Page 1 of 2
How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 10:44 pm
by starrynight62
I was looking at interviewing tips on a law school's website (not my own school).
Two of the possible questions were:
1. What is the source of your spending money?
2. Do you have any debts?
Really? I feel like those are personal questions and inappropriate. Relevant, maybe. Appropriate, no. Can they even ask those things?
Thoughts? And how would you handle these questions, if asked?
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 10:54 pm
by donzoli
starrynight62 wrote:I was looking at interviewing tips on a law school's website (not my own school).
Two of the possible questions were:
1. What is the source of your spending money?
2. Do you have any debts?
Really? I feel like those are personal questions and inappropriate. Relevant, maybe. Appropriate, no. Can they even ask those things?
Thoughts? And how would you handle these questions, if asked?
If interviewing for a Biglaw position the appropriate answer to #1 is:
Hookers and blow
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 10:58 pm
by Veyron
starrynight62 wrote:I was looking at interviewing tips on a law school's website (not my own school).
Two of the possible questions were:
1. What is the source of your spending money?
2. Do you have any debts?
Really? I feel like those are personal questions and inappropriate. Relevant, maybe. Appropriate, no. Can they even ask those things?
Thoughts? And how would you handle these questions, if asked?
4 serious?
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 11:01 pm
by HugerThanSoup
These are completely inappropriate questions and I have NEVER heard of anyone asking queations even close to this.
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 11:02 pm
by starrynight62
4 serious?
Serious about the website saying that or serious about me not knowing if it is appropriate or not? It seriously said that and I was seriously shocked.
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 11:09 pm
by TheTopBloke
None of your fucking business.
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 1:19 am
by Veyron
starrynight62 wrote:
4 serious?
Serious about the website saying that or serious about me not knowing if it is appropriate or not? It seriously said that and I was seriously shocked.
About the website saying it.
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 1:27 am
by 1234543523
You're not going to get asked those questions.
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 1:43 am
by HBK
What is your greatest weakness?
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 1:53 am
by ggocat
f7u12 wrote:You're not going to get asked those questions.
Not out of the realm of possibilities. I know of a small law partner who said he would not hire someone with a lot of debt.
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 2:50 am
by Sup Kid
Just for posing these as potential questions this school should be dropped out of the T100:
http://indylaw.indiana.edu/career/inter ... eQuestions (gotta love google)
Some other goodies: "Do you like routine work?", "What types of people seem to rub you the wrong way?", "How many hours a day do you think a person should work?", "Can you take instructions without feeling upset?" and "Who are your best friends? Why?"
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 3:26 am
by ggocat
Sup Kid wrote:Just for posing these as potential questions this school should be dropped out of the T100:
http://indylaw.indiana.edu/career/inter ... eQuestions (gotta love google)
Some other goodies: "Do you like routine work?", "What types of people seem to rub you the wrong way?", "How many hours a day do you think a person should work?", "Can you take instructions without feeling upset?" and "Who are your best friends? Why?"
Probably wouldn't post these questions if they were never asked.
In one biglaw interview, the first question I got was, "What did you have for breakfast?" The second question was, "What do you think I had for breakfast?"
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 3:31 am
by dr123
Employers like to hire people with student loan debt, cause they know that quitting isn't really an option for them.
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 3:44 am
by kublaikahn
donzoli wrote:starrynight62 wrote:I was looking at interviewing tips on a law school's website (not my own school).
Two of the possible questions were:
1. What is the source of your spending money?
2. Do you have any debts?
Really? I feel like those are personal questions and inappropriate. Relevant, maybe. Appropriate, no. Can they even ask those things?
Thoughts? And how would you handle these questions, if asked?
If interviewing for a Biglaw position the appropriate answer to #1 is:
Hookers and blow
Wouldn't that be uses, not sources?
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 1:00 pm
by donzoli
kublaikahn wrote:donzoli wrote:starrynight62 wrote:I was looking at interviewing tips on a law school's website (not my own school).
Two of the possible questions were:
1. What is the source of your spending money?
2. Do you have any debts?
Really? I feel like those are personal questions and inappropriate. Relevant, maybe. Appropriate, no. Can they even ask those things?
Thoughts? And how would you handle these questions, if asked?
If interviewing for a Biglaw position the appropriate answer to #1 is:
Hookers and blow
Yup, it was an RC fail on my behalf, unless ones a pimp, then its very possible
Wouldn't that be uses, not sources?
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 1:03 pm
by ugchicago
The correct response would be to not work for any law firm that asked you those questions.
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 1:09 pm
by Grizz
ugchicago wrote:The correct response would be to not work for any law firm that asked you those questions.
Easy for you to say duder. That may be your only chance at an offer.
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 1:11 pm
by Anonymous User
Since beginning law school, I have conducted approximately 130 unique interviews with attorneys at firms and judicial chambers across the country.
I have never been asked either question.
The only 'hard' question that came up with enough regularity to worry about was a form of a weakness question. O'Melveney and Weil both asked a question to the tune of 'what could you have done better in (a job I had had)' or 'what could you most improve on (in some specific context)'. Neither were plain "what is your greatest weakness" questions but instead were more targeted towards room for improvement or imperfection in prior experience.
Another hard thing were interviews that began with "So, what can we tell you about [firm]." Make sure you have a lot of intelligent questions (harder than it sounds).
Nearly every other interview question was some variation on: geographic interest, practice area interest, firm-specific interest, experience / reflection on law school, questions about (any and all) resume line items.
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 1:16 pm
by Veyron
ggocat wrote:f7u12 wrote:You're not going to get asked those questions.
Not out of the realm of possibilities. I know of a small law partner who said he would not hire someone with a lot of debt.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand smallaw wonders why it STILL can't get top tallent.
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 2:58 pm
by Kohinoor
starrynight62 wrote:I was looking at interviewing tips on a law school's website (not my own school).
Two of the possible questions were:
1. What is the source of your spending money?
2. Do you have any debts?
Really? I feel like those are personal questions and inappropriate. Relevant, maybe. Appropriate, no. Can they even ask those things?
Thoughts? And how would you handle these questions, if asked?
Kick the table over and leave.
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 2:59 pm
by Kohinoor
Veyron wrote:ggocat wrote:f7u12 wrote:You're not going to get asked those questions.
Not out of the realm of possibilities. I know of a small law partner who said he would not hire someone with a lot of debt.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand smallaw wonders why it STILL can't get top tallent.
ITE?
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 3:09 pm
by ggocat
Veyron wrote:ggocat wrote:f7u12 wrote:You're not going to get asked those questions.
Not out of the realm of possibilities. I know of a small law partner who said he would not hire someone with a lot of debt.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand smallaw wonders why it STILL can't get top tallent.
The purported explanation was that taking on a lot of debt for a non-national law school showed bad judgment.
The cynic might suggest that small law pays lower, so the partner just wanted someone who wasn't constantly trying to jump ship for a slightly higher salary (to pay down debt).
Small law might not be getting HYS, or even most T14, but small law that pays decently ($55k-$70k) has plenty of top students from lower ranked schools.
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 3:25 pm
by starrynight62
Anonymous User wrote:
The only 'hard' question that came up with enough regularity to worry about was a form of a weakness question. O'Melveney and Weil both asked a question to the tune of 'what could you have done better in (a job I had had)' or 'what could you most improve on (in some specific context)'. Neither were plain "what is your greatest weakness" questions but instead were more targeted towards room for improvement or imperfection in prior experience.
Ugh. I hate those questions. Did you attempt to answer them "honestly" or bemoan how you are "such a perfectionist?"
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 3:57 pm
by Veyron
Kohinoor wrote:Veyron wrote:ggocat wrote:f7u12 wrote:You're not going to get asked those questions.
Not out of the realm of possibilities. I know of a small law partner who said he would not hire someone with a lot of debt.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand smallaw wonders why it STILL can't get top tallent.
ITE?
Even ITE, I don't know anyone taking smallaw who could get biglaw or midlaw.
Edit: Besides, how do you jump ship for more $. Usually the only way you can jump is down or sideways.
Re: How would you handle these interview questions?
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 3:58 pm
by dr123
What about boutique firms? or are those considered mid law?