Cheeky Voicemail Costs Law Student Biglaw Opportunity
Best not put your immaturity on display if you want to work in Biglaw.
Getting a Biglaw gig to start your legal career can be a great idea. Sure, the hours are long and the pressure intense, but the pay and forever having an elite law firm on your resume can be well worth it. But even if you have the grades to score an interview at an elite firm, there are many, many things that can go wrong before you get an actual offer. Above the Law has made a habit of cataloguing some of the worst Biglaw interview horror stories, but in this story a prospective Biglaw attorney’s career path goes off the rails even *before* the interview.
As reported by Roll on Friday, a law student took to Reddit to complain about a law firm that, while initially interested in the student, rescinded its interview offer. Why, you ask? Because of a wildly inappropriate voicemail message on the student’s phone. When the student missed a call from the firm it went to voicemail with the below message:
“I have a dumb voicemail on my phone that goes like, ‘Hey, I am sure that you are calling me with a question, but I have a question for you, I was just wondering what bofadeez is? Nevermind, I just remembered! Its bofadeez nutz bitch!!!!!!! get trolled nerd’”.
The firm was reportedly up front about the reason for their about face:
[The student] claimed that a couple of hours later, he received an email from the firm explaining that although it had intended to invite him to an interview, on further reflection his voicemail “has indicated to us that you do not have the level of maturity to be a trainee at X, nor did we think it was very funny”.
While some Redditors questioned a law firm that is so clear about the reasons for dinging an applicant, it is a useful reminder to all wannabe Biglaw lawyers. When applying for a job — especially a prestigious one — interviewers will consider everything about an applicant. And it’s a red flag when someone still thinks a “deez nutz” joke is funny.
Have a terrible tale to tell about an interview gone awry? Please send it our way by email, subject line “Interview Stories.”
(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.”)
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
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter @Kathryn1 or Mastodon @Kathryn1@mastodon.social.
