Biglaw, Interview Stories, Job Searches

Interview Horror Stories: Interviewing With An Emperor

Admit it -- you always kind of knew that Commodus would work in Biglaw.

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Interview season can feel like a slightly lower-stakes Hunger Games, with the rest of your life in the balance. It’s a high-pressure situation and nervous 2Ls are often on the brink. So what happens when the interviewer — in this case a partner — decides to mess with the candidates?

I was interviewing at OCI for [Biglaw] in NY, and was somewhat anxious going into the interview since I had met a partner (an alumnus from my law school with a similar background and interests as me) at one of the firm’s Asian offices during my 1L summer and was, as a result, pretty interested in the firm. Really wanted to kill the interview, because interview decisions were made in NY. Had read up a bunch on the firm and the particular interviewing partner, and I had already done 10 interviews the day before so I was feeling pretty confident in my interview game at that point. I walk in the door, shake hands with the partner, and sit down across from him. I’m thinking I’m ready for any question.

He looks me in the eyes and just says:

“OK. Entertain me.”

Full stop.

I look at him for a second, because this has to be a f**king joke. (Does he think OCI is Gladiator? Does he want me to dance around like a clown for his amusement?)

But he’s clearly not kidding. He’s leaning back in his chair with a very self-satisfied look. He wants to see me freak out and scramble. After a beat – in which I seriously considered just standing up and walking out – I just decide to plow through and give my normal pitch about my background and interests. He has his hands interlocked Mr. Burns style for most of the interview, presumably sitting in judgment over my life story.

The interview ends and I walk out and commiserate with some other classmates about what an a**hole I just interviewed with. Apparently he was pulling that BS with people all day. I don’t think anyone that interviewed with him was too enthusiastic about working at [Biglaw] with partners like that dude who apparently gets his s**ts and giggles screwing with 2Ls at OCI, who are already freaking out about whether they’ll get a job anywhere. I know most of the Biglaw partners don’t give a s**t about their associates, but they should at least be able to pretend to be interested in candidates long enough to trick them into working at the firm.

Fun epilogue is after I got a job at a better firm and moved to one of its East Asia offices, I randomly met that partner again downtown here looking all stressed, sweaty and desperate on his way to a client meeting after he had clearly just gotten off a red-eye from New York. Maybe his life just sucks and that’s why he was taking it out on rising 2Ls? Anyways, I didn’t demand he entertain me, but he still did in his own way.

Admit it — you always kind of knew that Commodus would work in Biglaw.

This is a great story that just reeks of the disdain and hierarchy Biglaw is known for. And with a happy ending, as our tipster managed to avoid working for that douchebag.

The partner really should know better; this is not the way to entice sought-after candidates to work at your firm. Why spend all of the money wining and dining summer associates if you’re just going to turn them off with your self-important personality?

Have a terrible tale to tell about an interview gone awry? Please send it our way by email, subject line “Interview Stories.” We’ll read all the submissions and share our favorites in these pages.

(And remember, as we’ve previously explained, “The ‘horror’ in ‘interview horror stories’ is loosely defined. Stories that are somewhat embarrassing or mildly amusing will suffice.”)

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Earlier: Interview Horror Stories: When Ambition Goes Too Far
Interview Horror Stories: When Tragedy Strikes
Interview Horror Stories: How To Respond To A Raging Racist?
Interview Horror Stories: What Was She Thinking — Er, Drinking?
7 Epic Examples Of On-Campus-Interviewing Fails

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