CB advice Forum

[Anonymous User]

I've had a decent number of callbacks and so far gotten 0 offers. I was hoping to get some advice on the following areas, which I think are giving me the most trouble:

-Asking questions to your interviewer. This wasn't a problem during the screening stage for me, but I've had trouble coming up with substantive, unique questions during my callbacks.

-Answering "what are you looking for in a law firm/why this firm?" I've generally just given the basic answer of strong in particular practice areas, good reputation, friendly people. Anything I'm missing here? At a few of my CBs, the interviewers really seemed to grill me on this.

-"Why law school?" I took 3 years off and worked in investment banking and always get asked why I made the transition to law.

[Frank]

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[Anonymous User]

you shouldn't be too down about not getting an offer yet, to early

[Anonymous User]

you shouldn't be too down about not getting an offer yet, to early

Is it just me, or is this the dumbest advice in the world? Career services is telling me this, but I only have a couple callbacks and I am FUCKED. Being optimistic at this point would require a total detachment from reality. I AM FUCKED.

[Anonymous User]

i also left banking for law and get grilled on this. im curious what your answer is. i say finance was too quant for me.

[kurla88]

you shouldn't be too down about not getting an offer yet, to early

Is it just me, or is this the dumbest advice in the world? Career services is telling me this, but I only have a couple callbacks and I am FUCKED. Being optimistic at this point would require a total detachment from reality. I AM FUCKED.

Have you had the couple of callbacks yet? How are you fucked? Two callbacks is a lot better than zero, or even one, and some firms have a pretty high callback : offer ratio.

[Anonymous User]

-Answering "what are you looking for in a law firm/why this firm?" I've generally just given the basic answer of strong in particular practice areas, good reputation, friendly people. Anything I'm missing here? At a few of my CBs, the interviewers really seemed to grill me on this.

Your answer sounds decent but generic. I tend to answer "why law firm generally" first, and it kind of ties in with "why law school" for me since I also worked before law school in a different field. When it comes to that specific law firm, I try to bring up past summer associates, people I met at hospitality suite during OCI, or even just the culture of the firm as I see it during the cb. Then you can turn it back into a question and ask them why they chose the firm.

[Anonymous User]

-Asking questions to your interviewer. This wasn't a problem during the screening stage for me, but I've had trouble coming up with substantive, unique questions during my callbacks.

Ask questions about the interviewer's practice area or cases the interviewer is currently working on, and build off them. Honestly, whenever the interviewer is talking about what they do, I'm not actually listening to their answer. Instead, I'm thinking of a good follow-up question. For example, if the interviewer mentions that he is currently reviewing the health care law, ask him what are the biggest effects it will have on his clients and/or his practice.

Also, if you're just hoping to kill time, look up anything non-legal on your interviewer's bio that you can discuss at length. For example, if your interviewer's undergrad defeated your undergrad in the NCAA Tournament in March, bring it up after you've asked a couple substantive questions. If you know anything about college basketball you should have no problem ensuring the rest of the conversation goes smoothly.

-Answering "what are you looking for in a law firm/why this firm?" I've generally just given the basic answer of strong in particular practice areas, good reputation, friendly people. Anything I'm missing here? At a few of my CBs, the interviewers really seemed to grill me on this.

I think you've covered it. I usually throw in location as well. Do your research though - you obviously want to make sure the practice areas you mention are big. You can go as broad as simply "litigation" if you want.

-"Why law school?" I took 3 years off and worked in investment banking and always get asked why I made the transition to law.

Come up with some BS reason about how, as an investment banker, you found the financial laws very interesting and you thought a career as a lawyer would be more intellectually satisfying.

[Anonymous User]

you shouldn't be too down about not getting an offer yet, to early

Is it just me, or is this the dumbest advice in the world? Career services is telling me this, but I only have a couple callbacks and I am FUCKED. Being optimistic at this point would require a total detachment from reality. I AM FUCKED.

Naw, man, it took me two weeks to get my first offer after my first CB.

[Anonymous User]

I'm about to hit three weeks with no offer. Thanks for the cheering up.

[Anonymous User]

Are you grades good for the firms you are interviewing with?

[Anonymous User]

Are you grades good for the firms you are interviewing with?

Yes, my academic record is good. I have a serious black mark in my background (use your imagination) that I think is sinking me. I have 9 more callbacks to go, and I'm afraid that even with that number, I won't manage to get anything.

[Anonymous User]

Are you grades good for the firms you are interviewing with?

Yes, my record is good. I have a serious black mark in my background (use your imagination) that I think is sinking me. I have 9 more callbacks to go, and I'm afraid that even with that number, I won't manage to get anything.

Weren't the interviewers aware of your black mark at the screening?

With 9, I would have confidence that at least one firm would give you an offer.

[Anonymous User]

Are you grades good for the firms you are interviewing with?

Yes, my record is good. I have a serious black mark in my background (use your imagination) that I think is sinking me. I have 9 more callbacks to go, and I'm afraid that even with that number, I won't manage to get anything.

Weren't the interviewers aware of your black mark at the screening?

With 9, I would have confidence that at least one firm would give you an offer.

I don't think they were, no. Do you think firms take time to research the people they're giving screeners to? I doubt it. Too many people. I think the black mark is the only factor that can explain the disparity in my performance during the screener-callback stage (fantastic) to the callback-offer (abysmal) stage.

[Anonymous User]

OP here -

Generally when people ask why law school (I have a finance background), I tell them that I wanted to do more than just pure financial modeling (more reading, writing), and I talk about one role I did in my previous job where I worked with our internal counsel and how I enjoyed that. I've still managed to get puzzled looks at that answer though.

[Anonymous User]

Are you grades good for the firms you are interviewing with?

Yes, my record is good. I have a serious black mark in my background (use your imagination) that I think is sinking me. I have 9 more callbacks to go, and I'm afraid that even with that number, I won't manage to get anything.

Weren't the interviewers aware of your black mark at the screening?

With 9, I would have confidence that at least one firm would give you an offer.

I don't think they were, no. Do you think firms take time to research the people they're giving screeners to? I doubt it. Too many people. I think the black mark is the only factor that can explain the disparity in my performance during the screener-callback stage (fantastic) to the callback-offer (abysmal) stage.

By research, do you mean conducting a background check? I don't see how firms can conduct one without your SS number. If you aren't referring to a background check, then I don't know what kind of black mark you are referring to.

[Aqualibrium]

You can run a pretty rudimentary but effective background check via lexisnexis with only a first and last name and some idea of what state the person is in or from.

[Anonymous User]

You can run a pretty rudimentary but effective background check via lexisnexis with only a first and last name and some idea of what state the person is in or from.

Wow. Never heard of this.

OP - if you have already gotten a rejection, I'd called the HR person to ask why you were rejected and whether or not it had to do with the black mark.

[Anonymous User]

What good would having that knowledge do? I already know I'm a good interviewee, hence the number of callbacks offered. I'm not screwing up the interviews. (Also, I'm not the OP -- different person here).

[Anonymous User]

What good would having that knowledge do? I already know I'm a good interviewee, hence the number of callbacks offered. I'm not screwing up the interviews. (Also, I'm not the OP -- different person here).

So why are you hijacking the OP's thread? All of your comments thus far have been very cynical, and even when people try to give you advice or cheer you up, you respond negatively.

You have 9 CBs. I attend a CCN, and our average number is something between 3-5 CBs. I suppose I'm unclear as to why you're not absolutely ecstatic, and preparing for your next interviews. Relax, get more confidence, and stop being so negative to people trying to help you out here. If this is indicative of your usual attitude, then maybe you want to rethink whether you're actually that "good of an interviewee".

[Anonymous User]

What good would having that knowledge do? I already know I'm a good interviewee, hence the number of callbacks offered. I'm not screwing up the interviews. (Also, I'm not the OP -- different person here).

So why are you hijacking the OP's thread? All of your comments thus far have been very cynical, and even when people try to give you advice or cheer you up, you respond negatively.

You have 9 CBs. I attend a CCN, and our average number is something between 3-5 CBs. I suppose I'm unclear as to why you're not absolutely ecstatic, and preparing for your next interviews. Relax, get more confidence, and stop being so negative to people trying to help you out here. If this is indicative of your usual attitude, then maybe you want to rethink whether you're actually that "good of an interviewee".

"All" of my comments? I wrote 2. Maybe you're not keeping track of whose who too well. Anyways, sorry for the hijacking.

[Anonymous User]

i also left banking for law and get grilled on this. im curious what your answer is. i say finance was too quant for me.

It's bad to answer any question with a negative.

I get the question why I left engineering for law. I usually answer something along the lines: "I wanted to find a profession where I could better leverage my writing skills while still being able to apply my analytical skills."

[dresden doll]

"All" of my comments? I wrote 2. Maybe you're not keeping track of whose who too well. Anyways, sorry for the hijacking.

That's a little challenging when people post anonymously, now isn't it?

[Anonymous User]

What good would having that knowledge do? I already know I'm a good interviewee, hence the number of callbacks offered. I'm not screwing up the interviews. (Also, I'm not the OP -- different person here).

Because it might help to see if it's because of your interviewing skills or your black mark...I don't know if people can accurately assess their own interviewing abilities. I would ask the HR person the general question "why was I rejected?" and see what happens.

[Anonymous User]

What good would having that knowledge do? I already know I'm a good interviewee, hence the number of callbacks offered. I'm not screwing up the interviews. (Also, I'm not the OP -- different person here).

Because it might help to see if it's because of your interviewing skills or your black mark...I don't know if people can accurately assess their own interviewing abilities. I would ask the HR person the general question "why was I rejected?" and see what happens.

Who should I direct this to? The rejection letter came from a hiring partner, someone I didn't meet. Should I try to contact them, even though we never spoke before? Someone from the recruiting department?