened recently and has been bothering me. I went to a callback style interview at a V10 in NYC and met a few partners and associates, all one-on-one interviews for 20-30 minutes.

All of my conversations were great up until the last interview with the hiring partner. He was asking me about some items on my resume but every time I tried to respond, he just kept responding with "yup. ok. yup. alright" pretty much after every single word I said. I'm fairly certain he felt he was wasting his time interviewing me. Then at the end (or should I say, after about 15 minutes) he asks if I have any questions "that haven't already been answered by everyone else I met today" which threw me off a bit, so I asked about transitioning into the firm which was apparently a mistake because he kept saying how "unusual" the timing of this interview was and that most of their new associates start in September.

What sucks is that this was the only bad conversation I had and of course it's with the hiring partner. I'll admit it was bad timing being off recruiting season and I got to his office around 1pm so the day was well under way, but still it just felt rushed and there wasn't much I felt I could do to salvage it. This was 3 weeks ago, still haven't heard a peep. Oh well...

[LaLiLuLeLo]

You didn't get the offer while you were walking into the office. I'm sure if you had called the firm and informed them of that you were accepting an offer, they would have had no issue cancelling the interview. Those people have real jobs. They don't want to waste time interviewing you if you're not interested. It's both common sense and common courtesy.

Sorry I wasn't clear, this was OCI screens, so they were at school all day interviewing people. But, something to keep in mind. My screening interview was the second one of the day, scheduled for 8:20 AM. Whether or not I could've or should've cancelled, it feels like some of these responses presume I wanted to waste my time and the interviewers' time. Based on advice given on this forum, and from the school CSO, my understanding at the time was that common sense and common courtesy required a full day's notice if you were going to cancel on someone, otherwise you go. I went because I felt obligated to. Do you guys really think I wanted to get up at 6AM and put on a suit to go to an interview for a job I wasn't going to accept?

Actually, for any 1L or 2L who's reading this, you should cancel if you're not interested. It frees up a spot for others to swoop in and get a screener. Maybe their chances aren't great, but marginally better than nothing.

[Micdiddy]

You didn't get the offer while you were walking into the office. I'm sure if you had called the firm and informed them of that you were accepting an offer, they would have had no issue cancelling the interview. Those people have real jobs. They don't want to waste time interviewing you if you're not interested. It's both common sense and common courtesy.

Sorry I wasn't clear, this was OCI screens, so they were at school all day interviewing people. But, something to keep in mind. My screening interview was the second one of the day, scheduled for 8:20 AM. Whether or not I could've or should've cancelled, it feels like some of these responses presume I wanted to waste my time and the interviewers' time. Based on advice given on this forum, and from the school CSO, my understanding at the time was that common sense and common courtesy required a full day's notice if you were going to cancel on someone, otherwise you go. I went because I felt obligated to. Do you guys really think I wanted to get up at 6AM and put on a suit to go to an interview for a job I wasn't going to accept?

I can't pm as I said I would cause your anon. Of course I don't think you nefariously chose to waste people's time, including your own. In this situation try and cancel anyway. Usually you can do so that morning, despite what CSOs say, and open that spot for a filler(as mentioned above). If none of that is possible go to the room and explaining them the situation (something like: "I am your next scheduled interview but I just accepted a position last night. It was too late to cancel this screener, but I did not want to be a no show. Thank you." Something like that. And if you're thinking, "why bother waking up at 6 am just to pop into a screener say one thing and leave?" I would counter that the initial plan was to do the same thing, but make it 30 minutes of wasted time instead of 30 seconds.). They will probably think you were the most mature, respectful person they've seen that day and wonder how many other people waste their time pretending.

My initial response is not my typical response for someone who thought they had to keep a meaningless screener and put on a show for the firm in some misguided sense of saving face. It was that that same person would then come here and complain that the partner in said interview was checking his phone (though I do think you wanted to share the racist comments as well, which also show this partner was just a dick all around). I get that He did not know it was a meaningless screener, so I get it was a general dick move on his part, but the irony was just too much.

Edit: I made this thread for future comments on this matter: http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... 3&t=274947

[RaceJudicata]

Not nearly as bad as any of these but it happened recently and has been bothering me. I went to a callback style interview at a V10 in NYC and met a few partners and associates, all one-on-one interviews for 20-30 minutes.

All of my conversations were great up until the last interview with the hiring partner. He was asking me about some items on my resume but every time I tried to respond, he just kept responding with "yup. ok. yup. alright" pretty much after every single word I said. I'm fairly certain he felt he was wasting his time interviewing me. Then at the end (or should I say, after about 15 minutes) he asks if I have any questions "that haven't already been answered by everyone else I met today" which threw me off a bit, so I asked about transitioning into the firm which was apparently a mistake because he kept saying how "unusual" the timing of this interview was and that most of their new associates start in September.

What sucks is that this was the only bad conversation I had and of course it's with the hiring partner. I'll admit it was bad timing being off recruiting season and I got to his office around 1pm so the day was well under way, but still it just felt rushed and there wasn't much I felt I could do to salvage it. This was 3 weeks ago, still haven't heard a peep. Oh well...

Bolded seems like the normal trajectory (time wise and question wise) of a typical interview. Not sure why that threw you off?

[Genius]

ok nobody is that braindead and blatantly racist. OP is trolling.

This is pretty naive.

I was half being sarcastic but how r u? Thx.

[JenDarby]

Then at the end (or should I say, after about 15 minutes) he asks if I have any questions "that haven't already been answered by everyone else I met today" which threw me off a bit, so I asked about transitioning into the firm which was apparently a mistake because he kept saying how "unusual" the timing of this interview was and that most of their new associates start in September.

Bolded seems like the normal trajectory (time wise and question wise) of a typical interview. Not sure why that threw you off?

I've been asked this by the last interviewer in nearly every multi interviewer situation. I actually love this question since it gives you an out if you want one.

IME, "no, not at this moment" is a perfectly acceptable answer.

[foregetaboutdre]

Then at the end (or should I say, after about 15 minutes) he asks if I have any questions "that haven't already been answered by everyone else I met today" which threw me off a bit, so I asked about transitioning into the firm which was apparently a mistake because he kept saying how "unusual" the timing of this interview was and that most of their new associates start in September.

Bolded seems like the normal trajectory (time wise and question wise) of a typical interview. Not sure why that threw you off?

I've been asked this by the last interviewer in nearly every multi interviewer situation. I actually love this question since it gives you an out if you want one.

IME, "no, not at this moment" is a perfectly acceptable answer.

In my experience this is true especially for hiring/managing partners. I think they try to feel you out with their own questions and basically make their mind up (saying the question line as a courtesy).

[misterjames]

Then at the end (or should I say, after about 15 minutes) he asks if I have any questions "that haven't already been answered by everyone else I met today" which threw me off a bit, so I asked about transitioning into the firm which was apparently a mistake because he kept saying how "unusual" the timing of this interview was and that most of their new associates start in September.

Bolded seems like the normal trajectory (time wise and question wise) of a typical interview. Not sure why that threw you off?

I've been asked this by the last interviewer in nearly every multi interviewer situation. I actually love this question since it gives you an out if you want one.

IME, "no, not at this moment" is a perfectly acceptable answer.

In my experience this is true especially for hiring/managing partners. I think they try to feel you out with their own questions and basically make their mind up (saying the question line as a courtesy).

That's actually good to know, thanks for that insight.

To the other poster, I guess it threw me off as I wasn't aware it was normal practice, and the tone seemed a bit irritated I suppose. Could be reading too much into it but it's whatever at this point.

[A. Nony Mouse]

ok nobody is that braindead and blatantly racist. OP is trolling.

This is pretty naive.

I was half being sarcastic but how r u? Thx.

Everyone knows I'm bad at sarcasm.

[Genius]

ok nobody is that braindead and blatantly racist. OP is trolling.

This is pretty naive.

I was half being sarcastic but how r u? Thx.

Everyone knows I'm bad at sarcasm.

But they also love you. Yes they do.

[RaceJudicata]

Trying not to think about bar results...So bumping this because OCI is about to get into full swing...

[Anonymous User]

this is from a while back

had accepted a SA offer from one of the top biglaw firms in the market and was interviewing for another firm in the market, also biglaw but less well-regarded. at the interview when they asked me why i was interested in their firm, i answered "because i know that you guys do a second half summer and i'm doing something for 1st half summer already at X firm."

convo died, then surprise surprise no offer from the second

in all fairness, my intent was to leverage the first firm's offer as an indicator of aptitude/competence to add to my profile but that was probably one of the dumber/(unintentionally) douchey things that i've said

[Nebby]

Founding partner took me to a practice group partner because I had an interest in that group. The group's partner was a southern belle. Just gorgeous. But also super Republican and conservative. For some reason I talked about enjoying volunteering and helping the poor. Convo abruptly ended. No offer.

Pro-tip: Conservative Republicans—particularly the religious ones—are generally into volunteering and helping the poor. Such volunteering helps justify/rationalize their policy preferences ("If the government would just eliminate social programs and lower taxes, generous Americans will help the poor through volunteerism.")

The convo probably ended abruptly because you're a weirdo.

Lol

[Anonymous User]

It took me forever to park, so I was in a hurry to get to the firm's office for my first callback of the OCI season. I arrived with about a minute to spare. I sat down in the lobby. As I started interviews, I noticed people staring at my chest area. I looked down from time to time but didn't see anything, so I figured I was just imagining things. The morning interviews ended, and I went to lunch with two associates. As we were walking to the elevator, one of the associates (an alum from my law school) said, "wait a sec, let me fix that," and he pushed down the back of my collar. It was then i realized that my suit collar had been popped up for the entire morning. I couldn't see it because it was the back of my collar. Everyone had been staring at my collar, not my chest. My heart sank. No offer. It was especially difficult given it was my first callback. I laugh about it now, but at that associate lunch, I literally had nothing to say because I was so upset with myself.

Lesson: look at yourself in a mirror or window right before you go to an interview

did this throughout an entire screener

the partner tucked it for me after the interview and said "don't worry, I hate dressing up too."

no CB

[Anonymous User]

Interviewer: (out of nowhere) As Donald Rumsfeld used to say...
Me: (reflexively) oh no
Interviewer: I worked for the Bush White House. I'm very proud to say so.

Thought that I managed to save myself afterwards with a comment about a professor quoting the same thing frequently, but it's been two weeks since the CB and I haven't heard anything sooooooo

[Mr. Blackacre]

Interviewer: (out of nowhere) As Donald Rumsfeld used to say...
Me: (reflexively) oh no
Interviewer: I worked for the Bush White House. I'm very proud to say so.

[rustyburger2]

Last year during a callback I was totally hitting it off with the interviewer. The interviewer asked me what my least favorite class was, and I answered "Civ Pro."

"Bad Professor?" she asked.

My guard being down, I decided to play it straight and make it sort of a joke. "Nah, the subject was just super dry - personal jurisdiction was a nightmare amirite?"

The subsequent look of confusion threw me off. Everybody knows Civ Pro sucks monkey balls, wasinotrite?...

Then it hit me. I had already told her that I was dead set on LITIGATION. Thinking fast, I rectified the situation as best as humanly possible:

"Actually I take that back, my least favorite class was property."

No offer.