OCI timeline? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Can anyone just give a quick timeline for OCI? Specifically, how long after the screening interview does it take to get a callback and how long after the callback does it take to get an offer (assuming you dont get dinged at any point, obviously)? Thanks

[270910]

It varies. I know people who got callback offers the day of the interview, I know people who got callback offers weeks after the interview. Beyond that I'll let those who've gone through it elaborate more, I am curious as well.

Our career services office has a document that notes stronger candidates get called back/offered first, which leads me to believe it's kind of a rolling/cascading system - but I don't know how that plays out in practice.

[NYAssociate]

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[LurkerNoMore]

Depends on the firm. Some firms call people back the day of, others the week of, others a few days after, others a few weeks after. Many, many firms have callback waitlists. Others have offer waitlists. Usually, firms are pretty up-front about their timelines, but if you start hearing about people who got callbacks at firms you interviewed at (and believe me, you will hear about it), and you didn't get a callback before the end of the day, it's safe to assume that your odds of getting a callback are a lot lower (though there are situations where your particular interviewer didn't get the chance to call you back until a few days later, or where you're on a waitlist). Whatever it is, not being in the first cut is not a good sign.

Yup.

Each firm is different. Some will call back within a day, others will wait weeks before offering their first callback. In general firms with smaller classes will take longer, as will firm offices where attorneys from other offices do the screening interview. (Firms with smaller classes often want to get a sense of the "big picture" of their candidates; firms where attorneys are communicating with another office can also take time.)

Firms do tend to do to make calls as a group though -- though sometimes if there is more than one interviewer at a school it will take some longer than others. Pay attention to which firms have made calls -- that will give you more realistic expectations about your chances.