Drinking before screening interview... Forum

[Anonymous User]

Anonymous because everyone knows who I am and I don't want firms to think I'm a raging alcoholic...

What are your thoughts on taking a shot or a stiff drink to calm the OCI nerves? Anyone have experience doing this? I would imagine it would make for a more relaxed interview which would be a better interview. I can't be the only one to toy with this idea...

[bouakedojo]

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[goodolgil]

Anonymous because everyone knows who I am and I don't want firms to think I'm a raging alcoholic...

What are your thoughts on taking a shot or a stiff drink to calm the OCI nerves? Anyone have experience doing this? I would imagine it would make for a more relaxed interview which would be a better interview. I can't be the only one to toy with this idea...

Seems like it would come across as unprofessional.

It wouldn't "come across" as anything because you wouldn't actually let your interviewer know.

I say do it if you need to. Make sure you chew gum or something afterwards though.

[Mce252]

I've never done anything after drinking and actually performed at a higher level, except being an asshole.

[Verity]

Yeah, but then you have to time it just right, and make sure to drink just enough to cool the nerves but not too much to make you drunk, and then worry about your breath, piss test.....I don't know.

Consider weed?

[flightcontrol]

This is an irredeemably bad idea. Chances are no one will realize it, but if are you are caught, you become the "did you hear . . ." story of the entire week. Recruiters and lawyers know each other, and that's the kind of story that gets around. The benefit is marginal; the downside is massive. Don't do it.

[dixiecupdrinking]

Fine as long as you are 100% certain you a) will not become perceptibly drunk and b) will not smell like booze. Personally it wouldn't be worth the risk, if only because I'd be too worried they could tell I'd been drinking for it to have any sort of relaxing effect, but YMMV.

[Emma.]

The interviewer is probably going to be bored and could use a drink as well. Why not just show up with a flask and offer him/her a drink too?

[emorystud2010]

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[Nogameisfair]

I say do it if you have to, but you should learn a better way to deal with anxiety. Screeners are on the low end of the anxiety you'll have to deal with in practice. Unfortunately, we don't live in the 1950s where the occastional Don Drapper special is acceptable in the office.

[kapital98]

I say do it if you have to, but you should learn a better way to deal with anxiety. Screeners are on the low end of the anxiety you'll have to deal with in practice. Unfortunately, we don't live in the 1950s where the occastional Don Drapper special is acceptable in the office.

It's too bad because I could really use a drink at the 11am meetings, 1pm lunch, double-shot at 3pm, and then one for the road at 5pm.

[warumnicht]

I say do it if you have to, but you should learn a better way to deal with anxiety. Screeners are on the low end of the anxiety you'll have to deal with in practice. Unfortunately, we don't live in the 1950s where the occastional Don Drapper special is acceptable in the office.

This. You may be able to get away with it in this situation (this requires knowing exactly how you react to one drink...and lots of mouthwash after), but what are you going to do at callbacks? Client meetings? Trial?

Try something like breathing exercises, mantras, whatever. Or, if you think that your anxiety is too severe for that, consult a doctor about anti-anxiety meds.

[Nogameisfair]

I say do it if you have to, but you should learn a better way to deal with anxiety. Screeners are on the low end of the anxiety you'll have to deal with in practice. Unfortunately, we don't live in the 1950s where the occastional Don Drapper special is acceptable in the office.

It's too bad because I could really use a drink at the 11am meetings, 1pm lunch, double-shot at 3pm, and then one for the road at 5pm.

I also wouldn't mind the occasional tryst with a secretary now and then... but they call this progress.

[artichoke]

Why don't you just take a beta-blocker instead? Seems like a more effective and less risky method of calming nerves.

[Anonymous User]

I have never drank prior to an interview, but, honestly, I have gone immediately to home or a bar and downed a scotch or ten. That made the inevitable seeming rejection a lot easier to stomach.

[firemed]

Why don't you just take a beta-blocker instead? Seems like a more effective and less risky method of calming nerves.

These are generally harder to get than xanex or similar anti-anxiety meds.

I hear they can help with migraines though, and if your blood pressure is going up from your constant anxiety or stress, than these are very worth asking your physician about.... they'll take care of stress and your hypertension at the same time.

[Anonymous User]

Xanax maybe?? J/k. (Makes me think of the Seinfeld where Elaine takes the muscle relaxers...STELLA!!!)

[Stanford4Me]

LOL @ getting drunk off of one shot.

[kapital98]

I say do it if you have to, but you should learn a better way to deal with anxiety. Screeners are on the low end of the anxiety you'll have to deal with in practice. Unfortunately, we don't live in the 1950s where the occastional Don Drapper special is acceptable in the office.

It's too bad because I could really use a drink at the 11am meetings, 1pm lunch, double-shot at 3pm, and then one for the road at 5pm.

I also wouldn't mind the occasional tryst with a secretary now and then... but they call this progress.

I was going to say something about that but thought it would be sexist!

[cahesu]

Credited answer is Hennigan's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgXAt_gstcs

[071816]

Credited answer is Hennigan's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgXAt_gstcs

LOL nice. This is actually the first thing that came to mind when I read the original post.

[artichoke]

Credited answer is Hennigan's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgXAt_gstcs

Lol, I was wondering if someone was going to bring this up.

[dailygrind]

I say do it if you have to, but you should learn a better way to deal with anxiety. Screeners are on the low end of the anxiety you'll have to deal with in practice. Unfortunately, we don't live in the 1950s where the occastional Don Drapper special is acceptable in the office.

It's too bad because I could really use a drink at the 11am meetings, 1pm lunch, double-shot at 3pm, and then one for the road at 5pm.

I also wouldn't mind the occasional tryst with a secretary now and then... but they call this progress.

I was going to say something about that but thought it would be sexist!

There are probably male secretaries, too. Do mail boys still exist?

[Stanford4Me]

There are probably male secretaries, too. Do mail boys still exist?

They do at my office.

[Nogameisfair]

I say do it if you have to, but you should learn a better way to deal with anxiety. Screeners are on the low end of the anxiety you'll have to deal with in practice. Unfortunately, we don't live in the 1950s where the occastional Don Drapper special is acceptable in the office.

It's too bad because I could really use a drink at the 11am meetings, 1pm lunch, double-shot at 3pm, and then one for the road at 5pm.

I also wouldn't mind the occasional tryst with a secretary now and then... but they call this progress.

I was going to say something about that but thought it would be sexist!

I would with the female laywers if they promised not to talk about law... That's not sexist right?