Columbia EIP 2016 Forum

[Anonymous User]

So is it just me or do CB lunches kind of suck? Maybe I've just had bad associates, but at the ones I've done so far we've run out of things to talk about around halfway through, and then it just gets awkward

I had a horrendous callback lunch this week where the associates couldn't have cared less about talking to me from the very outset. I carried the conversation the entire time

Come on dude, stop trying to make other people who don't have your ~*amazing*~ conversational abilities feel bad. Not everyone is able to "carry the conversation" for hours when the other parties to that conversation aren't into it. (And honestly, chances are that if the associates couldn't have cared less about talking to you from the outset and yet you blabbered on at them the entire time without them engaging you in conversation, they probably wished you would just shut up.)

Anon here: that's what you took away from my post?

If I hadn't taken the lead on conversing we literally would have sat there picking at our food in silence for the whole lunch. But maybe you think that's how a callback lunch (or really any lunch) is supposed to go? Hasn't been my experience with the others

[Anonymous User]

Maybe that anon is one of the associates being very envious right now of your conversationalist skills anon

[Anonymous User]

Latham offer
Freshfields ding

When was your Latham CB?

Monday

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone been dinged by Gibson yet??

[Anonymous User]

"Do all lunches suck" anon from yesterday

Turns out no, I had just had crappy lunches so far and they can actually be excellent, based on my CB today

Today's gripe: why does every goddamn firm want to know where else I'm interviewing, and push on it when I tactfully try to avoid answering. I mean yeah I have some other CBs, but that shouldn't really be relevant, and I don't know why they have to pry

[Anonymous User]

"Do all lunches suck" anon from yesterday

Turns out no, I had just had crappy lunches so far and they can actually be excellent, based on my CB today

Today's gripe: why does every goddamn firm want to know where else I'm interviewing, and push on it when I tactfully try to avoid answering. I mean yeah I have some other CBs, but that shouldn't really be relevant, and I don't know why they have to pry

Really feels like there's a wrong answer to those questions.

[Anonymous User]

"Do all lunches suck" anon from yesterday

Turns out no, I had just had crappy lunches so far and they can actually be excellent, based on my CB today

Today's gripe: why does every goddamn firm want to know where else I'm interviewing, and push on it when I tactfully try to avoid answering. I mean yeah I have some other CBs, but that shouldn't really be relevant, and I don't know why they have to pry

you might have been at the CB I was at today.

I hated the lunch--and it actually left me with a bad impression of the firm. or at least with the impression that I wouldn't fit in there.

3/4 of my interviewers asked me which other firms I was considering. One interviewer outright told me to call any partner in the area group I'm interested in at X firm and fight to get an interview...

[Anonymous User]

"Do all lunches suck" anon from yesterday

Turns out no, I had just had crappy lunches so far and they can actually be excellent, based on my CB today

Today's gripe: why does every goddamn firm want to know where else I'm interviewing, and push on it when I tactfully try to avoid answering. I mean yeah I have some other CBs, but that shouldn't really be relevant, and I don't know why they have to pry

Really feels like there's a wrong answer to those questions.

I mean I'm not the best liar and I'd just rather tell the truth, but I always try to work in "but [this firm] is definitely one that I'm most interested in based on the work you do in [x y z area(s)]", which I think is the best way to spin it.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone hear from Milbank cb on the 16th?

[iamgeorgebush]

So is it just me or do CB lunches kind of suck? Maybe I've just had bad associates, but at the ones I've done so far we've run out of things to talk about around halfway through, and then it just gets awkward

I had a horrendous callback lunch this week where the associates couldn't have cared less about talking to me from the very outset. I carried the conversation the entire time

Come on dude, stop trying to make other people who don't have your ~*amazing*~ conversational abilities feel bad. Not everyone is able to "carry the conversation" for hours when the other parties to that conversation aren't into it. (And honestly, chances are that if the associates couldn't have cared less about talking to you from the outset and yet you blabbered on at them the entire time without them engaging you in conversation, they probably wished you would just shut up.)

Anon here: that's what you took away from my post?

If I hadn't taken the lead on conversing we literally would have sat there picking at our food in silence for the whole lunch. But maybe you think that's how a callback lunch (or really any lunch) is supposed to go? Hasn't been my experience with the others

It seemed to me like you were bragging about your ability to hold a conversation for an entire lunch even when the associates were uninterested (and thereby implicitly putting down the previous poster for not being able to do so). If that's not what you intended, then I apologize.

At any rate, I obviously agree that one should try to make conversation at a callback lunch.

[Anonymous User]

"Do all lunches suck" anon from yesterday

Turns out no, I had just had crappy lunches so far and they can actually be excellent, based on my CB today

Today's gripe: why does every goddamn firm want to know where else I'm interviewing, and push on it when I tactfully try to avoid answering. I mean yeah I have some other CBs, but that shouldn't really be relevant, and I don't know why they have to pry

Really feels like there's a wrong answer to those questions.

I mean I'm not the best liar and I'd just rather tell the truth, but I always try to work in "but [this firm] is definitely one that I'm most interested in based on the work you do in [x y z area(s)]", which I think is the best way to spin it.

I've just been going with "I was at X firm yesterday, and have more to visit next week. And pivot." It feels strange also because the firms I am CBing with first are the most prestigious of my CBs so I can't help but feel they want to hear that their candidates are being considered by peer firms. If I mention firms by name in a different (lower) tier, I worry they'll make something of it. Probably over thinking it.

[iamgeorgebush]

"Do all lunches suck" anon from yesterday

Turns out no, I had just had crappy lunches so far and they can actually be excellent, based on my CB today

Today's gripe: why does every goddamn firm want to know where else I'm interviewing, and push on it when I tactfully try to avoid answering. I mean yeah I have some other CBs, but that shouldn't really be relevant, and I don't know why they have to pry

In my experience last year, firms generally asked these questions because they wanted to convince me that their firm is better than the other firms at which I was interviewing. (Oh, you're interviewing at Williams & Schmilliams and Maxwell & Schmaxwell? Good firms; they have decent [X and Y] practices. But did you know that our [X and Y] practices were both #1 on the league tables this past year?)

I also got the impression that to some extent, firms wanted to know that I was looking at similar firms (so they could assess whether I was genuinely interested in them and would be a good fit). This may be particularly true with firms in secondary markets. However, I think the first motive (let me tell you how we're better) was typically the primary motive.

[Anonymous User]

I generally mention the type of firms I am interested in. So like "I am interviewing with a lot of people with a strong white collar group, only in New York..."

[Tiago Splitter]

"Do all lunches suck" anon from yesterday

Turns out no, I had just had crappy lunches so far and they can actually be excellent, based on my CB today

Today's gripe: why does every goddamn firm want to know where else I'm interviewing, and push on it when I tactfully try to avoid answering. I mean yeah I have some other CBs, but that shouldn't really be relevant, and I don't know why they have to pry

In my experience last year, firms generally asked these questions because they wanted to convince me that their firm is better than the other firms at which I was interviewing. (Oh, you're interviewing at Williams & Schmilliams and Maxwell & Schmaxwell? Good firms; they have decent [X and Y] practices. But did you know that our [X and Y] practices were both #1 on the league tables this past year?)

I also got the impression that to some extent, firms wanted to know that I was looking at similar firms (so they could assess whether I was genuinely interested in them and would be a good fit). This may be particularly true with firms in secondary markets. However, I think the first motive (let me tell you how we're better) was typically the primary motive.

I think all of this is right.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone who did Paul, Weiss cb tues hear back today yet?

[Anonymous User]

anyone that did the Willkie day on Tuesday hear back?

[Anonymous User]

anyone that did the Willkie day on Tuesday hear back?

Yes- CB on Tuesday offer on Wednesday morning

[Anonymous User]

Anyone who did Paul, Weiss cb tues hear back today yet?

+1

Waiting as well... Interviewed Tuesday afternoon

[Anonymous User]

Finally got my absolutely shocking Roberts & Holland screener ding.

[Anonymous User]

anyone that did the Willkie day on Tuesday hear back?

Yes- CB on Tuesday offer on Wednesday morning

Anon, are you a Columbia student?

[Anonymous User]

anyone that did the Willkie day on Tuesday hear back?

Yes- CB on Tuesday offer on Wednesday morning

Anon, are you a Columbia student?

Same anon from above- Yes

[Anonymous User]

Anyone hear back from Debevoise CB?

[Anonymous User]

anyone that did the Willkie day on Tuesday hear back?

Yes- CB on Tuesday offer on Wednesday morning

Anon, are you a Columbia student?

Same anon from above- Yes

ah craaaaaaap

was crossing my fingers for that one

[Anonymous User]

Anyone hear back from Debevoise CB?

Yes, today from Cb on Tues.

[wuwu12]

Anyone hear back from Debevoise CB?

Yes, today from Cb on Tues.

What time?