How many OCI interviews is too many? Forum

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How many OCI interviews is too many?

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Jun 20, 2011 12:20 pm

In the position where I don't have to worry about bidding. I am ranked at the very top of my T50 school, and have a strong resume. Our school is 85% pre-select for OCI slots -- only 15% lottery.

For that reason, I'm not really worrying about ordering my bids. I'm worried about limiting my interviews so I don't get burned out (and so I don't take slots from students who want to interview with firms I would never work for).

My current bidlist (not counting resume collect and firms that interview outside our normal early interview week) is 19 firms -- 7 the first day, and then 4 for each of the next 3 days. I think have a pretty good spread (3 V10, 6 more that are V25, 6 more V50, 2 more V100 and 2 outside V100)

Is this too many? I'm worried that 7 in a day is an awful lot, but I don't think there's any I want to cut from that day. All but 1 are V50 firms, and the other one I have a specific connection, so I want to interview there. I'm especially worried about back to back interviews that throw me off any preparation. I know our Career Services tries not to do it, but with 7 it may get a little tricky.

Aston2412

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Re: How many OCI interviews is too many?

Post by Aston2412 » Mon Jun 20, 2011 12:25 pm

I wouldn't limit your interviews except to the extent that it's physically impossible to do them. Burnout might pose a risk but I think I'd take it to increase my chances at employment later - you have to remember a screening interview does not equal a callback, even if you have exceptional grades. It's very possible the interviewer just might not like you for whatever reason.

Definitely don't apply to firms that you know you wouldn't want to work for (people below your class rank rank will thank you and you'll likely thank yourself later).

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Georgiana

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Re: How many OCI interviews is too many?

Post by Georgiana » Mon Jun 20, 2011 12:27 pm

Anonymous User wrote:In the position where I don't have to worry about bidding. I am ranked at the very top of my T50 school, and have a strong resume. Our school is 85% pre-select for OCI slots -- only 15% lottery.

For that reason, I'm not really worrying about ordering my bids. I'm worried about limiting my interviews so I don't get burned out (and so I don't take slots from students who want to interview with firms I would never work for).

My current bidlist (not counting resume collect and firms that interview outside our normal early interview week) is 19 firms -- 7 the first day, and then 4 for each of the next 3 days. I think have a pretty good spread (3 V10, 6 more that are V25, 6 more V50, 2 more V100 and 2 outside V100)

Is this too many? I'm worried that 7 in a day is an awful lot, but I don't think there's any I want to cut from that day. All but 1 are V50 firms, and the other one I have a specific connection, so I want to interview there. I'm especially worried about back to back interviews that throw me off any preparation. I know our Career Services tries not to do it, but with 7 it may get a little tricky.
Our OCI is spread out over 2 weeks so the max I ever had in a day was 5, but I didn't find that to be too bad assuming you have at least 15mins between interviews to review your notes on the next firm (and move on from disappointment if the prior interview went poorly). I preferred the busy days to the not busy but spread out days (one interview at 9:30 and nothing else until 3pm type of thing).

Wait and see what interviews you get and how they are scheduled, then decide when you see how your day would shape up. Don't remove a firm from your bid list for fear of the "what if..."

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