Screener/Interview Horror Stories Forum

[Anonymous User]

So I had a phone interview for a 1L SA this morning at 10:30am. Luckily I was up with a stomach virus all last night, vomiting about 10 times, and slept a total of 20 minutes. Needless to say I dont think I put on my best performance, but still think it went kinda well. Anyone want to share some horror stories where they still got the job, and ease my worried mind?

[Anonymous User]

I received an impromptu screener, i.e. I had no notice of what organization was calling, and misunderstood who I was talking to. First question was why do you want to work for X, at which point I gave an enthusiastic answer for why I wanted to work for Y. My interviewer chuckled, explained again who she was and gave me a chance to re-answer the question. Got offered an interview and then the job.

[Anonymous User]

20 minute in person OCI screener-
About 12 minutes were spent by the partner dissecting what was wrong with my resume, telling me I was involved with too many extracurriculars, etc. and that I need to learn to tell people "No" instead of taking on pointless stuff like journal.

After that was over he said, "So, do you have any questions for me?"

Me: "Do you ever tell your clients 'No?'"

(Got the callback and the offer)

[cookiejar1]

I had an interviewer show up 18 minutes late to my 20 minute interview. Got the pity callback.

[Anonymous User]

I received an impromptu screener, i.e. I had no notice of what organization was calling, and misunderstood who I was talking to. First question was why do you want to work for X, at which point I gave an enthusiastic answer for why I wanted to work for Y. My interviewer chuckled, explained again who she was and gave me a chance to re-answer the question. Got offered an interview and then the job.

I did this when looking for my first job (non-legal). I asked the interviewer why she enjoyed working at Company X (with whom I also interviewed) when I was interviewing for Company Y.

Didn't get the job, and I was pissed at myself for a week.

[Anonymous User]

interviewer started off by asking me why my ugpa was so low

i had like ~3.4 in engineering

because i had mentally checked-out at that point, i responded that i didnt think it was low, adding that i also didnt think that interviewer's firm was the firm for me

im now midlevel at V20, so fck that interviewer

[monsterman]

Skype interview with two people. They introduced themselves and then I said 'nice to meet you Ms.____ and Mr. _________. They were both women. Offer.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. thanks all for sharing. all responses have been entertaining as well as helpful. Hopefully i get the CB.

[Anonymous User]

Screener with a firm I'm overqualified for. Partner looks at my resume. Asks me about my 1L summer job. Usual bullshit about how great and substantive it was. Then says "I'll bet your father got you that job". Of course, he had. I acknowledged that. Partner then says something to the effect of "Doesn't it embarrass you that at age 26, you need your daddy to get you jobs?" I asked him if he thought I should've passed up the well-paying job with my pop's friend to take the non-paying internship I could've gotten without connections.

No callback.

[Anonymous User]

Screener with a firm I'm overqualified for. Partner looks at my resume. Asks me about my 1L summer job. Usual bullshit about how great and substantive it was. Then says "I'll bet your father got you that job". Of course, he had. I acknowledged that. Partner then says something to the effect of "Doesn't it embarrass you that at age 26, you need your daddy to get you jobs?" I asked him if he thought I should've passed up the well-paying job with my pop's friend to take the non-paying internship I could've gotten without connections.

No callback.

don't get pple like this. for 1L summer I had an in-house gig. during 2L recruiting, had 2 or 3 interviewers ask me how I got my 1L summer gig. I gave a quizzical look and just said, I interviewed for it, much like for this job [pause]..

don't see why its people business how you get the job you had. at the end of the day they can get away with inappropriate questions bc they know there is really no repurcussions for them

[Anonymous User]

Was in a screener interview when an earthquake happened (not very strong, but strong enough to feel). Interviewer was unphased, but I freaked out a bit and was wondering why she was so cool about it. Got a callback anyway.

Screener interviewer asked one question ("Why did you go to law school?"), my response took a minute or so, then he said it was nice to meet me, shook hands and guided me out. Got a callback.

Broke up with significant other of two years the night before a callback. Cried for about ten minutes in the waiting room (alone) before my interviews started. Held it together despite obvious puffy eyes and feeling very listless throughout the process and got an offer.

[Jaymore]

Skype interview. The guy I was supposed to interview with had a court-emergency, so they shuttled me off to someone else who clearly had no interview experience. We had a ten minute convo about sports and my hobbies. They did not want to schedule another interview. Got the position. Later found out that the only reason I got the position was that I was the only candidate from the hirers alma mater. It was basically a done deal.

At OCI I spazzed out and called an interviewer "bro". As in, "'sup, bro". No callback though.

At another OCI interview one of the interviewers emphasized the on-site gym as a benefit because "I looked like I worked out". And also told me another benefit was that it was OK to date within the office.