Call-back question

[Krisace]

Is it a bad sign if one who is invited to a big firm call-back for 3-4 hours worth of interviews did not get a mention of lunch or dinner when schuduling?

[zaphod]

I really doubt it.  I'm assuming your worry is that they don't think you're worth spending money on for lunch/dinner.  That doesn't make any sense.  They're not obligated to give you a call back.  If you have a callback, they think you're a good candidate.  They aren't going to sit there saying "eh, they're ok, but let's not waste money on a lunch."  They're already losing out on a minimum 3-4 billable hours, and that costs way more than lunch.

[Krisace]

Thanks, appreciated.

[mstiger]

Well, remember that you are interviewing them too.  More than whether they take you out to lunch, which isn't generally dispositive in choosing one firm over the other, look at what they did to make you feel comfortable and how well you got along with them.  For a 3-4 hour callback that doesn't include a lunch or dinner, I would think the least they can do is offer you some water (and trust me, after talking for that long, you will need it!) or a snack.

I know that I was unimpressed by a firm that took me to a local bar/restaurant as opposed to another which took me to a local country club.  But, that wasn't the only thing that factored into my decision; it was one of them.