Bad Interview Moments Forum

[El Pollito]

"Do you have any questions for us?"

"I think your website pretty much covered everything."

I prefaced a really in depth question with something like this. The interviewer didn't know the answer to any of my questions. I learned that the conventional advice of "don't ask something you can find on the website" doesn't apply to firms with really detailed websites. No CB

Aside from having to proof my bio page, I have not looked at a single page on my firm's web site since joining the firm. I think the same is true of most attorneys.

Seriously, I often learn things about my own firm when an interviewee asks me a question about something they've read on the firm's web site. Typical conversation:

Interview candidate: "I saw you guys were awarded X firm of the year by Z magazine for your work in Y. Are you guys getting more Y cases these days?"

Me: "Really? Cool! Uh, yeah, our Y practice is going strong."

This is pretty evident from a candidate's perspective as well. We had a "mock" interview program at my school last year and, not one, but two interviewers provided bios that contained multiple and flagrant spelling errors (one even had his name misspelled within his own bio- think "Mr. Simth is particularly accomplished in..." And these were essentially just screenshots from the firm website.

Stakes were low so I called the interviewers' attention to the mistakes. They responded predictably, and I did not do the same during actual OCI (even though errors were equally abundant).

yeah but no one cares about the candidate's perspective

[WashingtonIrving]

to be fair, you could have simply asked the question differently; i.e. "can you tell me a bit about your practice?"

Totally, I just like to give them the opportunity to be assholes.

[Monochromatic Oeuvre]

I mean, there are several ways that an interviewer can handle that without making things awkward. She could just answer the question in the first place, for example. If an interviewer asks me, "So, what did you do this summer?" I don't generally respond, "You don't know? Did you read my resume?"

I had a pre-OCI callback with a mid-sized firm in my home market. The interviewer's first question was "It wasn't clear from your materials why you're interviewing in this market. We usually only take people from the Y area."

I seriously had to suppress the urge to say "Well, I guess if you had spent literally ten seconds on my resume you would've noticed I went to college here. Or that I have three jobs listed here. Or that I have a home address listed here. And there was that cover letter whose second sentence was 'I'm from Market Y and am really interesting in returning to begin my career there.' Or failing all of that, you might have noticed when you called me that you were dialing a number with the same area code as your firm. But, you know, guess you were busy."

[baal hadad]

I mean, there are several ways that an interviewer can handle that without making things awkward. She could just answer the question in the first place, for example. If an interviewer asks me, "So, what did you do this summer?" I don't generally respond, "You don't know? Did you read my resume?"

I had a pre-OCI callback with a mid-sized firm in my home market. The interviewer's first question was "It wasn't clear from your materials why you're interviewing in this market. We usually only take people from the Y area."

I seriously had to suppress the urge to say "Well, I guess if you had spent literally ten seconds on my resume you would've noticed I went to college here. Or that I have three jobs listed here. Or that I have a home address listed here. And there was that cover letter whose second sentence was 'I'm from Market Y and am really interesting in returning to begin my career there.' Or failing all of that, you might have noticed when you called me that you were dialing a number with the same area code as your firm. But, you know, guess you were busy."

Not a horror story

[El Pollito]

I mean, there are several ways that an interviewer can handle that without making things awkward. She could just answer the question in the first place, for example. If an interviewer asks me, "So, what did you do this summer?" I don't generally respond, "You don't know? Did you read my resume?"

I had a pre-OCI callback with a mid-sized firm in my home market. The interviewer's first question was "It wasn't clear from your materials why you're interviewing in this market. We usually only take people from the Y area."

I seriously had to suppress the urge to say "Well, I guess if you had spent literally ten seconds on my resume you would've noticed I went to college here. Or that I have three jobs listed here. Or that I have a home address listed here. And there was that cover letter whose second sentence was 'I'm from Market Y and am really interesting in returning to begin my career there.' Or failing all of that, you might have noticed when you called me that you were dialing a number with the same area code as your firm. But, you know, guess you were busy."

Not a horror story

also lol at people thinking they're entitled to have busy attorneys know their resumes in and out

[rinkrat19]

I mean, there are several ways that an interviewer can handle that without making things awkward. She could just answer the question in the first place, for example. If an interviewer asks me, "So, what did you do this summer?" I don't generally respond, "You don't know? Did you read my resume?"

I had a pre-OCI callback with a mid-sized firm in my home market. The interviewer's first question was "It wasn't clear from your materials why you're interviewing in this market. We usually only take people from the Y area."

I seriously had to suppress the urge to say "Well, I guess if you had spent literally ten seconds on my resume you would've noticed I went to college here. Or that I have three jobs listed here. Or that I have a home address listed here. And there was that cover letter whose second sentence was 'I'm from Market Y and am really interesting in returning to begin my career there.' Or failing all of that, you might have noticed when you called me that you were dialing a number with the same area code as your firm. But, you know, guess you were busy."

Not a horror story

Could also have been written by anyone who interviewed in an insular market hometown.

[baal hadad]

I mean, there are several ways that an interviewer can handle that without making things awkward. She could just answer the question in the first place, for example. If an interviewer asks me, "So, what did you do this summer?" I don't generally respond, "You don't know? Did you read my resume?"

I had a pre-OCI callback with a mid-sized firm in my home market. The interviewer's first question was "It wasn't clear from your materials why you're interviewing in this market. We usually only take people from the Y area."

I seriously had to suppress the urge to say "Well, I guess if you had spent literally ten seconds on my resume you would've noticed I went to college here. Or that I have three jobs listed here. Or that I have a home address listed here. And there was that cover letter whose second sentence was 'I'm from Market Y and am really interesting in returning to begin my career there.' Or failing all of that, you might have noticed when you called me that you were dialing a number with the same area code as your firm. But, you know, guess you were busy."

Not a horror story

Could also have been written by anyone who interviewed in an insular market hometown.

I got the same question at every firm I interviewed with in my secondary (tertiary?) market and honestly I took that as an opportunity to show how much I wanted to work there

[Anonymous User]

How about this one:

Interviewer: How are you?
Me: oh you know, lots of interviews, but I'm excited to meet you.
Interviewer: Yes it's a tiring process, how many firms have you interviewed with?
Me: 11 this week, and 11 last week. But you know I can't complain... White people problems.

* One of the interviewers was black.

Did not get a CB.

[El Pollito]

incredible. way to get this thread back on track.

[Companion Cube]

How about this one:

Interviewer: How are you?
Me: oh you know, lots of interviews, but I'm excited to meet you.
Interviewer: Yes it's a tiring process, how many firms have you interviewed with?
Me: 11 this week, and 11 last week. But you know I can't complain... White people problems.

* One of the interviewers was black.

Did not get a CB.

[INSERT "YOU DON'T SAY" MEME HERE]

[Winter is Coming]

Haha wow, did everyone just roll with it like you hadn't said anything?

[Nekrowizard]

How about this one:

Interviewer: How are you?
Me: oh you know, lots of interviews, but I'm excited to meet you.
Interviewer: Yes it's a tiring process, how many firms have you interviewed with?
Me: 11 this week, and 11 last week. But you know I can't complain... White people problems.

* One of the interviewers was black.

Did not get a CB.

AUTISM
U
T
I
S
M

[Monochromatic Oeuvre]

also lol at people thinking they're entitled to have busy attorneys know their resumes in and out

It was more funny they didn't look at the one thing they apparently cared about, but yeah, this shit happens all the time; I can't blame them when I've entirely forgotten which firm I'm interviewing with before.

[Wustlmike19]

Haha wow, did everyone just roll with it like you hadn't said anything?

Yup, literally just kept in going like nothing happened, the rest of the interview actually went quite well.

[Serett]

I mean, there are several ways that an interviewer can handle that without making things awkward. She could just answer the question in the first place, for example. If an interviewer asks me, "So, what did you do this summer?" I don't generally respond, "You don't know? Did you read my resume?"

I had a pre-OCI callback with a mid-sized firm in my home market. The interviewer's first question was "It wasn't clear from your materials why you're interviewing in this market. We usually only take people from the Y area."

I seriously had to suppress the urge to say "Well, I guess if you had spent literally ten seconds on my resume you would've noticed I went to college here. Or that I have three jobs listed here. Or that I have a home address listed here. And there was that cover letter whose second sentence was 'I'm from Market Y and am really interesting in returning to begin my career there.' Or failing all of that, you might have noticed when you called me that you were dialing a number with the same area code as your firm. But, you know, guess you were busy."

Not a horror story

also lol at people thinking they're entitled to have busy attorneys know their resumes in and out

lol at thinking you're soooo busy you don't have 10 seconds to glance at the universities an interviewee attended or that this constitutes "know[ing] their resumes in and out"

[Old Gregg]

lol at thinking you're soooo busy you don't have 10 seconds to glance at the universities an interviewee attended or that this constitutes "know[ing] their resumes in and out"

We do glance. Jn fact, we glance at everything on the page. We just don't remember because you're all fungible.

[Serett]

lol at thinking you're soooo busy you don't have 10 seconds to glance at the universities an interviewee attended or that this constitutes "know[ing] their resumes in and out"

We do glance. Jn fact, we glance at everything on the page. We just don't remember because you're all fungible.

As are associates. And frankly most partners. So great, we've established that we're all replaceable cogs in the machine. Now can you stop being shitheads on the forum where people are still actively worrying about getting jobs?

[El Pollito]

I mean, there are several ways that an interviewer can handle that without making things awkward. She could just answer the question in the first place, for example. If an interviewer asks me, "So, what did you do this summer?" I don't generally respond, "You don't know? Did you read my resume?"

I had a pre-OCI callback with a mid-sized firm in my home market. The interviewer's first question was "It wasn't clear from your materials why you're interviewing in this market. We usually only take people from the Y area."

I seriously had to suppress the urge to say "Well, I guess if you had spent literally ten seconds on my resume you would've noticed I went to college here. Or that I have three jobs listed here. Or that I have a home address listed here. And there was that cover letter whose second sentence was 'I'm from Market Y and am really interesting in returning to begin my career there.' Or failing all of that, you might have noticed when you called me that you were dialing a number with the same area code as your firm. But, you know, guess you were busy."

Not a horror story

also lol at people thinking they're entitled to have busy attorneys know their resumes in and out

lol at thinking you're soooo busy you don't have 10 seconds to glance at the universities an interviewee attended or that this constitutes "know[ing] their resumes in and out"

yeah there's no way i pay attention to their undergraduate institution, sorry buddy

[Old Gregg]

As are associates. And frankly most partners. So great, we've established that we're all replaceable cogs in the machine. Now can you stop being shitheads on the forum where people are still actively worrying about getting jobs?

This is a thread about bad interviews, so I think you calling for the end of shitheadery is not apropos here...

[Anonymous User]

I made a joke during a call-back about how terrible company X is.

Learned later in the day that company X had just retained the firm for a huge lit case.

Offer.

[rpupkin]

I made a joke during a call-back about how terrible company X is.

Learned later in the day that company X had just retained the firm for a huge lit case.

Offer.

I work in lit and think most of the companies we represent are terrible. In fact, I'm more likely to think our clients are terrible because I've been exposed--through defensive discovery--to all the stupid things the company's execs say in emails.

[Anonymous User]

Interviewer started singing a song during my interview and expected me to continue the lyrics for the chorus once he stopped. I didn't know what it was even though it was a popular/common song. Tells me what song it is and the chorus lyrics. Near the end of the interview he whips out his phone and finds a mp3 of it. Starts jamming to it and asked me to finish the lyrics again, but I had forgotten it from the beginning of the interview. Felt like an idiot.

Got the CB.

[First Offense]

I made a joke during a call-back about how terrible company X is.

Learned later in the day that company X had just retained the firm for a huge lit case.

Offer.

I work in lit and think most of the companies we represent are terrible. In fact, I'm more likely to think our clients are terrible because I've been exposed--through defensive discovery--to all the stupid things the company's execs say in emails.

From what I gather, most people in lit know their companies are evil.

[baal hadad]

Interviewer started singing a song during my interview and expected me to continue the lyrics for the chorus once he stopped. I didn't know what it was even though it was a popular/common song. Tells me what song it is and the chorus lyrics. Near the end of the interview he whips out his phone and finds a mp3 of it. Starts jamming to it and asked me to finish the lyrics again, but I had forgotten it from the beginning of the interview. Felt like an idiot.

Got the CB.

Hahaha that's awesome

[shredderrrrrr]

Interviewer started singing a song during my interview and expected me to continue the lyrics for the chorus once he stopped. I didn't know what it was even though it was a popular/common song. Tells me what song it is and the chorus lyrics. Near the end of the interview he whips out his phone and finds a mp3 of it. Starts jamming to it and asked me to finish the lyrics again, but I had forgotten it from the beginning of the interview. Felt like an idiot.

Got the CB.

That sounds like the sort of person I'd like to work with