Bad Interview Moments Forum

[Wipfelder]

Interview for UChicago Law with the admission dean.

Things immediately started out badly. The dean seemed unenthusiastic and downright rude. I have received another T-14 offer and money at this point so I was disinclined to tolerate the rudeness.

Dean: "so what can I tell you about UChicago?"
Me: "I understand that Chicago can be a rough neighborhood. Do you have any recommendation for living there?"
Dean: (obv caught off-guard, took her 5 seconds to recover) "well, you know, any big city can be complicated and blah blah"
Me: "but I have heard Chicago is also very gentrified and I should stay away from some area?"
Dean: "again, ANY city can be blah blah"
Dinged in less than 24 hours.

Sadly I had no such moment during OCI.

That is freaking weird man, and shows you probably don't know anything about urban geography, or maybe even, like, how the world works.

[RaceJudicata]

Interview for UChicago Law with the admission dean.

Things immediately started out badly. The dean seemed unenthusiastic and downright rude. I have received another T-14 offer and money at this point so I was disinclined to tolerate the rudeness.

Dean: "so what can I tell you about UChicago?"
Me: "I understand that Chicago can be a rough neighborhood. Do you have any recommendation for living there?"
Dean: (obv caught off-guard, took her 5 seconds to recover) "well, you know, any big city can be complicated and blah blah"
Me: "but I have heard Chicago is also very gentrified and I should stay away from some area?"
Dean: "again, ANY city can be blah blah"
Dinged in less than 24 hours.

Sadly I had no such moment during OCI.

That is freaking weird man, and shows you probably don't know anything about urban geography, or maybe even, like, how the world works.

I'm confused if OP was trying to stick it to the dean because he had already received another offer and was disinterested, or if OP thought this was legitimate line of questioning. Unfortunately, my gut tells me it was the latter.

[pml87]

Interview for UChicago Law with the admission dean.

Things immediately started out badly. The dean seemed unenthusiastic and downright rude. I have received another T-14 offer and money at this point so I was disinclined to tolerate the rudeness.

Dean: "so what can I tell you about UChicago?"
Me: "I understand that Chicago can be a rough neighborhood. Do you have any recommendation for living there?"
Dean: (obv caught off-guard, took her 5 seconds to recover) "well, you know, any big city can be complicated and blah blah"
Me: "but I have heard Chicago is also very gentrified and I should stay away from some area?"
Dean: "again, ANY city can be blah blah"
Dinged in less than 24 hours.

Sadly I had no such moment during OCI.

That is freaking weird man, and shows you probably don't know anything about urban geography, or maybe even, like, how the world works.

I'm confused if OP was trying to stick it to the dean because he had already received another offer and was disinterested, or if OP thought this was legitimate line of questioning. Unfortunately, my gut tells me it was the latter.

Thought that my saying I was disinclined at tolerating the rudeness is enough to tell people that I meant to stick it to the dean. Oh well...bad at story telling I guess.

[rpupkin]

Interview for UChicago Law with the admission dean.

Things immediately started out badly. The dean seemed unenthusiastic and downright rude. I have received another T-14 offer and money at this point so I was disinclined to tolerate the rudeness.

Dean: "so what can I tell you about UChicago?"
Me: "I understand that Chicago can be a rough neighborhood. Do you have any recommendation for living there?"
Dean: (obv caught off-guard, took her 5 seconds to recover) "well, you know, any big city can be complicated and blah blah"
Me: "but I have heard Chicago is also very gentrified and I should stay away from some area?"
Dean: "again, ANY city can be blah blah"
Dinged in less than 24 hours.

Sadly I had no such moment during OCI.

That is freaking weird man, and shows you probably don't know anything about urban geography, or maybe even, like, how the world works.

I'm confused if OP was trying to stick it to the dean because he had already received another offer and was disinterested, or if OP thought this was legitimate line of questioning. Unfortunately, my gut tells me it was the latter.

Thought that my saying I was disinclined at tolerating the rudeness is enough to tell people that I meant to stick it to the dean. Oh well...bad at story telling I guess.

Hahahahaha...you sure stuck it to that dean. But, to be fair, the dean deserved it for rudely asking you a question like "what can I tell you about UChicago?" What a bitch!!

[lavarman84]

I had a callback where all the actual interviews went really well, upbeat and chatty, everyone super nice and approachable. It wasn't a top choice firm for me, but it was nice for things to be going so smoothly, but when I met these two associates for the lunch it was so awful. The three of us walked about 15 minutes to the restaurant in almost complete silence. I did the annoying outgoing thing of asking polite questions and smiling like you do at an interview, but one dude gave me the troll single grunt responses, and the other one was completely silent. I mean, it was awkwardly grim. At the restaurant they both ordered literally the most expensive thing on the menu and then seemed to accept they were going to have to talk to me. I can paraphrase the entire conversation pretty accurately as the guy saying, in a deadpan emotionless voice, "it doesn't matter where you go, culture is a myth and they're all the same, neither of us will probably be here by the time you start, and it sucks the whole time, and this lunch is the best part of our day." Except he said it in more colorful language. If these guys were cartoons they'd have little black clouds just above them raining down. They could see I was a little surprised, and the guy just chuckled and said I clearly wasn't used to being told the truth, and that I should order a bottle of wine, since no one would care, and I should make the most of these things. The other guy barely spoke the whole hour or so we were out. Walked back in silence.

I respect these guys. Somebody has to give you the truth.

[KMart]

I had a callback where all the actual interviews went really well, upbeat and chatty, everyone super nice and approachable. It wasn't a top choice firm for me, but it was nice for things to be going so smoothly, but when I met these two associates for the lunch it was so awful. The three of us walked about 15 minutes to the restaurant in almost complete silence. I did the annoying outgoing thing of asking polite questions and smiling like you do at an interview, but one dude gave me the troll single grunt responses, and the other one was completely silent. I mean, it was awkwardly grim. At the restaurant they both ordered literally the most expensive thing on the menu and then seemed to accept they were going to have to talk to me. I can paraphrase the entire conversation pretty accurately as the guy saying, in a deadpan emotionless voice, "it doesn't matter where you go, culture is a myth and they're all the same, neither of us will probably be here by the time you start, and it sucks the whole time, and this lunch is the best part of our day." Except he said it in more colorful language. If these guys were cartoons they'd have little black clouds just above them raining down. They could see I was a little surprised, and the guy just chuckled and said I clearly wasn't used to being told the truth, and that I should order a bottle of wine, since no one would care, and I should make the most of these things. The other guy barely spoke the whole hour or so we were out. Walked back in silence.

well... did you?

[Anonymous User]

Was doing an interview in DC for a V20 firm. I usually like to stand ready by the door of the room (this was in a hotel) so that I could get used to the surroundings and calm my nervousness. As it turns out, I had arrived when they were on a break between blocks of interviewees. The door was slightly ajar and naturally, I listen in. First thing I hear is about how they already like "Mark" and "Rachel" (can't recall real names) and how they should be wrapped up, as they only need to pick two candidates for call backs. Of course I do the best I can but that nagging thought made me more nervous than I would have been otherwise. I fumble some answers . . . and no CB.

Another was when I was doing an interview for a patent law firm. They had required my undergrad transcript and so stared at it in the first three minutes. I had great 1L grades but poor UG GPA due to having depression for about half of my time in college. He asks me if this is my actual undergrad GPA ("Is X.XX your actual GPA" to confirm, probably) and when I affirm, he says, "Well, we definitely know our decision now." He immediately chagnes subjects and I don't even get to explain why my UG GPA was as bad as it was. No CB.

[Anonymous User]

Had back to back call backs in NYC, in August. Because they were back to back, I told call back 1 that I wouldn't be able to do lunch. Interview ended a bit early, so I had some time to kill. My parents live in Manhattan, so I met my mom for lunch. Lunch spot was about .4 miles from callback 2. No big deal. Enjoy a lovely lunch with Ma, and head over to callback 2.

Well...about 2 minutes into that walk (shoulda taken a cab), the sweat started coming on. I'm a stocky guy - not fat, but definitely not thin and am a horrible sweater. I undo my tie, take off the jacket. I can't seem to find relief. Luckily, I get to the interview 20~ min early, go into a mcdonalds, grab a bottle of water and a cup of ice to ice my veins to cool off (I know, psychotic, but it cools that blood). Problem solved, and I'm feeling ready to go.

Go to callback 2, sit at reception for a bit. Still feeling good. Go into first interview - a 50ish year old woman partner. Her office is legitimately 90 degrees. Since I haven't fully recovered from the sweat, it starts coming back with a vengeance. I try and casually wipe my brow - wool suits are not suitable for this task. Interviewer notices, and offers me a tissue. Now i'm mortified. I take the tissue and we continue.

Well, the sweat had no plans of stopping. It continues and interviewer realizes that I am clearly uncomfortable. She turns on a desk fan. A minute later, she decides the desk fan isn't enough and asks her assistant to have someone turn down the air conditioning. Interview concludes without incident. I go to bathroom before next interview, wipe myself down and proceed. Thankfully, only her office resembled an amazonian rain forest.

Offer.

[Anonymous User]

I had a callback where all the actual interviews went really well, upbeat and chatty, everyone super nice and approachable. It wasn't a top choice firm for me, but it was nice for things to be going so smoothly, but when I met these two associates for the lunch it was so awful. The three of us walked about 15 minutes to the restaurant in almost complete silence. I did the annoying outgoing thing of asking polite questions and smiling like you do at an interview, but one dude gave me the troll single grunt responses, and the other one was completely silent. I mean, it was awkwardly grim. At the restaurant they both ordered literally the most expensive thing on the menu and then seemed to accept they were going to have to talk to me. I can paraphrase the entire conversation pretty accurately as the guy saying, in a deadpan emotionless voice, "it doesn't matter where you go, culture is a myth and they're all the same, neither of us will probably be here by the time you start, and it sucks the whole time, and this lunch is the best part of our day." Except he said it in more colorful language. If these guys were cartoons they'd have little black clouds just above them raining down. They could see I was a little surprised, and the guy just chuckled and said I clearly wasn't used to being told the truth, and that I should order a bottle of wine, since no one would care, and I should make the most of these things. The other guy barely spoke the whole hour or so we were out. Walked back in silence.

well... did you?

I did not, because I am not brave/foolish enough to drink a bottle of wine by myself at an interview, even by request. I did get an offer, though.

[smallfirmassociate]

It wasn't a top choice firm for me, but it was nice for things to be going so smoothly,

This story would have been 32% better without the above in it.

[masque du pantsu]

What kind of question could tease that out at an interview? "Do you hate members of ____ sex?" "No." "Okay then."

Oh, oh, I have one! Do you randomly call things "female interview stories"? Yes. Okay, then enjoy your extended ban.

maybe like "are you a Men's Rights Activist" or "Who's the real protagonist of the most recent Mad Max and how did you feel about him or her" or something like that.

[TheSpanishMain]

Interview for UChicago Law with the admission dean.

Things immediately started out badly. The dean seemed unenthusiastic and downright rude. I have received another T-14 offer and money at this point so I was disinclined to tolerate the rudeness.

Dean: "so what can I tell you about UChicago?"
Me: "I understand that Chicago can be a rough neighborhood. Do you have any recommendation for living there?"
Dean: (obv caught off-guard, took her 5 seconds to recover) "well, you know, any big city can be complicated and blah blah"
Me: "but I have heard Chicago is also very gentrified and I should stay away from some area?"
Dean: "again, ANY city can be blah blah"
Dinged in less than 24 hours.

Sadly I had no such moment during OCI.

That is freaking weird man, and shows you probably don't know anything about urban geography, or maybe even, like, how the world works.

I'm confused if OP was trying to stick it to the dean because he had already received another offer and was disinterested, or if OP thought this was legitimate line of questioning. Unfortunately, my gut tells me it was the latter.

Thought that my saying I was disinclined at tolerating the rudeness is enough to tell people that I meant to stick it to the dean. Oh well...bad at story telling I guess.

Hahahahaha...you sure stuck it to that dean. But, to be fair, the dean deserved it for rudely asking you a question like "what can I tell you about UChicago?" What a bitch!!

I'm also not sure how asking about Chicago's crime rate is sticking it to the Dean (although it is a bafflingly weird question). Were you under the impression she was also responsible for resolving gang wars and solving open homicides?

[Genius]

That UChicago question about gentrification and crimes is fucking mindblowingly retarded. Not even I would ask stupid questions like that and I am competing for the dumbass poster award.

[Anonymous User]

Had back to back call backs in NYC, in August. Because they were back to back, I told call back 1 that I wouldn't be able to do lunch. Interview ended a bit early, so I had some time to kill. My parents live in Manhattan, so I met my mom for lunch. Lunch spot was about .4 miles from callback 2. No big deal. Enjoy a lovely lunch with Ma, and head over to callback 2.

Well...about 2 minutes into that walk (shoulda taken a cab!), the sweat started coming on. I'm a stocky guy - not fat, but definitely not thin and am a horrible sweater. I undo my tie, take off the jacket. I can't seem to find relief. Luckily, I get to the interview 20~ min early, go into a mcdonalds, grab a bottle of water and a cup of ice to ice my veins to cool off (I know, psychotic, but it cools that blood!). Problem solved, and I'm feeling ready to go.

Go to callback 2, sit at reception for a bit. Still feeling good. Go into first interview - a 50ish year old woman partner. Her office is legitimately 90 degrees. Since I haven't fully recovered from the sweat, it starts coming back with a vengeance. I try and casually wipe my brow - wool suits are not suitable for this task. Interviewer notices, and offers me a tissue. Now i'm mortified. I take the tissue and we continue.

Well, the sweat had no plans of stopping. It continues and interviewer realizes that I am clearly uncomfortable. She turns on a desk fan. A minute later, she decides the desk fan isn't enough and asks her assistant to have someone turn down the air conditioning. Interview concludes without incident. I go to bathroom before next interview, wipe myself down and proceed. Thankfully, only her office resembled an amazonian rain forest.

Offer.

Similar experience in LA. First interview was downtown, then had to battle LA traffic to CC for the second one. Sweating pretty badly cuz the Uber driver's AC sucks and traffic is crawling so I'm about to be late. Make it just in time. Interviewer's office is a greenhouse so I resume pouring sweat. It goes ok until it's time to leave. I'm sitting on a chair with a plastic seat, and to my horror I look down to see a thick line of ass sweat as I stand up to leave. S/he follows me out of the office as I'm praying it evaporates by the time s/he gets back.

Whether it did or didn't, no offer.

[Anonymous User]

I had the last interview of the day for a firm during my school’s OCI. The walls were thin and I caught most of the interview before me. The interviewer asked my classmate to share something about himself not on his resume. Classmate hesitates for a second and asks if it’s ok if he uses something from high school. The interviewer says sure. Classmate responds “Well every year at my high school before prom we put on this skit about drunk driving, and it’s a huge honor to be a part of it. My classmates voted me the most influential person in our class, so I actually got to be the person who died in the skit because our teacher thought it would be the most impactful.”

Don’t know if he got a callback.

[Yukos]

Interview for UChicago Law with the admission dean.

Things immediately started out badly. The dean seemed unenthusiastic and downright rude. I have received another T-14 offer and money at this point so I was disinclined to tolerate the rudeness.

Dean: "so what can I tell you about UChicago?"
Me: "I understand that Chicago can be a rough neighborhood. Do you have any recommendation for living there?"
Dean: (obv caught off-guard, took her 5 seconds to recover) "well, you know, any big city can be complicated and blah blah"
Me: "but I have heard Chicago is also very gentrified and I should stay away from some area?"
Dean: "again, ANY city can be blah blah"
Dinged in less than 24 hours.

Sadly I had no such moment during OCI.

To be fair, this was an absolute banana land line of questioning.

I can't tell from your preface whether you were intentionally torpedoing your own application, but for everyone else out there... don't ask that first question.

[Anonymous User]

I had the last interview of the day for a firm during my school’s OCI. The walls were thin and I caught most of the interview before me. The interviewer asked my classmate to share something about himself not on his resume. Classmate hesitates for a second and asks if it’s ok if he uses something from high school. The interviewer says sure. Classmate responds “Well every year at my high school before prom we put on this skit about drunk driving, and it’s a huge honor to be a part of it. My classmates voted me the most influential person in our class, so I actually got to be the person who died in the skit because our teacher thought it would be the most impactful.”

Don’t know if he got a callback.

Omg. Were you mortified on his behalf? Because I am. Unreal.

[mjb447]

I had the last interview of the day for a firm during my school’s OCI. The walls were thin and I caught most of the interview before me. The interviewer asked my classmate to share something about himself not on his resume. Classmate hesitates for a second and asks if it’s ok if he uses something from high school. The interviewer says sure. Classmate responds “Well every year at my high school before prom we put on this skit about drunk driving, and it’s a huge honor to be a part of it. My classmates voted me the most influential person in our class, so I actually got to be the person who died in the skit because our teacher thought it would be the most impactful.”

Don’t know if he got a callback.

Omg. Were you mortified on his behalf? Because I am. Unreal.

To be fair, the classmate is a pretty influential guy: it's no wonder you were impacted.

[LaLiLuLeLo]

Sometimes I legitimately think I'm on the spectrum, but then I read the stories ITT and feel better.

[Anonymous User]

Interviewing with Irell and Manella. I think it was Newport office or something [one that does a bunch of IP lit]. Interviewer asks my interests, I say lit. He says, what about patent lit? I say, "Um... Not really patent, but just general litigation." Dingo.

Go home, look up firm more closely, see IP is their speciality

[Anonymous User]

Another one: Interview at Pillsbury NYC. First interviewer, a partner, goes like 7 minutes over the interview time, so I get to interviewer #2 late. She's a first year, and immediately says "I'll have to stick to schedule." I pause, I say, "What?", she says "I'll have to end right at 4:30"...I say "...Okay thats fine" she says "Try not to be late to the next partner's meeting" (thats when I figured out she was triggered by my tartiness). I say "Im sorry..I asked him a question and I got an extended response...." [like seriously, not my fucking problem, the guy kept talking. 5 minute answer to a simple question].

Ding

[rpupkin]

Another one: Interview at Pillsbury NYC. First interviewer, a partner, goes like 7 minutes over the interview time, so I get to interviewer #2 late. She's a first year, and immediately says "I'll have to stick to schedule." I pause, I say, "What?", she says "I'll have to end right at 4:30"...I say "...Okay thats fine" she says "Try not to be late to the next partner's meeting" (thats when I figured out she was triggered by my tartiness).

That's silly. In my office, associate candidates are usually running behind their interview schedules for one reason or another. It never even occurred to me to blame the candidate for this.

[Br3v]

Another one: Interview at Pillsbury NYC. First interviewer, a partner, goes like 7 minutes over the interview time, so I get to interviewer #2 late. She's a first year, and immediately says "I'll have to stick to schedule." I pause, I say, "What?", she says "I'll have to end right at 4:30"...I say "...Okay thats fine" she says "Try not to be late to the next partner's meeting" (thats when I figured out she was triggered by my tartiness).

That's silly. In my office, associate candidates are usually running behind their interview schedules for one reason or another. It never even occurred to me to blame the candidate for this.

I suspect the first year said something like "I don't want you to be late to the partner so let's end right on schedule" and the poster misunderstood the first year's point. Because, like, what could an interviewee possibly be doing between interviews to be late?

[RaceJudicata]

Another one: Interview at Pillsbury NYC. First interviewer, a partner, goes like 7 minutes over the interview time, so I get to interviewer #2 late. She's a first year, and immediately says "I'll have to stick to schedule." I pause, I say, "What?", she says "I'll have to end right at 4:30"...I say "...Okay thats fine" she says "Try not to be late to the next partner's meeting" (thats when I figured out she was triggered by my tartiness).

That's silly. In my office, associate candidates are usually running behind their interview schedules for one reason or another. It never even occurred to me to blame the candidate for this.

I suspect the first year said something like "I don't want you to be late to the partner so let's end right on schedule" and the poster misunderstood the first year's point. Because, like, what could an interviewee possibly be doing between interviews to be late?

nervous shit between interviews. An incredibly bold strategy.

[Joscellin]

Interview for UChicago Law with the admission dean.

Things immediately started out badly. The dean seemed unenthusiastic and downright rude. I have received another T-14 offer and money at this point so I was disinclined to tolerate the rudeness.

Dean: "so what can I tell you about UChicago?"
Me: "I understand that Chicago can be a rough neighborhood. Do you have any recommendation for living there?"
Dean: (obv caught off-guard, took her 5 seconds to recover) "well, you know, any big city can be complicated and blah blah"
Me: "but I have heard Chicago is also very gentrified and I should stay away from some area?"
Dean: "again, ANY city can be blah blah"
Dinged in less than 24 hours.

Sadly I had no such moment during OCI.

To be fair, this was an absolute banana land line of questioning.

I can't tell from your preface whether you were intentionally torpedoing your own application, but for everyone else out there... don't ask that first question.

I mean, if you really want to ask about the city and crime, you can do that without being such a dick about it too. "There has been a lot of news lately about crime in Chicago. As someone not from there, could you tell me about how, if at all, crime affects campus life?"

Even so, I'd hope you'd have something actually about the school to ask.