"Interviewing for a job is a lot like dating" -- Career Services Office

Hey Seddit,

Longtime lurker, full-time law student here.

I have never had any remarkable trouble meeting women, but I have had an extraordinarily hard time interviewing for internships and jobs within the legal community. Yesterday, I had an interview with a law firm, and in digging up research on the interviewing partner, I found out he graduated from law school the same year as my mentor from back home.

"Total douche," said my mentor. "Be cool, be polite, but if they suck, don't waste your time."

I don't know how mutually exclusive being alpha and beta is, but it's safe to say that I'd been more alpha when it came to my social scene, and totally beta in a job interview setting.

During the interview, I sit down with a male and a female, and I employed the same sort of mannerisms I usually use when talking to girls I meet: (1) penetrating eye contact, (2) gap-filling laughter, and (3) unexpected responses to shit tests (for example, I brought them an updated resume, then made them spot the differences instead of pointing them out myself).

Now, I'm not sure if this is the kind of tactic that can cross into any industry, into any office, or is just specific to this firm. But I do know that it worked, because this morning I found a job offer in my inbox.

Strangely enough, my law school held a Career Services event where they invited hiring partners from 5 different firms, and they all said the same thing: "INTERVIEWING FOR A JOB IS LIKE DATING: IT'S ALL ABOUT MAKING A GOOD CONNECTION AND LEAVING A GOOD MEMORY IN THEIR HEADS."

TAKEAWAYS:

1. If you're good at job interviews but suck at approaching, try using the same charm that you have there in a social setting.

2. The inverse may be true. Related to yesterday's daygame v. nightgame debate, the daygame crowd is much more likely to be successful with this interview style.

3. Being outcome-specific is going to make you lose.

4. Women, like employers, don't have to be put up on a pedestal. They all take monster shits, they all have at least 30 people who all think they're assholes, and (MOST IMPORTANTLY) they're all capable of being impressed.

5. Do not have the presumption that these people and everyone you meet are great. Instead, have the presumption that they're just people. Holding that presumption gives you a lot more confidence than giving people undue respect.

POST-SCRIPT: I'm declining the offer.