Bad Interview Moments Forum

[Anonymous User]

Me: So where are you from? (Firm supposedly concentrates recruiting on people from same place in midwest where I am from and firm is located, looking for common ground)

Partner: Outside Pittsburgh, it was nice meeting you (5 minutes early)

no cb

[Anonymous User]

Interview with a partner at OCI. Has all the lights in the hotel room off, sounds like Eeyore and appears to be seriously depressed.

Him: rambles through assignment program
Me: So in your experience, do summers interested in certain areas have the chance to build relationships with associates or partners in those groups?
Him: No. (minute pause) That would be...against protocol.
Me: So...there's not a lot of interaction between associates/partners and summers?
Him: No. (pause) We don't do social.
Me: ...I think our time's up.

Things are a bit different at H than for the rest of us plebs

[Anonymous User]

This is not really a "bad" interview story--just an atypical one.

I walked into an OCI screener with a male partner and female associate. They are unusually loose--laughing and joking. The partner asks me what my ringtone is. I am taken aback, but I have multiple ringtones for different people, so I ask if he just wants to know what my default ringtone is. He says, nevermind, he will just call me--what is my phone number? (It is on my resume that he is holding.) I hesitate, and the associate says that my phone is probably turned off. I say, yeah, my phone is on airplane mode. So he says, OK, well just play your ringtone. So I pull out my phone--pretty uncomfortable with this development at the moment, but deciding that I will just go with it. So I play my default ringtone for him, which happens to be a (Christian) hip-hop song. He asks what the song is and we end up having a short convo about the artist, etc. That turned into a conversation about his kids and a donut shop that they like (and I like). Then he asks me if I was a baseball player what song I would have played (in the stadium) as I stepped up to the plate to bat. I was entirely unprepared for this question so I said I liked the song that was my ringtone--and I named one or two other songs that I might choose. Then he asks me to tell him something about his firm that he doesn't know. I am really stumped with this one, so I just mention that I noticed that they recently redesigned their website. He proceeds to tell me his favorite answer that anyone has ever given to that question--some interviewee apparently told him (I think in a previous year) that the interviewee used to run by their office with his dog and that the dog would always stop and pee in front of the firm's building.

Callback and offer. (By the way, I really liked the guy so in no way is this story a negative reflection on him or the firm, but it is definitely the most unique interview experience I have ever had.)

[Anonymous User]

At a CB, last interviewer of the day is a partner who half way through told me he really liked me and I'd probably get an offer. We start talking about sports and I ask him if he'd gone to any games for X team (my favorite one). He says he used to be a fan but now has a daughter...I take this to mean that he thinks girls can't appreciate sports and tell him that as a girl, I think he's wrong about that. He gets taken aback (apparently it just meant he didn't have time). Ding a few days later.

[Arbiter213]

At a CB, last interviewer of the day is a partner who half way through told me he really liked me and I'd probably get an offer. We start talking about sports and I ask him if he'd gone to any games for X team (my favorite one). He says he used to be a fan but now has a daughter...I take this to mean that he thinks girls can't appreciate sports and tell him that as a girl, I think he's wrong about that. He gets taken aback (apparently it just meant he didn't have time). Ding a few days later.

This post serves the dual purpose of a tag (for me) and laughing because I know who this anon is.

[neonx]

I can't even read this thread, because it makes me jittery. So glad to be done finally.

[dixiecupdrinking]

This is not really a "bad" interview story--just an atypical one.

I walked into an OCI screener with a male partner and female associate. They are unusually loose--laughing and joking. The partner asks me what my ringtone is. I am taken aback, but I have multiple ringtones for different people, so I ask if he just wants to know what my default ringtone is. He says, nevermind, he will just call me--what is my phone number? (It is on my resume that he is holding.) I hesitate, and the associate says that my phone is probably turned off. I say, yeah, my phone is on airplane mode. So he says, OK, well just play your ringtone. So I pull out my phone--pretty uncomfortable with this development at the moment, but deciding that I will just go with it. So I play my default ringtone for him, which happens to be a (Christian) hip-hop song. He asks what the song is and we end up having a short convo about the artist, etc. That turned into a conversation about his kids and a donut shop that they like (and I like). Then he asks me if I was a baseball player what song I would have played (in the stadium) as I stepped up to the plate to bat. I was entirely unprepared for this question so I said I liked the song that was my ringtone--and I named one or two other songs that I might choose. Then he asks me to tell him something about his firm that he doesn't know. I am really stumped with this one, so I just mention that I noticed that they recently redesigned their website. He proceeds to tell me his favorite answer that anyone has ever given to that question--some interviewee apparently told him (I think in a previous year) that the interviewee used to run by their office with his dog and that the dog would always stop and pee in front of the firm's building.

Callback and offer. (By the way, I really liked the guy so in no way is this story a negative reflection on him or the firm, but it is definitely the most unique interview experience I have ever had.)

Hope you took that offer. I'd work for this dude.

[Anonymous User]

At a CB, last interviewer of the day is a partner who half way through told me he really liked me and I'd probably get an offer. We start talking about sports and I ask him if he'd gone to any games for X team (my favorite one). He says he used to be a fan but now has a daughter...I take this to mean that he thinks girls can't appreciate sports and tell him that as a girl, I think he's wrong about that. He gets taken aback (apparently it just meant he didn't have time). Ding a few days later.

?

Anon from above, after I got kind of lecture-y about it, he said he just meant he had no more time because of having a kid.

[Bildungsroman]

At a CB, last interviewer of the day is a partner who half way through told me he really liked me and I'd probably get an offer. We start talking about sports and I ask him if he'd gone to any games for X team (my favorite one). He says he used to be a fan but now has a daughter...I take this to mean that he thinks girls can't appreciate sports and tell him that as a girl, I think he's wrong about that. He gets taken aback (apparently it just meant he didn't have time). Ding a few days later.

?

Anon from above, after I got kind of lecture-y about it, he said he just meant he had no more time because of having a kid.

Sounds like a good interviewing strategy. I mean, I usually see a partner's leather belt, yell a line from my manifesto, and douse him in red paint. But really the important thing is that you asserted yourself.

[09042014]

1) Told a partner that law firms are "prestige whores," he was not familar with the term so I explained it to him. CB

2) Asked my black friend what the name of a rapper was at a pre interview reception in front of a partner, after an awkward silence, I said "Thats racist." No CB

3) Said my greatest weakness was my writing. Then mumbled for 10 seconds. Then said my greatest weakness was answering greatest weakness questions. CB-> Offer

4) What is your UG GPA? "2.8" Out of what?!? "uh, 4?" No CB

5) (was hung over at CB) Hiring Partner interviews me for 5 minutes, "Any questions about the firm?" "No thank you" DING!F4g

6) Why did you do so poorly in Differential Equations? Illinois is a tough school (to a Purdue grad).

[09042014]

I pretended to be a tea partier to get an offer. And I laughed at a joke made about a disabled associate, while he was in the room, to get an offer.

LOL at you going all feminist on a partners ass, especially when he wasn't being clearly sexist.

[Anonymous User]

This is not really a "bad" interview story--just an atypical one.

I walked into an OCI screener with a male partner and female associate. They are unusually loose--laughing and joking. The partner asks me what my ringtone is. I am taken aback, but I have multiple ringtones for different people, so I ask if he just wants to know what my default ringtone is. He says, nevermind, he will just call me--what is my phone number? (It is on my resume that he is holding.) I hesitate, and the associate says that my phone is probably turned off. I say, yeah, my phone is on airplane mode. So he says, OK, well just play your ringtone. So I pull out my phone--pretty uncomfortable with this development at the moment, but deciding that I will just go with it. So I play my default ringtone for him, which happens to be a (Christian) hip-hop song. He asks what the song is and we end up having a short convo about the artist, etc. That turned into a conversation about his kids and a donut shop that they like (and I like). Then he asks me if I was a baseball player what song I would have played (in the stadium) as I stepped up to the plate to bat. I was entirely unprepared for this question so I said I liked the song that was my ringtone--and I named one or two other songs that I might choose. Then he asks me to tell him something about his firm that he doesn't know. I am really stumped with this one, so I just mention that I noticed that they recently redesigned their website. He proceeds to tell me his favorite answer that anyone has ever given to that question--some interviewee apparently told him (I think in a previous year) that the interviewee used to run by their office with his dog and that the dog would always stop and pee in front of the firm's building.

Callback and offer. (By the way, I really liked the guy so in no way is this story a negative reflection on him or the firm, but it is definitely the most unique interview experience I have ever had.)

This is also a winner. I laughed really hard at the dog part.

[Anonymous User]

At a CB, last interviewer of the day is a partner who half way through told me he really liked me and I'd probably get an offer. We start talking about sports and I ask him if he'd gone to any games for X team (my favorite one). He says he used to be a fan but now has a daughter...I take this to mean that he thinks girls can't appreciate sports and tell him that as a girl, I think he's wrong about that. He gets taken aback (apparently it just meant he didn't have time). Ding a few days later.

That's messed up. And it makes me paranoid, as I was just told the same on Friday and I was nearly ready to celebrate. Sorry to hear!

[Dany]

At a CB, last interviewer of the day is a partner who half way through told me he really liked me and I'd probably get an offer. We start talking about sports and I ask him if he'd gone to any games for X team (my favorite one). He says he used to be a fan but now has a daughter...I take this to mean that he thinks girls can't appreciate sports and tell him that as a girl, I think he's wrong about that. He gets taken aback (apparently it just meant he didn't have time). Ding a few days later.

That's messed up. And it makes me paranoid, as I was just told the same on Friday and I was nearly ready to celebrate. Sorry to hear!

Well in the interviewer's defense, he told her he liked her before she went all feminazi on him.

[Anonymous User]

Towards the end of campus interviews, I did a screener with a V15. The interviewer was terrible and didn't do much interviewing. She spent most of the interview talking about herself and rehashing info from the firm's website. She then asks for questions.

The exact question I asked was: "I was wondering if you could tell me about diversity at your firm?"

She gets incredibly defensive, gives me the stink-face, and with about as much attitude as she can muster, scathingly says:

"CLEARLY, we are not where we want to be and OBVIOUSLY we are trying to work on it. Our retention is OBVIOUSLY not great, either. We're trying but IT'S JUST NOT GOING WELL and I don't know what YOU want us to do about it?"

Me:




And dinged.

[Anonymous User]

At a CB, last interviewer of the day is a partner who half way through told me he really liked me and I'd probably get an offer. We start talking about sports and I ask him if he'd gone to any games for X team (my favorite one). He says he used to be a fan but now has a daughter...I take this to mean that he thinks girls can't appreciate sports and tell him that as a girl, I think he's wrong about that. He gets taken aback (apparently it just meant he didn't have time). Ding a few days later.

That's messed up. And it makes me paranoid, as I was just told the same on Friday and I was nearly ready to celebrate. Sorry to hear!

Not to make you more paranoid, but strangely being told by a partner that s/he loves you and will recommend you for an offer does not, IME, lead to a CB or an offer as often as it should. I think hearing it in a CB ups the chances more than hearing it in a screener. When I went through EIP, though, I think I was ultimately told that by five different partners at five different firms (three in screeners, two in CBs), and only one of those times did it result in an offer. In fact, I had better than a 20% conversion rate for firms where I was never told that. One partner in particular went on and on about how I was perfect for the firm and was really trying to sell me hard on it. I walked out of there sure I would get an offer. In the end, I never heard back, but the firm was Winston & Strawn, which no-offered a bunch of people this year, so, yeah, things happen for a reason.

[Myself]

.

[stewie27]

Not as good as others in this thread, but still caught me off guard.

Partner (while looking at my resume at beginning of interview): "Oh, are you from DC?"
Me: "No, I went to undergrad and worked here. I'm from State X."
Partner: "Why?"
Me: "Why did I choose to come to school here, you mean?"
Partner: "No. Why are you from State X?"
Me: ".... I was born there I guess"
Partner: "I see."

[Anonymous User]

Towards the end of campus interviews, I did a screener with a V15. The interviewer was terrible and didn't do much interviewing. She spent most of the interview talking about herself and rehashing info from the firm's website. She then asks for questions.

The exact question I asked was: "I was wondering if you could tell me about diversity at your firm?"

She gets incredibly defensive, gives me the stink-face, and with about as much attitude as she can muster, scathingly says:

"CLEARLY, we are not where we want to be and OBVIOUSLY we are trying to work on it. Our retention is OBVIOUSLY not great, either. We're trying but IT'S JUST NOT GOING WELL and I don't know what YOU want us to do about it?"

Me:




And dinged.

One of the funniest ones on here. Why did she ask you what you wanted to do????

[AVBucks4239]

OCI screener done in a weird hotel room suite that had a full kitchen in it. Interview was with a young female associate and an old and distinguished looking partner. We're talking perfectly pressed suit, cufflinks and monograms on his undoubtedly custom made shirt, every hair exactly where it should be; the kind of guy who talks without moving his jaw. About 10 minutes in, as I'm giving an excellent answer to some softball question, the partner leans back in his chair and puts his hand to his chin as if he's in deep rumination about my answer when all of a sudden he loses his balance and the chair falls backwards. His arms shoot out as he reaches for something, anything, to steady himself to no avail. As the chair hits the ground he does a summersault backwards and tumbles into a dishwasher, turning it on. It was loud. Partner gets up haphazardly, his suit jacket and hair flailing every which way, assures us he's fine and there was no need for us to get up as he starts manically mashing buttons trying to turn off the dishwasher. Associate has literally facepalmed and is shaking her head and quite obviously trying to stifle laughter, which is much better than me because I am cracking the fuck up. It was the most cartoonish thing I've ever witnessed in person and, god help me, I could not reign it in for the life of me. He stands there trying to get it to turn off for like a good 15 seconds before he starts cursing at it like a sailor. I am essentially doubled over laughing at this point and the associate is too. Eventually the partner realizes the sheer ridiculousness of having an interview interrupted by a dishwasher and starts laughing about it too, once he finally got the dishwasher to stop running of course.

Got a callback, offer, and a story I will be telling for the rest of my life.

I had to get out of bed and get a glass of water I laughed so hard at this. Priceless.

[dreakol]

Not as good as others in this thread, but still caught me off guard.

Partner (while looking at my resume at beginning of interview): "Oh, are you from DC?"
Me: "No, I went to undergrad and worked here. I'm from State X."
Partner: "Why?"
Me: "Why did I choose to come to school here, you mean?"
Partner: "No. Why are you from State X?"
Me: ".... I was born there I guess"
Partner: "I see."

this one made me laugh out loud

[Anonymous User]

I recently did a callback with a firm that was in the same city as my summer job. I went on for 3-5minutes about a federal question I had to address at the state level and how my supervisor was really unhappy about the federal judge questioning his office's policy. I then told him a joke my supervisor told me about federal judges because he seemed to agree that fed judges can be dicks. After I agreed with my supervisor's sentiment about this particular judge, my interviewer (a partner at the firm) asked me who it was. He said, "oh yeah, he used to be a partner here, I know him well."

oops.....no offer.

[bjsesq]

Told a founding partner I wouldn't kick his ass because he was wearing a pink shirt.

Told two senior associates that I planned to create a B movie about a super snake called King Boaconda and that I was trying to get Mario Van Peebles to start in it.

No offers at both.

[jess]

.

[NotMyRealName09]

I still dont think that those beat "Are you trying to fuck us over?" That is the best interview question I have ever heard.

I might try that, but I don't think I could say it without laughing. You'd have to look pISSED.