Bad Interview Moments Forum

[Flips88]

Me: I like that your firm is a large international firm with a robust corporate practice. Moreover, I'm particularly impressed that a firm as large as yours is so focused on the future and experiencing such dynamic growth....

Partner was a dick, but that's still a bs answer.

But the question is always a complete bullshit question and they should expect a farce of an answer. It's a bitch move to call someone on it, especially when the interviewee is pretty much reading the firm's promotional shit on the website.

[Anonymous User]

Me: I like that your firm is a large international firm with a robust corporate practice. Moreover, I'm particularly impressed that a firm as large as yours is so focused on the future and experiencing such dynamic growth....

Partner was a dick, but that's still a bs answer.

But the question is always a complete bullshit question and they should expect a farce of an answer. It's a bitch move to call someone on it, especially when the interviewee is pretty much reading the firm's promotional shit on the website.

OP here, this is what I was told by my OCS - they just expecting proof that you did some research and are fine with a BS answer to a BS question. Plus, it is a firm that has grown explosively and changed significantly in the last 5 years. All of their promotional material pitches the firm as exactly that.

Plus all of my interviewers up until that point were bragging about the dynamic feeling of working in such a large firm that is growing at a huge rate...

[TTH]

It's interesting that you kept up with the enthusiastic law student routine instead of switching gears and asking a blunt, direct question like "How many of your entry-level associates stick around to be seniors?" or something like that. Not necessarily a bad thing because the partner may have been testing you, but still, interesting.

[Anonymous User]

Partner again: don't buy the crap that we love you and want to advance your career. We, just like any major firm, are going to work you hard, treat you badly, and give you boring work. We are hiring you just for self-interested economic reasons, nothing else. If you realize this early on, you will understand that you have to advance your own career.

he might be a dick but i'd have appreciated someone shooting straight like that in my interviews...

[Gettingstarted1928]

Partner again: don't buy the crap that we love you and want to advance your career. We, just like any major firm, are going to work you hard, treat you badly, and give you boring work. We are hiring you just for self-interested economic reasons, nothing else. If you realize this early on, you will understand that you have to advance your own career.

he might be a dick but i'd have appreciated someone shooting straight like that in my interviews...

+1

He's a worthless dick, but he is speaking the truth about life in biglaw.

[Anonymous User]

Partner excused himself to take a phone call during an OCI screener I had.

He stepped into the bathroom and started yelling at what had to be a junior associate or maybe his secretary. I could hear him saying "the entire file needs to shipped or it is your ass...". He came out and apologized but then took another phone call five minutes later. I probably only got to talk to him for about 8-10 minutes during that interview. The rest of the time he spent on various phone calls.

No CB.

I complained to our career services office about a week later and they said they would pass my feedback on to the firm. But I doubt anything will happen because that particular partner was the most senior person in his office. I understand that he is important but that just seemed really rude to me.

[Gettingstarted1928]

Partner excused himself to take a phone call during an OCI screener I had.

He stepped into the bathroom and started yelling at what had to be a junior associate or maybe his secretary. I could hear him saying "the entire file needs to shipped or it is your ass...". He came out and apologized but then took another phone call five minutes later. I probably only got to talk to him for about 8-10 minutes during that interview. The rest of the time he spent on various phone calls.

No CB.

I complained to our career services office about a week later and they said they would pass my feedback on to the firm. But I doubt anything will happen because that particular partner was the most senior person in his office. I understand that he is important but that just seemed really rude to me.

What an ass. I seriously hope I never turn into that.

[RickyDnwhyc]

Partner excused himself to take a phone call during an OCI screener I had.

He stepped into the bathroom and started yelling at what had to be a junior associate or maybe his secretary. I could hear him saying "the entire file needs to shipped or it is your ass...". He came out and apologized but then took another phone call five minutes later. I probably only got to talk to him for about 8-10 minutes during that interview. The rest of the time he spent on various phone calls.

No CB.

I complained to our career services office about a week later and they said they would pass my feedback on to the firm. But I doubt anything will happen because that particular partner was the most senior person in his office. I understand that he is important but that just seemed really rude to me.

Perhaps it was all a clever ruse. A test... to see if you would call him out for being a jacka**.

[Anonymous User]

Partner excused himself to take a phone call during an OCI screener I had.

He stepped into the bathroom and started yelling at what had to be a junior associate or maybe his secretary. I could hear him saying "the entire file needs to shipped or it is your ass...". He came out and apologized but then took another phone call five minutes later. I probably only got to talk to him for about 8-10 minutes during that interview. The rest of the time he spent on various phone calls.

No CB.

I complained to our career services office about a week later and they said they would pass my feedback on to the firm. But I doubt anything will happen because that particular partner was the most senior person in his office. I understand that he is important but that just seemed really rude to me.

Had a similar experience, though no screams, just loud conversation. Partner apologized. I said no worries, I perfectly understand this is a client driven business. Partner was impressed, oh yeah, with the economy etc... etc... Thought I made the best out of it.
No CB.

[Anonymous User]

On a recent cb (may have been the worst half hour of my entire life):

Partner: why our firm?
Me: I like that your firm is a large international firm with a robust corporate practice. Moreover, I'm particularly impressed that a firm as large as yours is so focused on the future and experiencing such dynamic growth....

Partner: Do you have an answer for me that's not just bullshit?
Me: ....???.... uumm

Partner: I mean seriously, we're a big firm and we like to grow? Yay. That's meaningless. Every firm is big and likes to grow. Doesn't tell me why we should have you here.

Partner: do you have any questions for me about the firm?
Me: I know the firm has experienced a lot of lateral growth recently, what are the growth plans for the future? Do they include organic, bottom up growth that includes junior associates?

Partner: no, I'm not going to tell you the bullshit that we love junior associates. Junior associates are worthless, the don't know a damn thing and cost more of the firm's resources than they bring in. We will take in a few every year just to staff our work and with the hope that some stick around and actually make money for us.

Partner again: don't buy the crap that we love you and want to advance your career. We, just like any major firm, are going to work you hard, treat you badly, and give you boring work. We are hiring you just for self-interested economic reasons, nothing else. If you realize this early on, you will understand that you have to advance your own career.

Partner yet again: Any other questions?
Me: can you tell me about any unique features that your summer program might have?

Partner: No. We don't have any unique features to our summer program. It's just like everybody else's program, except that maybe we will spend a little less money on you, and less time making sure you have fun. Don't believe anybody when they tell you that OUR program gives you real work, it won't. We don't trust you yet, we will give you some unimportant stuff to see if you have any ability to do any work.

Me (in my head): Is this firm full of assholes like you, or are you the only one?

Stories like this need firm's names attached.

[Broseidon]

On a recent cb (may have been the worst half hour of my entire life):

Partner: why our firm?
Me: I like that your firm is a large international firm with a robust corporate practice. Moreover, I'm particularly impressed that a firm as large as yours is so focused on the future and experiencing such dynamic growth....

Partner: Do you have an answer for me that's not just bullshit?
Me: ....???.... uumm

Partner: I mean seriously, we're a big firm and we like to grow? Yay. That's meaningless. Every firm is big and likes to grow. Doesn't tell me why we should have you here.

Partner: do you have any questions for me about the firm?
Me: I know the firm has experienced a lot of lateral growth recently, what are the growth plans for the future? Do they include organic, bottom up growth that includes junior associates?

Partner: no, I'm not going to tell you the bullshit that we love junior associates. Junior associates are worthless, the don't know a damn thing and cost more of the firm's resources than they bring in. We will take in a few every year just to staff our work and with the hope that some stick around and actually make money for us.

Partner again: don't buy the crap that we love you and want to advance your career. We, just like any major firm, are going to work you hard, treat you badly, and give you boring work. We are hiring you just for self-interested economic reasons, nothing else. If you realize this early on, you will understand that you have to advance your own career.

Partner yet again: Any other questions?
Me: can you tell me about any unique features that your summer program might have?

Partner: No. We don't have any unique features to our summer program. It's just like everybody else's program, except that maybe we will spend a little less money on you, and less time making sure you have fun. Don't believe anybody when they tell you that OUR program gives you real work, it won't. We don't trust you yet, we will give you some unimportant stuff to see if you have any ability to do any work.

Me (in my head): Is this firm full of assholes like you, or are you the only one?

Stories like this need firm's names attached.

To be fair, if those questions are word-for-word what the poaster said, he sounds like a robot. The first two questions sound absurd--who speaks like that? The first answer had no substance and sounded like a canned answer. The second answer..."organic, bottom up growth"? I'd fucking gag if I was the partner.

[Anonymous User]

Stories like this need firm's names attached.

We should figure out a way to catalogue terrible experiences to see if any trends emerge. Something like a google doc for the V100. It could include a few options for how your experience was bad and a small comment box to allow for as much or as little detail as you like.

[FeelTheHeat]

Stories like this need firm's names attached.

We should figure out a way to catalogue terrible experiences to see if any trends emerge. Something like a google doc for the V100. It could include a few options for how your experience was bad and a small comment box to allow for as much or as little detail as you like.

it is terrible, this anon idea

[Anonymous User]

Stories like this need firm's names attached.

We should figure out a way to catalogue terrible experiences to see if any trends emerge. Something like a google doc for the V100. It could include a few options for how your experience was bad and a small comment box to allow for as much or as little detail as you like.

it is terrible, this anon idea

Forget I mentioned it.

[Anonymous User]

Interview with a Partner (2ndary Market) and as were sitting he looks toward the bathroom in the hotel room and says, "If you hear some noise coming from there during the interview, it's just my wife and kid. It's nap time."

Halfway through there is a knock and he stops me mid-sentence and lets his wife out of the bathroom. She leaves with the kid.

No CB.

[Anonymous User]

Interview with a Partner (2ndary Market) and as were sitting he looks toward the bathroom in the hotel room and says, "If you hear some noise coming from there during the interview, it's just my wife and kid. It's nap time."

Halfway through there is a knock and he stops me mid-sentence and lets his wife out of the bathroom. She leaves with the kid.

No CB.

^ brilliant. Are we even sure that was his wife/kid and not some hooker? How long were they in there for? And why is a partner's family in the hotel room? ... so man questions.

[barestin]

Interview was going well. Then this happened: "So do you have any questions for me? And don't ask me a bullshit question...I'm from the east coast and know the difference."

This caught me completely off guard and I was speechless for a good five seconds before he just said "That's a no. Thank you."

No offer...

[Anonymous User]

^ brilliant. Are we even sure that was his wife/kid and not some hooker? How long were they in there for? And why is a partner's family in the hotel room? ... so man questions.

The weird part is, when he opened the bathroom door I didn't even see a cot/rollaway bed or anything in there. They were in there for 10 mins of my screener, who knows how many before that. I assume the wife wanted to site see in DC with the kid while he conducted interviews.

[crazycanuck]

^ brilliant. Are we even sure that was his wife/kid and not some hooker? How long were they in there for? And why is a partner's family in the hotel room? ... so man questions.

The weird part is, when he opened the bathroom door I didn't even see a cot/rollaway bed or anything in there. They were in there for 10 mins of my screener, who knows how many before that. I assume the wife wanted to site see in DC with the kid while he conducted interviews.

Why didn't they just get their own room? He's a fucking partner, he could splurge $150 to get them a regular room so the kid can nap while he interviews.

Just a bizarre story.

[TTH]

Interview was going well. Then this happened: "So do you have any questions for me? And don't ask me a bullshit question...I'm from the east coast and know the difference."

This caught me completely off guard and I was speechless for a good five seconds before he just said "That's a no. Thank you."

No offer...

I would have loved for an attorney to cut to the chase like this with me. Someday . . .

[Anonymous User]

I had a second round interview with a public defender office. Because I went to law school out of state, I had to travel to this call back on my own dime. The morning of the interview, the secretary called me and asked me if I could come in a couple hours earlier for my interview, since when she had scheduled my interview she had overlooked the office holiday party taking place that afternoon. I said sure. I arrived at the office and was escorted to an interview room, where I sat by myself for about an hour. Finally an attorney comes in, and he seems flustered, and said no one had any idea that there was an interview today. He leaves to find the other interviewers. About 15 minutes later all my interviewers come in, and one of them says we're going to have to "make this quick." I offer to come back or reschedule (although I have no idea when I would do so), but she says "no, there's no point - let's just do it now." I am told that I am going to do a simulation where I will interview one of the attorneys who will be acting as my client, and then give a bail argument. So I interview my client, and then give my bail argument. One of the attorneys says, "OK, that will have to do, we'll be in touch," and then walks me to the door after I shake everyone's hand. I thought this was really weird that no one asked me any questions in my call back, and that the total "interview" time was about 20 minutes.

I talked to other people who had a 2nd interview with this office, and they said that the simulation had just been the starting point of the callback, not the entire thing. Apparently, every other candidate discussed the simulation and was given feedback from his/her interviewers. The interviewers also then had moved on to normal interviewing, where they asked the candidate questions, and took questions, etc. So my interview was basically cut short because they wanted to day drink at the office party.

No offer.

[Tanicius]

I had a second round interview with a public defender office. Because I went to law school out of state, I had to travel to this call back on my own dime. The morning of the interview, the secretary called me and asked me if I could come in a couple hours earlier for my interview, since when she had scheduled my interview she had overlooked the office holiday party taking place that afternoon. I said sure. I arrived at the office and was escorted to an interview room, where I sat by myself for about an hour. Finally an attorney comes in, and he seems flustered, and said no one had any idea that there was an interview today. He leaves to find the other interviewers. About 15 minutes later all my interviewers come in, and one of them says we're going to have to "make this quick." I offer to come back or reschedule (although I have no idea when I would do so), but she says "no, there's no point - let's just do it now." I am told that I am going to do a simulation where I will interview one of the attorneys who will be acting as my client, and then give a bail argument. So I interview my client, and then give my bail argument. One of the attorneys says, "OK, that will have to do, we'll be in touch," and then walks me to the door after I shake everyone's hand. I thought this was really weird that no one asked me any questions in my call back, and that the total "interview" time was about 20 minutes.

I talked to other people who had a 2nd interview with this office, and they said that the simulation had just been the starting point of thee callback, not the entire thing. Apparently, everyone else discussed the simulation and was given feedback. The interviewers also then had moved on to normal interviewing, where they asked the candidate questions, and took questions, etc. So my interview was basically cut short because they wanted to day drink at the office party.

No offer.

Damn man, that sucks.

[Gorki]

So my interview was basically cut short because they wanted to day drink at the office party.

No offer.

Wow. This is worse than most posts that start a "out the firm" rally.

[Anonymous User]

So my interview was basically cut short because they wanted to day drink at the office party.

No offer.

Sorry, that really sucks.

Stories like these make me happy that some firms do a "let's interview all the callbacks on one day" type thing.

[09042014]

Partner: no, I'm not going to tell you the bullshit that we love junior associates. Junior associates are worthless, the don't know a damn thing and cost more of the firm's resources than they bring in. We will take in a few every year just to staff our work and with the hope that some stick around and actually make money for us.

I'm really sick of this flame. There is virtually no way it's true unless MAYBE they are talking about first years. The big law model makes Zero sense, and wouldn't be profitable, if it was true.