ARGH dlakfjklsmxh First Week Interviews kdjsklfnwoperlsf [Archive]

Liquid Snake

08-22-2010, 03:10 PM

So tomorrow, I begin the Week One Interview process for 2Ls.

This is not a good thing, in large part because

1: I SUCK AT INTERVIEWING oh dear Lord in Heaven there is no one worse than me at the art of the interview, I am like the least extroverted person around strangers ever and even the idea of maintaining solid eye contact for twenty straight minutes has my stomach twisted in knots,

2: 2L interviews with BigLaw firms are agonizing. I am going to be asked a number of physically painful questions about mistakes I have made and weaknesses I have that will make normal entry-level interviews look downright quaint by comparison.

3: I have fifteen interviews in the next five days, which requires me to master the details about fifteen very different law firms in a very short time frame. I can barely even keep the names of these firms straight in my mind.

Afjklsdafmsnjskhiwoeriopqj seriously my stomach is literally on the fritz with spasms and pain. Why did I bid for these interviews, why oh why oh why oh why.

If anyone is infinitely better than me at interviewing and would like to help me out it with some tips and pointers and whatnot it would be greatly appreciated. Because right now I think my strategy is when I'm asked "Why are you interested in working with our law firm?" I will respond with a series of caveman grunts for about thirty seconds before weaseling out a "Sorry" in the hushed tone of a whisper and bolting out the door. If, that is, I stop convulsing like a seizure victim every time I think of being interviewed. That would be a nice start.

Professor Smarmiarty

08-22-2010, 03:18 PM

Just be yourself. If you overly plan out answers, how to attack an interview, you'll probably stress out and fluband even if it works you'll be hired to the wrong company where you can't be yourself and not fit in.

Krylo

08-22-2010, 03:24 PM

Aren't you supposed to be not on NPF until you get everything sorted or some shit?

Also, an admin can reset your 'proper' account's password to whatever you want if you're ready to come back.

Liquid Snake

08-22-2010, 03:31 PM

Oh man that's interesting advice Smarty because so far it's the exact opposite of the "advice" I've gotten from many other sources I've read about the subject.

I'm not entirely sure "being myself" has its advantages, though, after all, the following would be my legitimate answers to likely interview inquiries:

"What are your favorite hobbies?"
"Oh man, Interviewer, you know what I love to do? I love to waste hours upon hours playing role-playing video games. I'm playing this game called NIER right now, and boy, I could talk about it for ages. The characters are so interesting, I mean there's a hermaphrodite and a smug British-sounding book and man that kind of loony stuff is right up my alley. Oh did I also mention I like to write fantasy novels? Yes, because you're seriously looking for a future employee who loves to waste time writing novels starring necromancers."

"Who is your legal role model? What attorney character, real or fictional, inspired you most to consider a career in law?"
"Oh man that's an easy one guys. I played this game called Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney once, and it totally got me excited about being a lawyer. Sure, it's a dorky video game starring caricatures and it bares no resemblance to a modern legal system, but the moment I saw Phoenix working with those underage girls I was sold. Phoenix has a dry wit, and I just love shipping him with Franny, even though it's not a popular ship. Oh, you don't know what a "ship" is? Oh, it's not a seafaring vessel! It's actually a dork term for fictional romantic pairings that aren't canonical to the source material. As for Franziska, she's a bit crazy with her whip, but once you see beyond her tough-as-nails exterior she really has a heart of gold."

"Would you consider relocating to our firm's locale, even though we're a considerable distance from home?"
"Sure! I'm such an isolated person with very few substantive connections to family, friends, and/or a significant other. I could pretty much live anywhere and it wouldn't make a difference at all to me!"
"What would be your biggest strength? What could you contribute to our law firm?"
"OH man this is an easy question to answer. You see, because I am a single, lonely dork with absolutely no semblance of a life, I could dedicate 110% of my efforts to your law firm. I'm so socially awkward and introverted that the idea of spending eighty hours a week working at a firm actually sounds fun and exciting, if only because people might depend on me to accomplish something for once! All you'll need to do is make sure I'm at least paid enough to cover the extraordinary amount of debt I've accrued attending law school and, yeah, a bit extra to cover the cost of prescription medication and therapy sessions wouldn't hurt either. Man, I'm so excited for the opportunity to work with you guys!"

"...No, seriously. What kinds of assets could you really bring to our firm?"
"...Absolutely none."

You see, this is why "being myself" doesn't sound like much a great option.

Professor Smarmiarty

08-22-2010, 03:40 PM

No that's still much better. There are thousands of people out there with the same qualifications as you, with the same aspirations as you. These interviewers are going to hear the same shit over and over and over again. You need to stand out and the way to do that is honesty and character- showing who you are. Prerehearsed answers are obvious and boring.
I guess it depends somewhat on your outcome goal- if you drop in as a prerehearsedrobot you'll probably get a job that doesn't suit you and that'll pass the itme and will make money but it might not last and you'll beu nhapppy- this is also depedent on having fantastic grades because everyone has the same prerehearsed answers as you so grades will be the determinant.
If you want to be a lawyer you're going to need people skills, you need to be likeable, and the way to do that is to show your natural personality and likeability.

And I'm not a high profile law firm but I have been on a hiring committe before and we bounced every single person with a relevant degree because they weren't being honest with us.

krogothwolf

08-22-2010, 03:45 PM

I always thought being a lawyer was about dishonesty, bullshitting and twisting things around.

Professor Smarmiarty

08-22-2010, 03:50 PM

Well that is true...

Kim

08-22-2010, 03:51 PM

You should find a balance between being honest and being relevant. Your video game interests won't be relevant, so you need not bring them up, but I'm sure you have plenty of interests beyond gaming that you could find an interesting way of tying into what the company does.

Professor Smarmiarty

08-22-2010, 03:53 PM

01d55

08-22-2010, 03:55 PM

"Would you consider relocating to our firm's locale, even though we're a considerable distance from home?"
"Sure! I'm such an isolated person with very few substantive connections to family, friends, and/or a significant other. I could pretty much live anywhere and it wouldn't make a difference at all to me!"
Just because you're scared of your girlfriend doesn't mean she's not your girlfriend, Snake.
"What would be your biggest strength? What could you contribute to our law firm?"
"OH man this is an easy question to answer. You see, because I am a single, lonely dork with absolutely no semblance of a life, I could dedicate 110% of my efforts to your law firm. I'm so socially awkward and introverted that the idea of spending eighty hours a week working at a firm actually sounds fun and exciting, if only because people might depend on me to accomplish something for once! All you'll need to do is make sure I'm at least paid enough to cover the extraordinary amount of debt I've accrued attending law school and, yeah, a bit extra to cover the cost of prescription medication and therapy sessions wouldn't hurt either. Man, I'm so excited for the opportunity to work with you guys!"

This answer is basically perfect. Go over your other answers to put the same positive spin on 'em and you're gold.

Krylo

08-22-2010, 04:00 PM

No he's going to be a LAWYER, which means he has to be personable and able to convince juries and judges and talk to people and shit.

Saying he's socially introverted and awkward is a terrible answer.

bluestarultor

08-22-2010, 04:10 PM

Snake, I think the best way to approach this is thus: you're marketing yourself.

The key to marketing is spin. If you have something good, you emphasize it. If something is bad, you give it a simple admission and move on. The same thing might sound good or bad with different words, too. The trick is to do all this without misrepresenting yourself.

Now, how you do that is best decided by you, but keep that in mind. You want to be honest, but you also want to make yourself look good.

I find it's better to know what I'm going to say, rather than how I'm going to say it (meaning having something rehearsed). Being rehearsed doesn't come off well and if you mess up, it looks bad. By speaking naturally based on some mental bullet points, you give yourself a lot more freedom to really express yourself and sound good.

Liquid Snake

08-22-2010, 05:09 PM

Well, part of the problem here is that I actually more or less have to misrepresent myself. You see, I'm actually not interested in a long-term career in BigLaw. Particularly in the Corporate and Litigation specializations that tend to dominate the market these days.

I have to sound like I very much am, though, in large part because of my obscene debt load. Law schools like the one I attend basically count on even those interested in the public sector getting BigLaw jobs early on as Associates in order to pay off their staggering debt. So here I am, interested in fields like environmental and energy regulatory law (which most law firms do not dabble in) but I'll have to suck it up and work something like Corporate Transactions for five to ten years.

There's no inherent problem with any of this except that, particularly in this economy, if I 'fess up to preferring the public sector I'm shit out of luck. Almost every big law firm is almost exclusively hiring those with long-term commitments to the big law firm environs.

So yeah I have to bullshit here, no way around it. I think that's precisely because I'm nervous; because despite any impression you have of my online persona, IRL I'm a terrible, atrocious BSer. It's a skillset that comes even less natural to me than regular ol' extroverted conversation with strangers. Yet I have to. If I do not, I'm fucked.

Of course this has also meant that I've spent a disproportionate time trying to learn enough of the substance of fields of law that I'm not interested in and never studied before. That's not a good thing.

krogothwolf

08-22-2010, 05:34 PM

Well, honestly, you're going to have to practice your bullshitting skills for these interviews, because you'll have to convince them you're a better candidate then all others. Being yourself is all good and fine, to a point.

You're going to have to get yourself into a mindset of being the best candidate and then going there before hand. Figure out a way to relieve stress the day of.

Honestly, this may sound wrong and what not, but whacking off is a good way to do that.

mauve

08-22-2010, 06:03 PM

Snake, there's nothing wrong about being an introvert and being nervous about interviewing because of it. I'm like the world's shyest and most introverted person ever, and I somehow managed to get a job in news. I'm the only b-type personality in the building. Hell, the engineering crew is more outgoing than I am.

Blues gave some good advice. Really what you have to do is get into a "creative bullshitting" state of mind. That doesn't mean lie. Outright lieing is generally a bad idea. What you have to do is spend more time emphasizing what makes you a good candidate.

For example: You mentioned questions about hobbies. You don't have to mention videogames, but that doesn't mean you have to lie. Other hobbies can say a lot about you. Do you like to read? Bang: you are intellectual, interested in learning new things and enjoy expanding your mental capacities. Do you occasionally like trying new activities for personal enrichment? Bam: You're not afraid of stepping outside of your comfort zone, and you're interested in self-improvement. Da da da daaaaa, creative bullshitting!

Everybody worries about the "what are your weaknesses" questions. What I like to do is pick a weakness and turn it into a strength. For example, I personally could mention any number of weaknesses: I'm painfully shy, I'm very hard on myself and am a perfectionist, I'm not very assertive, I tend to be overcautious and am hesitant to take risks, etc. BUT: for an interview, I only need to mention ONE OR TWO weaknesses, so I'll pick some that I can turn around and use as a strength. For example, I might say that I'm overly cautious and a perfectionist, BUT these habits have helped me catch errors I might have otherwise missed in my work. It also helps me to make sure I put my best effort into everything I do.

So I mentioned my weakness, but then I proved that the weakness can actually be a benefit to the company. You don't have to plan something out word for word beforehand, but it might be helpful to have some ideas like this before you go in.

You'll do fine, Snake. Everybody gets nervous at interviews.

krogothwolf

08-22-2010, 06:12 PM

Everybody worries about the "what are your weaknesses" questions. What I like to do is pick a weakness and turn it into a strength. For example, I personally could mention any number of weaknesses: I'm painfully shy, I'm very hard on myself and am a perfectionist, I'm not very assertive, I tend to be overcautious and am hesitant to take risks, etc. BUT: for an interview, I only need to mention ONE OR TWO weaknesses, so I'll pick some that I can turn around and use as a strength. For example, I might say that I'm overly cautious and a perfectionist, BUT these habits have helped me catch errors I might have otherwise missed in my work. It also helps me to make sure I put my best effort into everything I do.

That is some of the soundest advice I've heard on that question!

Ryanderman

08-22-2010, 06:51 PM

I really like Mauve's advice, but I have heard some interviewers talk about how they really don't like answers to the weakness question that are played as strengths. They see it as avoiding the purpose of the question, which often is used to gage how much you understand yourself, and how honest you can be about yourself to yourself and others. And they hear that type answer all too often.

But I don't know that these interviewers were the norm.

What they like to hear, and what I've found to work for me, is to use as an example a weakness that really is a weakness that can't be (or isn't) twisted into a strength, and then describe steps I've taken and successes I've had overcoming or working with that weakness.

For example (and this one would probably be a horrible for you to use, Snake, given your field), I've used the fact that I'm pretty bad at, and terrified of public speaking. I then went on to describe how I've actively looked for opportunities, in my college courses, and in internships, to give presentations and speeches. As I believe that the only way to overcome what is a very real fear, and is a very real weakness, is to practice, and work through it. And then I've described how one or more of those public speaking situations has gone, how successful it was, how the successes are helping me build my confidence, that it's still a work in progress, and that I believe my time at [interviewer's company] will help me significantly toward my goal of overcoming the weakness, while I can provide [skills and benefits] to the company.

It simultaneously shows that I understand myself and my flaws, that I can honest and sincere, that I have initiative and am resourceful, that I am committed to self improvement, that I am capable of improvement, that I can successfully overcome my flaws, that I recognize what I can contribute, and care about the company's success, not just my own.

Though I don't know how many of those are good things to show for lawyers.

While I think Mauve's advice is really good, and will work in most situations, I think this is also an option.

krogothwolf

08-22-2010, 07:08 PM

That also sounds like it's avoiding the weakness thing by going "Well, my weakness is a fear, but it's not really a weakness because I'm actually pretty good at it." It's pretty much the same thing mauve is saying just going about it differently.

Ryanderman

08-22-2010, 07:12 PM

Rather than labeling it as a weakness, then pointing out how it's actually a strength, it's labeling it a weakness without showing how it's actually a strength, but showing how I'm taking steps to overcome it. I'm still not good at public speaking. It still scares me, and it's still definitely a weakness. But the steps I've taken to work towards overcoming it are where I show strengths.

It not a huge difference, but it was significant to the interviewers I talked with. That's all.

The way they described it is that the one way takes things that are strengths, caution, desire for perfection, and presents them as weaknesses in order to turn them around and present strengths. So you never actually answer the question. You only use the question as an opportunity to present more strengths. But that isn't the purpose of the question. They ask for weaknesses, because they want to know you understand yourself, and can be honest about yourself. Once you do that, you can go further by explaining what you're doing to work through those weaknesses. Sometimes, if you don't, they'll prompt you for that anyway.

I suppose I should explain, these interviewers I talked to were the people who hired me. I had an opportunity to sit in on a round of interviews after I was hired and had been working at my company a bit, and talked with them before and after.

Liquid Snake

08-22-2010, 11:39 PM

Ryanderman

08-22-2010, 11:41 PM

Perhaps when running on empty you're less able to differentiate between good and bad performance?

Alternatively, maybe when you're rested you're overly critical of your performance?

Liquid Snake

08-22-2010, 11:42 PM

Perhaps when running on empty you're less able to differentiate between good and bad performance?

Alternatively, maybe when you're rested you're overly critical of your performance?

Nah like, this isn't just me talking random shit here: I have heard from other sources (IRL friends) that I consistently perform better socially when I am actually drop-dead exhausted.

bluestarultor

08-22-2010, 11:47 PM

Nah like, this isn't just me talking random shit here: I have heard from other sources (IRL friends) that I consistently perform better socially when I am actually drop-dead exhausted.

You probably don't have the energy for pretense or the walls you generally put up. I'm the same way, or at least similar (my conditions are a bit different).

It's kind of like being drunk. Some people are just happy drunks.

Ryanderman

08-22-2010, 11:49 PM

Ah. Then maybe being exhausted wiped out tired works to suppress you inhibitions, similar to alcohol might, though without the dulled senses and impaired judgement... at least not as severely. If your social problems are caused by you getting in your own way through over thinking, second guessing, and timidity, I guess being crazy tired could actually help there.

bluestarultor

08-22-2010, 11:56 PM

PS Snake:

http://www.nuklearforums.com/login.php?do=lostpw

You can recover your password if you still have your registration email address active.

Liquid Snake

08-23-2010, 01:10 AM

You can recover your password if you still have your registration email address active.

I changed both my password and my e-mail address on file before I abandoned ship a while back.
(Yes, I am that idiotic.)

It's not a bad thing. I consider this less a formal Welcome Back thread and more a temporary interlude between me flipping out and bleeping up interviews tomorrow. The next few weeks will be far too chaotic and important for me to be a consistent presence; I just need some momentary stress relief in the form of venting in a familiar/friendly place.

Krylo

08-23-2010, 01:32 AM

I changed both my password and my e-mail address on file before I abandoned ship a while back.
(Yes, I am that idiotic.)
Also, an admin can reset your 'proper' account's password to whatever you want if you're ready to come back.

They can do e-mails too.

Also, I'd suggest looking up breathing exercises on line. There's plenty that help relax you and are good for right before interviews.

Fifthfiend

08-23-2010, 03:22 AM

Walk into the office, light the interviewer's desk on fire, throw his briefcase out the window, then be like, "sup?"

From there, it should pretty much all be smooth sailing.

Nique

08-23-2010, 06:34 AM

Interviewing is hard if you aren't naturally gregarious or used to talking about yourself (RE: Selling yourself).

Positive attitude is a good start, even if you have to fake it. Know everything you can about your potential employer before going in and for the love of god ask questions. Ask the questions as if you were going to be hired. Assume you are going to be hired becuase that will give you 1) confidence, even if it is faked and 2) an invested interest in the job. Even though you aren't saying it aloud (and thus,can't be perceived as presumptuous) you'll be controlling the tone of the interview and leaving a very positive impression.

I have never worked in any sort of legal field but I have almost never been passed over for a job after interviewing so I hope this advice is helpful.

Oron

08-23-2010, 08:07 AM

You also mentioned not being able to keep eye contact. Try looking at their forehead, right between their eyebrows/just above their eyes. It will look like you're keeping actual eye contact, but you aren't really. Might want to actually look them in the eyes when you are answering an important question, however.

Nikose Tyris

08-23-2010, 09:09 AM

I'm tempted just to tell you to go smoke some pot and take a break from stress for a few hours, but in all fairness you'd probably fuck that up too. <3 Snake, you know I'm teasing.

So instead; Breathing excersizes are a great idea. Get yourself calm and centered. Easy one that I reccomend is "Square Breathing.". Inhale for a four count, hold for a four count, exhale for a four count, and hold out for a four count. And by four-count I mean "Count to four in your head". Do it before the interview, and do it whenever you're stressed.

Second: Remember that no matter what happens here and now, it's just the here and now. As important as this is, will it be as important tomorrow? In the grand scheme of things, you don't even want these jobs. You need em for now, but looking back in a year, two years time? You won't care about these jobs. This will be garbage to you. Look at this from the perspective of time, and you might find that it's suddenly less stressful.

Third and onto more on-the-spot interview tips: Imagine you're speaking to your pastor for the job interviews. He's familiar, but there are certain things you don't say to him or bring up. The same level of respect you give your pastor will translate beautifully to these folks.

Use this trick by speaking to them as if you WERE talking to your pastor, as if he was the one who asked you the questions. It'll let you project that same comfortable appearance, and hopefully help you steady your voice.

That's the best advice I can give- a bunch of other advice has floated through here and you can pick and choose.

One more thing: That weakness question is rigged. They're basically used to hearing "Oh, I have a fear of failure." "I am a perfectionist and I tend to overanalyze." And a number of other features that could be seen as a strength rather then a weakness. It's also a gimme question to see how you react under stress.

And while this might not be applicable for you, at every job I've ever been hired for, my answer has always been, "Kryptonite."

Liquid Snake

08-23-2010, 04:00 PM

phil_

08-23-2010, 04:38 PM

Hey, at least you remembered to get the bag, so you're not "That guy who forgot his laptop." You're "Hey, remember that guy who came back to get his laptop? He interviewed pretty well."

Alternatively, at this point you've already done the interviews and no amount of worrying is gonna change anything; go play Nier.

shiney

08-23-2010, 04:43 PM

...we bounced every single person with a relevant degree...
What about if they have two relevant degrees?!

bluestarultor

08-23-2010, 04:44 PM

...Today was hysterical.

And by "today was hysterical" I mean I managed to handle each interview just right (even the one where it became very prevalent I was well below their required standards).

And then I somehow managed to fuck everything up after the fact.

I left my laptop bag, complete with $2000 laptop inside, after exiting the rooms of two of the three interviews because I am such a fucking klutz. Fortunately one time the interviewer was on break, but the second time this happened I had to interrupt another person's interview in order to get my bag back. And this was after actually leaving a solid impression during the interview itself.

So after pulling nearly an all-nighter trying to get today right, I still found a new and completely different way to fuck up. I should be nominated as the God of Fucking Up.

You know, that might actually work in your favor. It makes you memorable and shows that you're still a kid and not perfect. That kind of stuff is EXPECTED. They don't expect to have a perfect interview from you, but your fuck-up was unique, which means they'll remember you when all the guys who flubbed their lines will be forgotten.

In short, don't worry about it. You left a strong impression, which is more than most will be able to say. :)

Professor Smarmiarty

08-23-2010, 04:45 PM

That's not an interview killing mistake. So you forgot your laptop- happens to everyone. If your interviewers aren't dicks they won't hold it against you.

What about if they have two relevant degrees?!
We wouldn't have even brought them in for an interview. Hired them as soon as we found out. Cause shit man, you can't argue with dem credentials.

Terex4

08-23-2010, 04:57 PM

...Today was hysterical.

And by "today was hysterical" I mean I managed to handle each interview just right (even the one where it became very prevalent I was well below their required standards).

And then I somehow managed to fuck everything up after the fact.

I left my laptop bag, complete with $2000 laptop inside, after exiting the rooms of two of the three interviews because I am such a fucking klutz. Fortunately one time the interviewer was on break, but the second time this happened I had to interrupt another person's interview in order to get my bag back. And this was after actually leaving a solid impression during the interview itself.

So after pulling nearly an all-nighter trying to get today right, I still found a new and completely different way to fuck up. I should be nominated as the God of Fucking Up.
See you can interview well and make yourself memorable. Leaving the bag was a simple thing that shouldn't reflect poorly on you and the incident will leave you stuck in the interviewer's mind.

You may be onto a trend where fucking up will actually work in your favor, just wait and see.

Edit: Dammit Blues get outta my head!

Liquid Snake

08-23-2010, 05:33 PM

Alternatively, at this point you've already done the interviews and no amount of worrying is gonna change anything; go play Nier.

I got four more days of non-stop interviews to go!
Also: Nier is way too depressing a video game to play right now.
Then again, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 is equally depressing, though less so in a legitimately depressing way and more so in the sense that this game absolutely sucks.

As for the klutziness, I'm actually fairly pleased with today overall. Whoever's my future employer is going to have to deal with the reality that I am, in fact, a bleepin' klutz. I just found it funny that after all that effort to avoid any interview slip-ups, I managed to find a completely unique way to fumble the ball.

krogothwolf

08-23-2010, 05:36 PM

Just think, you probably wrecked that guy who's interview you interrupted chances because you could have thrown him off due to the interruption or all that they can remember from that interview is the interruption!

It's a Win-Win situation!

bluestarultor

08-23-2010, 06:01 PM

Edit: Dammit Blues get outta my head!

Sorry. Can't help it. *points to user title*

Nier is way too depressing a video game to play right now.

I'm not the only one! XD

mauve

08-23-2010, 09:07 PM

Hey, so you forgot your laptop. Not a big deal. Like everyone else has said, I don't think it'll be a driving force in that interviewer's choice of who to hire.

Sure, you might be embarrassed now, but unless you were rude or needlessly loud when you returned to claim it (which I doubt), I think you'll be the only person to remember this incident by tomorrow.

Good to hear you did well on the rest of the interview! Don't forget to send a follow-up thank you note if you can!

Loyal

08-23-2010, 10:25 PM

Snake, it's no big deal, really. You did well when it counted. You really need to stop worrying about your minor screw-ups, look to the future, and think to yourself either "welp, that's one thing to not do again," or "now how can I not do this again in the future?"

Don't worry if you don't get it right the first, or second, or even third time, unless it's major.

On a side note: Jesus Christ I am getting the biggest fucking sense of deja vu from this thread. I swear I read the entirety of page four, word-for-word, a couple months ago.

katiuska

08-23-2010, 11:09 PM

Strange (almost unrelated) biochemical question:

Why is it that I always perform better in stressful social situations when running on very little sleep?

Like I'm actually considering pulling an all-nighter tonight (or something close to it) just on the basis of past precedent wherein I am unexpectedly sociable and charming when runnin' on fumes (and possibly Red Bull.) By contrast, no matter how much Red Bull I drink, I am absolutely at my worst in the hours after I wake up from a relaxing slumber in the morning. This is precisely why I dread getting plenty of sleep tonight; I may never fully recover.

Now, biologically speaking, isn't it supposed to be the other way around? Aren't I supposed to perform better when I'm well-rested?

EDIT: Also this probably means that I'm going to have to force myself to become an insomniac after I become a trial lawyer, aren't I? ...Fuck.

Amount of sleep inversely affects a) biological drives, and b) mood. So if you've ever found that you actually feel cheery on little sleep, when you should feel like shit, that's why. We don't exactly understand why it works like this, but it does, and regulating sleep is actually one thing we do now to knock bipolar people out of a manic or depressive phase/stabilize them.

I vaguely remember the interviewing process for law students, from when a guy I knew was going through it. IIRC there's a whole slew of interviews at the beginning of second year for summer internships, and then if they like you, they'll take you after you graduate. At least, that's what happened to him. Last I heard, he hated his corporate job, but he gets paid obscene money to hate it, which is more than a lot of us get to say, so I don't shed tears for him.

Glad the interviewing part went well, anyway. I wouldn't worry too much about the laptop.

Liquid Snake

08-24-2010, 02:13 PM

Okay, now I am convinced that what is really happening is God is trying to reveal that I was never supposed to become an attorney in the first place and my mere presence here defies His will.

One interview today: I lost my train of thought halfway through an answer and had to stop talking mid-sentence to gather my thoughts. Awkward. Also he did not ask me for any paperwork when the interview was over.

Another interview: I mispronounced the name of a fairly popular clothing company his firm negotiated with. He stared at me a good fifteen seconds afterwards before saying "Oh! You meant x." I blushed, got flustered and responded by meekly saying "I'm sorry." Later I ran into him on the elevator, asked how he was doing, then began to ask him whether he was staying in town tonight before remembering he in fact practiced in town. He gave me a weird glare and then said "No, I live here. Did you forget that already?" He then laughed and said "shit, you're really nervous." This happened in a jammed elevator and several students I know were present.

One more interview: went respectably well. Then my uber nice guy habits kicked in. Guy slated for next interview knocks on the door signifying my twenty minute window is up. The interviewer finishes his sentence and asks whether I have additional questions. I say yes but then dumbasstically say "I shouldn't take any more of your time, though. The next candidate is waiting. Can I just e-mail my questions to you instead?" he said yes, but that was not the go-getter attitude he wanted to hear. It was me "being myself" though, submissive and polite to a fault.

Aaaarrrrrggggghhhh.