Bad Interview Moments Forum

[jess]

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[Anonymous User]

Was at a CB with a pretty respectable big firm of about 500+ lawyers in the NE area. During the exit interview I had the hiring partner point blank ask me how I got the CB. Bare in mind, the firm flew me up the coast for the interview and put me up in some pretty sweet digs.

It was a CB with 6 attorney's, and then a lunch and then the exit interview. The exit interview went for 45 minutes and the entire time the only thing that was discussed was my less then stellar resume compared to the other candidates and how I could potentially lateral into the firm later in my career. When the 45 minutes were up I wanted to punch her diploma and storm out, only problem was I did not have my reimbursement check in hand yet so I decided to hold off.

- It still puzzles me to this day (CB was in September) how I got the CB in the first place if that was the hiring partners mentality regarding me.

End of the day, biglaw secured so fuck it, still blew my mind how it all went down.

[Anonymous User]

Strangest interview question I was ever asked:
"What does mutual discovery mean to you?" I responded with some sort of bs about growing with an organization. In my head I was thinking "two teenagers in the back of a VW bug?"

-----

Dumbest interview answer I ever gave:
Interviewer: How would your boss describe you?
Me: Smart, hardworking, and that I need to smile more.
Interviewer: You don't seem to have a problem smiling.
Me: Oh, I say that because he makes fun of me when I am "in the zone" because I look like I'm scowling at the computer when I'm really concentrating. I think it is also because I have a naturally furrowed brow, so I look like I'm serious a lot.
Interviewer: And are you a serious person?
Me: Not too serious.

-----

Dumbest joke I ever tried to make in an interview:
Interviewer: Well, I hope you have a great plane-ride back home.
Me: I plan on it. I brought my yoga pants to make sure I'm comfortable.

-----

Strangest interview moment:
Interviewer: So what did you do with X group in law school?
Me: We did an awareness campaign regarding female genital mutilation, y, and z.
Interviewer: Female genital mutilation, huh? Have you heard some guys say that circumcision is male genital mutilation? Have you heard that? What do you think of that?
Me: Oh wow. That is crazy. I guess I could see it. I mean, I guess it could be traumatizing for a little baby to have that done, but I haven't been in that situation, so I can't really speak to that.

-----

Dumbest ever:
Interviewer: Where are you from?
Me: The south.
Interviewer: Really? You don't sound like it.
Me: Why thank you, I've tried very hard not to.
Interviewer: I find southern accents endearing.
Me: You should hear me after I talk to my mom on the phone for an hour then.

-----

Yes, I am the embodiment of awkward turtle. I have many many more. Including one where I said that I left my old job because I am more of an introvert and so I was drained after dealing with people all day doing customer service. Yeah, I need a "don't be so honest" filter.

[nevdash]

Strangest interview question I was ever asked:
"What does mutual discovery meant to you?" I responded with some sort of bs about growing with an organization. In my head I was thinking "two teenagers in the back of a vw bug?"

Hope you weren't interviewing for a position in a litigation department. If so, I don't think you understood the question.

[Anonymous User]

Strangest interview question I was ever asked:
"What does mutual discovery meant to you?" I responded with some sort of bs about growing with an organization. In my head I was thinking "two teenagers in the back of a vw bug?"

Hope you weren't interviewing for a position in a litigation department. If so, I don't think you understood the question.

That one was actually an interview for Best Buy when I was 17. The interviewer was in his late thirties or early forties. I think the context might be helpful to demonstrate just how creepy that one was.

[Dany]

Strangest interview question I was ever asked:
"What does mutual discovery meant to you?" I responded with some sort of bs about growing with an organization. In my head I was thinking "two teenagers in the back of a vw bug?"

-----

Dumbest interview answer I ever gave:
Interviewer: How would your boss describe you?
Me: Smart, hardworking, and that I need to smile more.
Interviewer: You don't seem to have a problem smiling.
Me: Oh, I say that because he makes fun of me when I am "in the zone" because I look like I'm scowling at the computer when I'm really concentrating. I think it is also because I have a naturally furrowed brow, so I look like I'm serious a lot.
Interviewer: And are you a serious person?
Me: Not too serious.

-----

Dumbest joke I ever tried to make in an interview:
Interviewer: Well, I hope you have a great plane-ride back home.
Me: I plan on it. I brought my yoga pants to make sure I'm comfortable.

-----

Strangest interview moment:
Interviewer: So what did you do with X group in law school?
Me: We did an awareness campaign regarding female genital mutilation, y, and z.
Interviewer: Female genital mutilation, huh? Have you heard some guys say that circumcision is male genital mutilation? Have you heard that? What do you think of that?
Me: Oh wow. That is crazy. I guess I could see it. I mean, I guess it could be traumatizing for a little baby to have that done, but I haven't been in that situation, so I can't really speak to that.

-----

Dumbest ever:
Interviewer: Where are you from?
Me: The south.
Interviewer: Really? You don't sound like it.
Me: Why thank you, I've tried very hard not to.
Interviewer: I find southern accents endearing.
Me: You should hear me after I talk to my mom on the phone for an hour then.

-----

Yes, I am the embodiment of awkward turtle. I have many many more. Including one where I said that I left my old job because I am more of an introvert and so I was drained after dealing with people all day doing customer service. Yeah, I need a "don't be so honest" filter.

lol I love these.

[Anonymous User]

getting to the location only to discover no receptionist on that floor, buzzer to get in to the office isn't working, point of contact doesn't answer the phone. had to just wait awkwardly by the door to get let in.

[Anonymous User]

Strangest interview question I was ever asked:
"What does mutual discovery meant to you?" I responded with some sort of bs about growing with an organization. In my head I was thinking "two teenagers in the back of a vw bug?"

-----

Dumbest interview answer I ever gave:
Interviewer: How would your boss describe you?
Me: Smart, hardworking, and that I need to smile more.
Interviewer: You don't seem to have a problem smiling.
Me: Oh, I say that because he makes fun of me when I am "in the zone" because I look like I'm scowling at the computer when I'm really concentrating. I think it is also because I have a naturally furrowed brow, so I look like I'm serious a lot.
Interviewer: And are you a serious person?
Me: Not too serious.

-----

Dumbest joke I ever tried to make in an interview:
Interviewer: Well, I hope you have a great plane-ride back home.
Me: I plan on it. I brought my yoga pants to make sure I'm comfortable.

-----

Strangest interview moment:
Interviewer: So what did you do with X group in law school?
Me: We did an awareness campaign regarding female genital mutilation, y, and z.
Interviewer: Female genital mutilation, huh? Have you heard some guys say that circumcision is male genital mutilation? Have you heard that? What do you think of that?
Me: Oh wow. That is crazy. I guess I could see it. I mean, I guess it could be traumatizing for a little baby to have that done, but I haven't been in that situation, so I can't really speak to that.

-----

Dumbest ever:
Interviewer: Where are you from?
Me: The south.
Interviewer: Really? You don't sound like it.
Me: Why thank you, I've tried very hard not to.
Interviewer: I find southern accents endearing.
Me: You should hear me after I talk to my mom on the phone for an hour then.

-----

Yes, I am the embodiment of awkward turtle. I have many many more. Including one where I said that I left my old job because I am more of an introvert and so I was drained after dealing with people all day doing customer service. Yeah, I need a "don't be so honest" filter.

lol I love these.

Another favorite:
Interviewer: So why do you want to stay in [city in Ohio]?
Me: I love living in a purple state. I feel like my vote is more important than ever! And I love food, as you can tell. This city is awesome for foodies!
Interviewer: I know!
[launches into how happy she is that all her neighbors are democrats, and I tell her that my husband was working with Obama's campaign]

I got a call back on that one It was government. Government interviews are the only ones where my quirkiness doesn't seem to work against me.

[adonai]

Is there such an interview tactic as the interviewer staring at you and not saying a word?

[Tanicius]

Another favorite:
Interviewer: So why do you want to stay in [city in Ohio]?
Me: I love living in a purple state. I feel like my vote is more important than ever! And I love food, as you can tell. This city is awesome for foodies!
Interviewer: I know!
[launches into how happy she is that all her neighbors are democrats, and I tell her that my husband was working with Obama's campaign]

I got a call back on that one It was government. Government interviews are the only ones where my quirkiness doesn't seem to work against me.

I happily presume every public defender I interview with is a staunch Obama voter. Nothing beats telling California PD's about how the reason I left Minnesota is because Pawlenty was a sociopath.

[Bronte]

Is there such an interview tactic as the interviewer staring at you and not saying a word?

In myth, yes. I'm sure it's happened, but it's not a standard big law interview tactic. I can assure you of that.

[adonai]

Is there such an interview tactic as the interviewer staring at you and not saying a word?

In myth, yes. I'm sure it's happened, but it's not a standard big law interview tactic. I can assure you of that.

Well, amazingly, it's happened to me twice (non-private practice gigs). I am really just floored. My best guess is they were trying to test what I did in intimidating/awkward moments.

[cinephile]

Is there such an interview tactic as the interviewer staring at you and not saying a word?

I once entered a callback where the interviewer only asked me one question, "Do you have any questions for me?" That was literally the first and only question she asked. She answered all my questions, but it wasn't a back and forth with her getting more information out of me about my own experiences or why I wanted to be there. It was weird.

[badaboom61]

Is there such an interview tactic as the interviewer staring at you and not saying a word?

I once entered a callback where the interviewer only asked me one question, "Do you have any questions for me?" That was literally the first and only question she asked. She answered all my questions, but it wasn't a back and forth with her getting more information out of me about my own experiences or why I wanted to be there. It was weird.

I've had more than one of these. I also had one that was "You've done lots of interviews today. This time, you interview me." That was kind of weird, but it turned back into a regular interview about halfway through.

[desertlaw]

One partner asked if I wanted to play a game. I said sure.

He said he had a great ability to remember the year that a movie came out on.

So I named some of my favorites: Ferries Bueller's Day Off, Mighty Ducks, Home Alone 2, Jingle All the Way.

He got all of them. The exact year. I made sure he wasn't looking at the computer screen or typing anything in. We looked them up after he guessed. 100%.

[badaboom61]

So I named some of my favorites: ... Jingle All the Way.

You brought that no offer upon yourself.

[Dany]

So I named some of my favorites: ... Jingle All the Way.

You brought that no offer upon yourself.

That movie is great. HTH.

[Anonymous User]

Is there such an interview tactic as the interviewer staring at you and not saying a word?

There is a mid-size regional firm in Phoenix that does this in OCI interviews. They frequently ignore you, say nothing, joke among themselves, talk about inane things, etc. It is a type of stress interview and it is very uncommon in law.

I had a conversation about it with one of the interviewers some time after my interview. They said that they feel that there are too many good interviewers and that everyone is very intelligent, smooth, practiced. So they feel that adding stress and awkwardness sort of cuts through the bullshit and gets to a core personality the person will display under pressure. The freakout is apparently the worst reaction.

[spaceman82]

The freakout is apparently the worst reaction.

What's the best?

[Anonymous User]

The freakout is apparently the worst reaction.

What's the best?

Remaining calm and confident. Depending on the type of ignoring they are doing you should try to join their conversation in your best join-a-circle-of-people-talking way.

[mrwhoppers]

Sitting in the backseat of a Haynes & Boone associate's car while two male associates tossed the n-word around as they made fun of their female white boss. Tried to redirect to sports, failed, wrote off the interview & ordered the most expensive thing at lunch as a general "thanks for setting me up with the racist associates for lunch."

[Lasers]

One partner asked if I wanted to play a game. I said sure.

He said he had a great ability to remember the year that a movie came out on.

So I named some of my favorites: Ferries Bueller's Day Off, Mighty Ducks, Home Alone 2, Jingle All the Way.

He got all of them. The exact year. I made sure he wasn't looking at the computer screen or typing anything in. We looked them up after he guessed. 100%.

what, in particular, elevates home alone 2 above home alone?

[Ruxin1]

One partner asked if I wanted to play a game. I said sure.

He said he had a great ability to remember the year that a movie came out on.

So I named some of my favorites: Ferries Bueller's Day Off, Mighty Ducks, Home Alone 2, Jingle All the Way.

He got all of them. The exact year. I made sure he wasn't looking at the computer screen or typing anything in. We looked them up after he guessed. 100%.

what, in particular, elevates home alone 2 above home alone?

NYC breh

[romothesavior]

So I named some of my favorites: ... Jingle All the Way.

You brought that no offer upon yourself.

You watch your tongue. That is a true American classic, right up there with Commando.

[Anonymous User]

The freakout is apparently the worst reaction.

What's the best?

staring at them and refusing to speak until they speak first to establish dominance.