Should you cancel an interview in which you there is a 0% chance you will accept an offer? Forum

[Micdiddy]

This a discussion was made to not clutter up Bad Interview Moments: http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... start=1650

My initial position: there is no scenario in which sitting and being interviewed when you have 0% interest in accepting an offer if given is acceptable (that doesn't involve outside influence).

Discuss. Or don't. I just wanted to stop derailing that thread.

[bk1]

Morally, I don't give a shit.

Practically, I think it's stupid to waste your own time. If you want interview practice, sure go for it. People may also be dismissing places too easily if they think it's 0% (so I think it's fine to go on the chance that it's actually >0%).

[RaceJudicata]

0%, yeah, go ahead and cancel. Anything greater, even 1% -- then go ahead and take the interview.

[mjb447]

+1 to bk1 and RaceJudicata. If, for whatever reason, you know beforehand that there's no way you'll accept the job you're interviewing for (e.g. you have an offer already AND there's nothing this other firm could say or do during the interview to make you have second thoughts), cancel, but in a lot of situations that's not going to be the case. I wouldn't waste too much time thinking about whether your CSO or the interviewer would want you to cancel.

[Anonymous User]

Outside the biglaw context (e.g. gov't jobs) there is some value to meeting people and hopefully impressing them. You may end up wanting to go there later in your career, or an interviewer may end up at a place that you want to work at. Having already gotten an offer from them can give you credibility I think.

[bk1]

Outside the biglaw context (e.g. gov't jobs) there is some value to meeting people and hopefully impressing them. You may end up wanting to go there later in your career, or an interviewer may end up at a place that you want to work at. Having already gotten an offer from them can give you credibility I think.

I agree with this too, though I suspect a place that someone might want to work later on isn't a 0% now.

[Micdiddy]

Outside the biglaw context (e.g. gov't jobs) there is some value to meeting people and hopefully impressing them. You may end up wanting to go there later in your career, or an interviewer may end up at a place that you want to work at. Having already gotten an offer from them can give you credibility I think.

Huh, that is interesting. Admittedly I did not think of this scenario and have very little interview experience outside big law.

[Genius]

I dont understand ppl who feel the need to be "nice" or "professional" with interviewing firms. They are not. None of them. In fact, most wont even let u know u didnt get the job after interviewing and when you do get the job, they will fire you at any time.

There is nothing unprofessional or morally objectionable about canceling an interview or going to one you wont work for to practice interviewing skills. You are #1 and the firm is not #2. It's more like the firm is irrelevant.

But as BK said, if you are not trying to get interviewing experience, why waste your own time? Just send a quick email saying you are canceling k thx bye.

[foregetaboutdre]

I've canceled interviews literally a day before I was going to interview (when I accepted another offer).

Every time I've done it (granted a very small sample size), I think they really appreciated that I didn't waste their time. I'd usually send a nice note like - "I think it'd be disingenuous to interview, I accepted another offer. I am confident you will be able to attract great candidates (worded better)" and get nice replies.

[Anonymous User]

This a discussion was made to not clutter up Bad Interview Moments: http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... start=1650

My initial position: there is no scenario in which sitting and being interviewed when you have 0% interest in accepting an offer if given is acceptable (that doesn't involve outside influence).

Discuss. Or don't. I just wanted to stop derailing that thread.

this presumes you have another option that you are 100% certain you will get, not 50%, 99%, or 99.9999 (repeating)%. That said, if you already have an offer you are willing to take, or some other backup option that is real and tangible, yeah, it's a waste of your time. But if you have nothing, and there is no such thing as a sure thing in life, even if you're dad/mom/uncle/etc is a managing partner, you might as well do it just in case.

[elendinel]

There's a value in it when having an offer at one place will help you get one at another (or will help you get one faster). It's hard to get that kind of leverage without an offer. Or, interview practice.

If you already have an offer at a place that you like better, though, I don't see a benefit.