Question about content of screener interview discussions Forum

[Anonymous User]

I had my first screener interview today. It seemed like I was clicking relatively well with the guy, but we spent almost the whole time talking about my personal interests (I do a particular type of art he's interested in). It was a fun discussion, but we barely talked about the firm. When the next guy knocked on the door he just said something like "Oh man, looks like we're out of time here. Do you have any questions about the firm?" I asked a couple quick ones, and then he gave me his card and said I should send any other questions I have to him over the next day or so.

Does the fact that we barely talked about the firm bode poorly for me?

[Anonymous User]

From what I've heard, it depends on your credentials. If you're a strong candidate for a firm, your goal is to simply show that you're capable of having a conversation, so it's OK to spend the whole time talking about sports or the weather or art if that's the way the interview goes. By contrast, if you're a weak candidate, you must sell yourself during the interview and show that you're very interested in working for the firm, so you need to ensure that you don't spend the whole interview discussing something unrelated to law.

[Anonymous User]

I too had similar screening interviews as OP. More specifically, a few of my interviews where 50% "explain this on your resume" and the other 50% was interest stuff. However, I feel that the interviews where there were a lot of side conversations were with the more personal interviewers who were "laid back."

[Anonymous User]

From what I've heard, it depends on your credentials. If you're a strong candidate for a firm, your goal is to simply show that you're capable of having a conversation, so it's OK to spend the whole time talking about sports or the weather or art if that's the way the interview goes. By contrast, if you're a weak candidate, you must sell yourself during the interview and show that you're very interested in working for the firm, so you need to ensure that you don't spend the whole interview discussing something unrelated to law.

OP here:

This is potentially troubling. I am probably a middling candidate for their firm. Somewhere around the middle, GPA-wise, though I have some decent WE that we did discuss.

[NYAssociate]

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