I just came back from a job interview and my heart is still pounding with the thrill of it all. Just an overview of my experience: the interview took 3 hours and it involved me being grilled by six different people- the managing partner, another partner, two associates, a paralegal and the managing partner's secretary. The longest interview in human history (ok maybe not quite, but it felt like it).
I decided recently that I'm interested in construction law. Mostly because its so complex with multiple parties and it ties a lot of areas of the law together: contracts, property, personal injury, employment. I also like construction law because building stuff is cool: big digging machines, huge tall cranes, and manly burly construction men.
This new firm is pretty intimidating. I currently work for a small firm- I mean itty bitty small- there are just two attorneys! The firm I interviewed for today has 14 attorneys on staff and that is still considered small in Seattle. The new firm is full of new people who clerked for important courts and attorneys who try appellate cases. It handles cases with big bucks $$$$$$ at stake. I've gotten pretty comfortable in my current position. I've gotten comfortable in my role and duties, who I report to. If I get this new job I'll have to start all over.
Don't get me wrong, I would love to work for this firm in a highly complex and specialized area of the law but as exciting and thrilling as new jobs are, they are also very intimidated and uncomfortable. Will I do well? Can I handle the intensity of these cases? Will they still want me around when I'm 8 months pregnant and look like a human sized ballon?
The best part of the interview had to be when I met the first associate. He was the least laid back (The managing partner had his jean covered legs on his desk showing off his cowboys boots during my interview and the other partner continued to CHEW TOBACCO while interviewing me. I hope I didn't look too horrified the first time he pulled out an empty bottle to spit in.). The associate was grilling me pretty hard. At one point he mentioned that his previous spouse taught at my school.
I asked, "what did she teach?"
He curtly replied, "HE taught constitutional law."
I blushed a deep shade of red, I'm sure. Then I quietly let out an, "I'm sorry." We exchanged glances and I followed up with, "I mean, not 'I'm sorry', I'm sorry. Just....cough. Excuse me." I shut up and looked at the ground before I did anymore damage.
Do you think that could have a negative effect on my interview?
Thursday, March 20, 2008
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4 comments:
If he said my partner, my lover, my significant other then maybe but spouse is too often used in the context of a legal marriage and unfortunately it is still not legal for same sex couples to marry so I would say if he holds that against you then he sucks : )
and by the way Kuddos for getting an interview. Our firm has put out a hiring freeze because of the recession
When you have your baby, you'll be able to sing . . . "Bob the Builder . . . Can we fix it? Bob the Builder . . . YES WE CAN!"
YES . . . YOU CAN!!! I bet you did well! And I back up lawmom . . . interviews aren't too easy to find these days!
Dang, that was kind of harsh of him to do that to you. Was he testing you to see if you'd done some research on the firm and on him? Weird. Good luck!!!
Oh that associate is one of those. Watch him, he set you up for that. What a jerk. Hang in there you may get that job despite him. I can't stand that kind of crap.
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