Asked about my "profile" during callback Forum

[Anonymous User]

Weird question, and it's been a few months, but just remembered this, and it bugged me, so wanted to see if this is a common thing.

I'm openly gay and have outlaw on my resume, but while doing a callback with a particularly conservative firm, when interviewing with the hiring partner, he asked me if "there is anything about yourself--that is, your profile"--glances down at my resume--"that you'd like the hiring committee to know before we make our decision."

Honestly, I was a little bit upset by it, which is fairly uncharacteristic for me. But I avoided the question and came up with some bullshit response and refused to mention my sexuality on principle alone. But I think it's pretty obvious that's what he was fishing for.

Has anyone else been asked this sort of question? Would make me feel a bit better if not LGBT people were asked this question, too.

[baal hadad]

But I think it's pretty obvious that's what he was fishing for.

Ya I don't think that's he was fishing for at all

[smallfirmassociate]

Well they gave you a CB, so it doesn't seem like this "particularly conservative" law firm is that worried about it. My instinct is that the process is putting a shrink on your brain and you're over-analyzing this.

[Anonymous User]

Well they gave you a CB, so it doesn't seem like this "particularly conservative" law firm is that worried about it. My instinct is that the process is putting a shrink on your brain and you're over-analyzing this.

Yea, I don't think they would have used it against me. I imagine it would have helped-I mean, why else would I "want the hiring committee" to know that?. It just made me uncomfortable.

[Anonymous User]

But I think it's pretty obvious that's what he was fishing for.

Ya I don't think that's he was fishing for at all

Maybe you're right, I was just kind of expecting something about it to come up going in because this particular firm has less than 1% openly gay associates, and at the tiem had no openly gay partners, though Chambers Associates is showing a very small percentage now (as compared to, say, Paul Weiss at 7% associates, 6% partners). So maybe I'm just seeing what I expected to see.

[MKC]

But I think it's pretty obvious that's what he was fishing for.

Ya I don't think that's he was fishing for at all

Maybe you're right, I was just kind of expecting something about it to come up going in because this particular firm has less than 1% openly gay associates, and at the tiem had no openly gay partners, though Chambers Associates is showing a very small percentage now (as compared to, say, Paul Weiss at 7% associates, 6% partners). So maybe I'm just seeing what I expected to see.

It sounds like they're trying to practice AA for LGBTs, and trying to confirm to give you a bump in the process. I know straight people in Outlaw, so membership doesn't necessarily = LGBT hire, although its likely. If you don't want that considered as part of the process, you should just leave Outlaw off of your resume. I thought it was pretty well established that affinity groups were basically signaling devices for employers. You can't really blame them for trying to confirm, even if it comes off as insensitive.

[banjo]

I got asked this a few times at the end of an interview. I think the hiring partner just wanted a final fact or a quick summary so he could remember who you were later. I don't think this was a fishy question.

[seizmaar]

your bar for getting offended is really low, bro.

[Anonymous User]

agree that they might have wanted to confirm your LGBT status to bump you. And, whether fair or not, if you're sure he was fishing for something "bad", maybe he was inquiring if you are involved in a subculture/lifestyle that is visibly "different", i.e., going to clubs on the weekend and posting 100+ pictures to facebook all the time. I know someone who does this (sans the pictures) and is still a republican congressional staffer, lol. So its not about your choice of lifestyle per se, its about whether you can be discreet or not. For some people this is a huge issue, because "why be discreet, I have nothing to hide?" And that is a whole other conversation. Law firms want you to be discreet about almost everything besides your law journal work. Gay? Thats great, now act like a robot like the rest of us.

[2807]

You hear what you fear

[Anonymous User]

your bar for getting offended is really low, bro.

That would be true... if I was offended. I wasn't offended, just uncomfortable.

[Avian]

I got asked this a few times at the end of an interview. I think the hiring partner just wanted a final fact or a quick summary so he could remember who you were later. I don't think this was a fishy question.

This. I got this question at the end of several screeners, it definitely did not seem like they were fishing for anything in particular. From an interviewer's perspective I can see how this would be a good question especially if there is something truly outstanding about the person that didn't come up during the interview and isn't obvious from the resume.

[Anonymous User]

"im a marine and I received a purple heart back in '08". Hired!

[BigZuck]

Was worried this thread was about employers reading TLS and connecting applicants to their profiles

Phew

[romothesavior]

your bar for getting offended is really low, bro.

That would be true... if I was offended. I wasn't offended, just uncomfortable.

There was nothing fishy here. That question (or a variation of it) is very common.

[ch2262]

I agree with the general sentiment that nothing was fishy.

When I interview intern candidates, I often ask at the end of the interview "Is there anything else that I haven't asked that you want to bring to my attention that you feel would add to your candidacy?" I've been asked similar things to as in "Is there something not on your resume you'd like to address?"

When I ask this to candidates, I often find myself looking down the resume to the "hobbies, interests, extracurriculars, etc." section that was not of focus during the bulk of the interview related to prior work positions.

So, I wouldn't really think much of the q.

[Anonymous User]

I agree with the general sentiment that nothing was fishy.

When I interview intern candidates, I often ask at the end of the interview "Is there anything else that I haven't asked that you want to bring to my attention that you feel would add to your candidacy?" I've been asked similar things to as in "Is there something not on your resume you'd like to address?"

When I ask this to candidates, I often find myself looking down the resume to the "hobbies, interests, extracurriculars, etc." section that was not of focus during the bulk of the interview related to prior work positions.

So, I wouldn't really think much of the q.

Maybe because I am a minority so I see this differently, but it appears to me that he was fishing for an answer on that topic. However, it does not appear it was driven by an ill motive other than to see if they could count you on their diversity sheet. (in other words, it would have probably given you a bump but it was not a direct enough question to be an an inappropirate question. it was a proper way of asking inappropriate question...i.e. you just got lawyered! lol)

[Anonymous User]

He thought you were gay but he needed you to say this so he could pass it on to the hiring committee. Straight people over the age of 30 mostly grew up in an era where gay = pedo w/ AIDS, so they often haven't re-educated themselves on the accepted vocabulary, even left-leaning folks. For an example, call up your parents and ask them what the T in LGBT stands for.

[gk101]

He thought you were gay but he needed you to say this so he could pass it on to the hiring committee. Straight people over the age of 30 mostly grew up in an era where gay = pedo w/ AIDS, so they often haven't re-educated themselves on the accepted vocabulary, even left-leaning folks. For an example, call up your parents and ask them what the T in LGBT stands for.

This is reading a shit ton into a fairly innocuous question (unless there are additional details being omitted from OP's description)

[Anonymous User]

I agree with the general sentiment that nothing was fishy.

When I interview intern candidates, I often ask at the end of the interview "Is there anything else that I haven't asked that you want to bring to my attention that you feel would add to your candidacy?" I've been asked similar things to as in "Is there something not on your resume you'd like to address?"

When I ask this to candidates, I often find myself looking down the resume to the "hobbies, interests, extracurriculars, etc." section that was not of focus during the bulk of the interview related to prior work positions.

So, I wouldn't really think much of the q.

Maybe because I am a minority so I see this differently, but it appears to me that he was fishing for an answer on that topic. However, it does not appear it was driven by an ill motive other than to see if they could count you on their diversity sheet. (in other words, it would have probably given you a bump but it was not a direct enough question to be an an inappropirate question. it was a proper way of asking inappropriate question...i.e. you just got lawyered! lol)

edit: Accidentally put anonymous post

I'm the above poster. I'm a minority too and I don't agree that he was fishing for an answer. At the end of the day, we can't tell much from just the facts that OP stated. The tone and possible innuendos at to possible prejudice are something that only the OP can tell. If you're really feeling offended, OP, I'd raised it with your school CDO.

[BVest]

Straight people over the age of 30 mostly grew up in an era where gay = pedo w/ AIDS, so they often haven't re-educated themselves on the accepted vocabulary, even left-leaning folks.

Up yours.

[fats provolone]

do you have a big nose OP?