How to strike out at OCI Forum

[Anonymous User]

Apparently our school had a guy strike out last year because he told all his interviewers he was exclusively interested in doing appellate litigation.

It's odd. You'd think he'd have been more flexible in his career choices given how flexible he seems to be otherwise.

He didn't say exclusively, that's just the practice group he pitched. OCS just told him that it was OK (BAD advice)

(came here to post this, though)

[Crowing]

Apparently our school had a guy strike out last year because he told all his interviewers he was exclusively interested in doing appellate litigation.

It's odd. You'd think he'd have been more flexible in his career choices given how flexible he seems to be otherwise.

I feel like I'm missing a story here.

[WheninLaw]

Apparently our school had a guy strike out last year because he told all his interviewers he was exclusively interested in doing appellate litigation.

What? No. Not sure why you guys spread this stuff. But seriously one of you should try it.

Contribution: Not have a strong enough handshake for the Cravath interviewer.

[rickgrimes69]

Take a phone call in the middle of your callback while explaining to the interviewer that it's "important"

[elterrible78]

Apparently our school had a guy strike out last year because he told all his interviewers he was exclusively interested in doing appellate litigation.

It's odd. You'd think he'd have been more flexible in his career choices given how flexible he seems to be otherwise.

He didn't say exclusively, that's just the practice group he pitched. OCS just told him that it was OK (BAD advice)

(came here to post this, though)

Thanks for clearing that up.

[DELG]

You don't have to say "exclusively." If you pitch yourself harder for one certain practice area, that's the message interviewers get, even if you try to hedge with "but I am open to other things" or "I would be happy to do general lit too." I am not trying to rag on the guy who too bad advice from OCS, but bringing up a specific niche practice can be dangerous.

[rayiner]

You don't have to say "exclusively." If you pitch yourself harder for one certain practice area, that's the message interviewers get, even if you try to hedge with "but I am open to other things" or "I would be happy to do general lit too." I am not trying to rag on the guy who too bad advice from OCS, but bringing up a specific niche practice can be dangerous.

Especially if that niche practice is appellate. A&P recently posted an opening for a junior associate position in their appellate group. The posting stated that they were only interested in SCOTUS and D.C. Circuit clerks. When someone who hasn't even started his 2L year pitches himself hard for appellate work, it's probably not going to elicit a positive reaction among interviewers, even if they qualify with "but I'd be happy to do general lit too."

[rad lulz]

.

[DELG]

You don't have to say "exclusively." If you pitch yourself harder for one certain practice area, that's the message interviewers get, even if you try to hedge with "but I am open to other things" or "I would be happy to do general lit too." I am not trying to rag on the guy who too bad advice from OCS, but bringing up a specific niche practice can be dangerous.

Saying you want to do apallet is particularly bad, even worse than saying you want to do other niche areas like tax or ERISA

Now having been on the other side of interviews, I have a better appreciation for how little you have to say about a certain practice to broadcast to interviewers "this is what I REALLY want." And wanting a practice that the firm can't give you is going to turn them off fast. No matter how great you are otherwise, it says "bad fit" pretty loudly.

[06102016]

..

[FSK]

You don't have to say "exclusively." If you pitch yourself harder for one certain practice area, that's the message interviewers get, even if you try to hedge with "but I am open to other things" or "I would be happy to do general lit too." I am not trying to rag on the guy who too bad advice from OCS, but bringing up a specific niche practice can be dangerous.

Saying you want to do apallet is particularly bad, even worse than saying you want to do other niche areas like tax or ERISA

Now having been on the other side of interviews, I have a better appreciation for how little you have to say about a certain practice to broadcast to interviewers "this is what I REALLY want." And wanting a practice that the firm can't give you is going to turn them off fast. No matter how great you are otherwise, it says "bad fit" pretty loudly.

So my resume screams Soft-Ip (Related undergrad major, working at an Soft-IP boutique 1L summer), but I want to pitch myself as corporate - because I'm equally interested and there's actually positions open. How do I avoid this?

[DELG]

Expressly say, "i think my experience with [stuff you've done] is a good foundation for [stuff you are pitching]"

[09042014]

This thread is freaking me out. More plz.

The kind of burgers that drives one to be a TLS mod, is quite dangerous at OCI.

[09042014]

What does soft IP even mean?

/Intellectual Property Litigator

[FSK]

What does soft IP even mean?

/Intellectual Property Litigator

Currently working on a few matters before the Copyright Royalty Board. I've doing some trademark opposition work. Also some research into licensing issues.

[06102016]

..

[zozin]

If you don't cop benzos if you get nervous/flustered during interviews.

[DELG]

This thread is freaking me out. More plz.

The kind of burgers that drives one to be a TLS mod, is quite dangerous at OCI.

Fairly certain this isn't an issue, but I know I'm high risk in other ways, so it's good to be reminded of those.

What ways make you a risk? We'll tell you what not to say.

[06102016]

..

[rad lulz]

And what do you want to do

[A. Nony Mouse]

The kind of burgers that drives one to be a TLS mod, is quite dangerous at OCI.

Fairly certain this isn't an issue, but I know I'm high risk in other ways, so it's good to be reminded of those.

What ways make you a risk? We'll tell you what not to say.

Pretty weak resume overall and it screams shitlib/public interest. The jobs themselves were brief and, for a variety reasons (like being previously lazy, not knowing what I was doing/how to get a job, and having employment I don't want to put on my resume) there are weird gaps all over it.

I think I have decent answers for why I'm not really interested in PI anymore (the pay is shit, the opportunities are more limited, the work itself is often frustrating and depressing and having government/nonprofit as your only real exit option is kind of scary) but not sure how to put that in an interview if it comes up.

I'm also not particularly conscientious or well-organized (law was a bad choice, I know) and not sure how to spin my strengths without coming off like an asshole. For example, I know to avoid "ideas guy" talk and would generally steer clear of "creative problem solver" or shit like that... but I feel like that leaves a lot off the table for me.

Don't use those answers about why not PI. You don't want to talk about not doing PI because PI sucks, you want to talk about doing corp/lit/whatever private sector stuff because of all the interesting things about that. What draws you, not what you don't want to do.

[bk1]

Don't use those answers about why not PI. You don't want to talk about not doing PI because PI sucks, you want to talk about doing corp/lit/whatever private sector stuff because of all the interesting things about that. What draws you, not what you don't want to do.

Not only this, even if it made sense to discuss why you didn't want to do PI, "they pay is shit" is never a decent answer.

[06102016]

..

[Anonymous User]

I majored in geology and told TX firms during 1L OCI that I was interested in oil & gas and energy when they asked. Should I not do that? I worked in an unrelated field for 3 years after graduation fwiw. I don't actually feel super strongly about any one field.

[BigZuck]

How soon is too soon to start mass mailing? Is it ok if we start doing so around July 1st or is there a more appropriate time?

Bump

I read through the stop reading tea leaves thread and can't remember seeing a consensus and I figured since some of you bros know even more about large firm hiring now you could share some insight. Was thinking of starting in July. Too soon? Too late?