To BigLaw Associates/Partners: #1 Sign You Bombed Your CB? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Title says it.

[Anonymous User]

This should be good.

[brotherdarkness]

.

[NYstate]

I start making very basic, bland small talk with you. I'm excessively polite. (Note: I'm always polite- but if I seem extra bland and start asking about your trip or something extra mundane, then I'm no longer interested in you.) ( note 2: this doesn't include simple greetings like " hi, nice to meet you, how was your flight?)

[tennisking88]

Seems a fine line between bland and extra bland. Mind elaborating further?

[IAFG]

IME if they just start talking about their practice or the legal market in broad strokes, not asking questions but also not pitching you on the firm, that's a bad sign.

[law321]

Non-exhaustive list....the interview ended early. There was a lot of awkward silence. The interviewee answered questions with short (1-5 word) responses. The short answers made no sense in light of cover letter, resume, other indicators. The interviewee shamelessly name-dropped almost immediately and then seemed to assume the interview was 100% about me recruiting him/her/arrogant interviewee. Foul language used/inappropriate jokes/excessive difficulty elucidating thoughts.

In my experience, the worst interviews typically combine several of the above (and other not on the list).

Edit for clarity - the biggest signs of a bomb are, at least for me, based on the student/lateral's behavior and not mine as the interviewer. My approach doesn't really change all that much from interview to interview (except for having to talk a bit more when there is a lot of silence).

[NYstate]

Seems a fine line between bland and extra bland. Mind elaborating further?

Well, when I'm interviewing I always ask people questions based on their résumé. Their life story, etc. If I lose interest I stop asking such individually focused questions and go more for stuff like - hey New York is a great city, right? ( not that exact way.)

You have to remember that pretty much I'm trying to see how smart and articulate you are and how much I would like to be working with you in a time crunch with long hours.
Also, I'm only one evaluator, so I'm not going to be obvious that I am not impressed. You could easily get an offer even if I have a subpar feeling on some parts of the interview.

But if I go into extra nice mode, you're not cutting it. If I'm interviewing you correctly you shouldn't even be able to tell.

[Anonymous User]

Interesting that "extra nice mode" is a bad sign. Counter-intuitive.

[Anonymous User]

What are thoughts on interviewers that just don't stop talking about how great the firm is so the interviewee can't get a word in. I have had a few and it's been really hard to talk without interrupting, so I usually just try to appear interested in what they have to say and talk when I can. I can't tell if they don't care what I have to say, or they just don't realize how much they're talking. I always leave the interview feeling like it went poorly and/or they didn't like me.

[Anonymous User]

Non-exhaustive list....the interview ended early. There was a lot of awkward silence. The interviewee answered questions with short (1-5 word) responses. The short answers made no sense in light of cover letter, resume, other indicators. The interviewee shamelessly name-dropped almost immediately and then seemed to assume the interview was 100% about me recruiting him/her/arrogant interviewee. Foul language used/inappropriate jokes/excessive difficulty elucidating thoughts.

In my experience, the worst interviews typically combine several of the above (and other not on the list).

Edit for clarity - the biggest signs of a bomb are, at least for me, based on the student/lateral's behavior and not mine as the interviewer. My approach doesn't really change all that much from interview to interview (except for having to talk a bit more when there is a lot of silence).

What do you mean by shameless name dropping? If I have a close relative that works (relatively high up) for a client of the firm I'm interviewing with, do you think it's inappropriate to mention that (assuming she somehow comes up in conversation)?

[itbdvorm]

Non-exhaustive list....the interview ended early. There was a lot of awkward silence. The interviewee answered questions with short (1-5 word) responses. The short answers made no sense in light of cover letter, resume, other indicators. The interviewee shamelessly name-dropped almost immediately and then seemed to assume the interview was 100% about me recruiting him/her/arrogant interviewee. Foul language used/inappropriate jokes/excessive difficulty elucidating thoughts.

In my experience, the worst interviews typically combine several of the above (and other not on the list).

Edit for clarity - the biggest signs of a bomb are, at least for me, based on the student/lateral's behavior and not mine as the interviewer. My approach doesn't really change all that much from interview to interview (except for having to talk a bit more when there is a lot of silence).

What do you mean by shameless name dropping? If I have a close relative that works (relatively high up) for a client of the firm I'm interviewing with, do you think it's inappropriate to mention that (assuming she somehow comes up in conversation)?

i don't think this is a good idea. much better to have your relative call her relationship at the firm and put in a good word.

though this is a good answer to the "why us?" question