Seemingly struck out: any advice going forward? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I am a median student at UT and at this point in the game, it appears that I have struck out at OCI. I am not sure what went wrong - for what it's worth, I was told that I am an above average interviewer by Career Services. I also have plenty of work experience (also worked full time during college) which I had hoped would have shown that I am a "self-starter" and accustomed to hard work. I think it may be a matter of me not relating well enough to these lawyers that I interview with given that my resume speaks to having a less-privileged background. But I understand that is just speculation and likely fueled by my own frustration.

Anyway, I am a bit depressed about this but I realize that I need to dig deep and push forward. I am from Texas (Dallas Fort-Worth specifically) and want to stay here - I have no ties anywhere else. I have been researching smaller to mid-sized firms in the major TX cities (been sending out maybe 10 applications a day) and it seems as though I have hit them all. I plan on doing the second OCI session that comes up next month, which will feature 4 or 5 mid-sized firms that I can potentially interview with. I have also scheduled an appointment with Career Services to discuss my options.

Any advice for me going forward?

Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous User]

Email every firm in NYC with a summer program. You dont need ties to get in there.

[Anonymous User]

Keep mass mailing, obviously. I would also expand my search to other markets and not worry too much about ties. I was in a similar situation last year. None of my CB panned out and the end of September was fast approaching. Then the mass mail CB started coming in - one from NYC and others from markets I had absolutely no connections to; apparently lots of firms only start reviewing MM after interviewing OCI candidates. Ended up going with a very respectable firm in a market I never thought i'd end up in. It all turned out fine. Even if you're not as geographically flexible, you'd be in a far better position come 3L OCI if you at least have an offer at hand.

But most importantly, keep your head up and don't let the shininess of the process get you down. I know its tough, i've been there, but its far from too late and there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel!

[Anonymous User]

Keep mass mailing, obviously. I would also expand my search to other markets and not worry too much about ties. I was in a similar situation last year. None of my CB panned out and the end of September was fast approaching. Then the mass mail CB started coming in - one from NYC and others from markets I had absolutely no connections to; apparently lots of firms only start reviewing MM after interviewing OCI candidates. Ended up going with a very respectable firm in a market I never thought i'd end up in. It all turned out fine. Even if you're not as geographically flexible, you'd be in a far better position come 3L OCI if you at least have an offer at hand.

But most importantly, keep your head up and don't let the shininess of the process get you down. I know its tough, i've been there, but its far from too late and there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel!

OP here.

Thank you for this - your story is encouraging. May I ask how you went about mass mailing to other markets? Did you just hit every firm, even big law? Or were you more focused on small to mid-sized firms? Any sort of insight is appreciated.

Thank you again.

Edit: Oh, and what were you grades at this time last year if I may ask?

[Anonymous User]

I went with every firm I didn't do a screener with, especially big law. There's also SA postings for smaller boutiques that pay mid-law+ salaries. These usually start coming out throughout the fall on the school's career website, definitely hit up those. My cover letters were pretty generic. I maybe a couple lines about the city here and there but mostly kept it pretty vague.

I was around median at a T6, no journal.

[Anonymous User]

Some tough love from a fellow Texas student. Obviously nothing "went wrong" in OCI--you are median at Texas. Getting a Big Law job through OCI was always a long shot. People with better grades than you are striking out, too.

I have noticed a lot of the top 1/3rd people I know who struck out or are on the verge of striking out were like you in that they had very circumscribed geographical preferences going into OCI.

You need to be more realistic about the position you are in. You can't afford to be picky about geography, practice area, firm prestige, anything. Load up every employer with a summer program listed on NALP in Dallas that you did not screen with during OCI and apply to them all. Then do Houston. Then do the national markets, starting with New York and working your way down. Other than skipping the truly elite firms you know you have no shot at, there's no trick to selecting firms when you mass mail--that's why it's called mass mailing. You barf out applications until your eyes are bleeding and your fingers are screaming, and then you do it again.

Our CSO is great. Use them. But ultimately, you're responsible for finding something.

[Anonymous User]

Some tough love from a fellow Texas student. Obviously nothing "went wrong" in OCI--you are median at Texas. Getting a Big Law job through OCI was always a long shot. People with better grades than you are striking out, too.

I have noticed a lot of the top 1/3rd people I know who struck out or are on the verge of striking out were like you in that they had very circumscribed geographical preferences going into OCI.

You need to be more realistic about the position you are in. You can't afford to be picky about geography, practice area, firm prestige, anything. Load up every employer with a summer program listed on NALP in Dallas that you did not screen with during OCI and apply to them all. Then do Houston. Then do the national markets, starting with New York and working your way down. Other than skipping the truly elite firms you know you have no shot at, there's no trick to selecting firms when you mass mail--that's why it's called mass mailing. You barf out applications until your eyes are bleeding and your fingers are screaming, and then you do it again.

Our CSO is great. Use them. But ultimately, you're responsible for finding something.

Got it. Thank you for this.

[Anonymous User]

Some tough love from a fellow Texas student. Obviously nothing "went wrong" in OCI--you are median at Texas. Getting a Big Law job through OCI was always a long shot. People with better grades than you are striking out, too.

I have noticed a lot of the top 1/3rd people I know who struck out or are on the verge of striking out were like you in that they had very circumscribed geographical preferences going into OCI.

You need to be more realistic about the position you are in. You can't afford to be picky about geography, practice area, firm prestige, anything. Load up every employer with a summer program listed on NALP in Dallas that you did not screen with during OCI and apply to them all. Then do Houston. Then do the national markets, starting with New York and working your way down. Other than skipping the truly elite firms you know you have no shot at, there's no trick to selecting firms when you mass mail--that's why it's called mass mailing. You barf out applications until your eyes are bleeding and your fingers are screaming, and then you do it again.

Our CSO is great. Use them. But ultimately, you're responsible for finding something.

Got it. Thank you for this.

OP again - and really, thank you. This served as a good reality check. I think I have been focusing far too much on those who have offers with the same or lesser grades than me. I have to remind myself that they are lucky as fuck and/or have certain connections that I don't.

[Anonymous User]

Can relate to your experience re less-privileged background and not being able to relate to attorneys at these firms. First gen college graduate here and whenever it came up at OCI/CBs, I almost felt like it worked against me despite great grades.

[pancakes3]

dude... mass mail. there are hundreds of threads about it. you're not above MM. nobody is.

[cjw564]

If you have an alternative career option (even if it is not as lucrative as big law), you could drop out before you absolutely have to pay the next tuition bill. In the meantime, continue to mm and network as much as possible for big law/mid law. Good luck op!