DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions Forum

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Sep 28, 2017 10:53 pm

OP Recruiter here again. Sorry for the absence, work has been extremely busy the past few weeks. In terms of process, second round invites have been going out for a couple of weeks now, but I believe the schedule still has not been filled. I'd say give it another 7-10 days to be finalized for sure.
Just wondering what a standard second interview is like? It says somewhere that they are around 2 hours long, I was just wondering if it is question based or if there are aptitude tests or anything? Thanks
Second round interviews are not much different than the first round interviews, just a little longer, more in-depth, and with the writing sample as a new component of your application package. You will have two 30-45 minute interviews, each 1-on-1 with a DOT attorney. Then the group of applicants in your time slot (usually 4 at a time) will meet together with a current Honors Attorney for an off-the-record Q&A. This is strictly for your benefit - what is said in the room is never reported to the hiring committee, and gives you a chance to ask any questions you like.
1: I assume that it's important to go in for the callback even though it says phone interviews are an option?

2: Any advice on what's important in a writing sample? My two obvious samples are something I wrote in an advanced writing class, which is very good but not written in a real work environment, or memos I wrote at a state transportation agency, which are very related to DoT subject matter and as such would need to be extremely heavily redacted.

3: Is there an advantage to interviewing earlier in the callback cycle?
I think there is a benefit to being at the interview in person. No one will hold it against you if you have a legitimate reason you can't travel to DC, but in-person interviews are just easier to conduct. That may make a subconscious difference when an attorney is evaluating you in a highly competitive applicant pool.

A good writing sample is more heavily focused on analysis/argument than factual exposition (though it's good to show a bit of both for evaluation). If you have an analytically-focused writing sample from a work experience, always use it, even if heavily redacted. You could even rewrite it in a way that would require less redaction - we don't care/won't know if it's not how you submitted it at work. We only care if you submit something that you didn't actually write/edit yourself. If you use a school assignment piece, try to use one where the assignment was open-ended. The least useful writing samples are ones responding to a fact-pattern prompt written by a professor. Inevitably the professor has written the prompt with a closed universe of cases/arguments in mind (even if not given to you) and it's less useful in evaluating your original research/analysis ability.

There is no advantage/disadvantage to the timing of your second round interview. The hiring committee will not review any of the applicants until all of the second round interviews are complete.
A lot of non-DOJ Honors programs seem to ask for some particular grade percentile to apply. Are these typically soft floors, considering the differences in school rank? As in, a median student at, say, UVA is probably more impressive than a top 25% student at Florida Coastal.
DOT's only grade requirement is a top 50% standing, no matter the school. If you're below median you have to have a really compelling application in all other respects to get an offer. After that, grades and school rank matter some, and we do look at those on a bit of a sliding scale based upon the school, but I would say grades, writing sample, substantive work experience, and interviewer feedback are all weighed pretty equally in the process.

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Oct 04, 2017 10:26 pm

Thank you for your willingness to help! I was wondering if you had any specific advice for candidates going into their second round interviews. Anything we should make sure we talk about? Anything we should make sure to avoid talking about? DOT would absolutely be my first choice and I would love any insight you can offer.

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Oct 06, 2017 2:37 pm

Thank you for your willingness to help! I was wondering if you had any specific advice for candidates going into their second round interviews. Anything we should make sure we talk about? Anything we should make sure to avoid talking about? DOT would absolutely be my first choice and I would love any insight you can offer.
There are no big secrets to the second round interviews. They will be two more interviews with a very similar format to your first round interview. The only substantive difference is your writing sample, so be prepared to talk about that if asked. The main purpose of the second round is to get two additional perspectives on the candidates.

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Oct 17, 2017 7:57 pm

If we have not heard yet, should we assume that it is a no?

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Oct 24, 2017 2:22 pm

To my knowledge, all second round invitations have been sent at this point. Second round interviews are ongoing.

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Oct 31, 2017 10:48 am

Any idea when offers will be made or how they will be informed?

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Nov 01, 2017 6:05 pm

Historically offers have been extended by phone around Thanksgiving. So far I have no indication that this year will be any different.

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by LawstudentCU » Sat Nov 04, 2017 12:20 pm

One of the other candidates who interviewed in D.C. on the same day as me told me that their interviewer explained that DOT will be extending 15-20 offers to fill 8-10 slots. Do you know whether or not this information is accurate?

Thanks!

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Nov 07, 2017 3:59 pm

My interviewer in DC said that they planned to hire only 8 people this year and indicated they would only be extending offers to those 8.

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Nov 08, 2017 4:11 pm

OP here. I'm removed from the mechanics of the process at this point, so my information my be a little out of date. We were originally told the target was 8-10 hires. I don't have any direct information that the target has changed, though it's possible I'm out of the loop.

In terms of how offers are extended, I don't think they can extend more offers than slots available - the logistics of that just don't work. That said, there are always a few people who decline an offer for one reason or another, so I imagine they would go down to the next highest rated candidate with a new offer at that point.

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by LawstudentCU » Tue Nov 21, 2017 4:47 pm

Thanks for the info. Has anyone heard back yet?

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by Abcde1234567890 » Tue Nov 21, 2017 7:22 pm

LawstudentCU wrote:Thanks for the info. Has anyone heard back yet?
No word here ...

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Nov 22, 2017 6:30 pm

Abcde1234567890 wrote:
LawstudentCU wrote:Thanks for the info. Has anyone heard back yet?
No word here ...

Still nothing???

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Nov 22, 2017 6:33 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Abcde1234567890 wrote:
LawstudentCU wrote:Thanks for the info. Has anyone heard back yet?
No word here ...

Still nothing???
Nothing on my end! I had a callback the week of October 16th. I do not know anyone who has heard back. Maybe they're going to extend offers next week?

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by LawstudentCU » Wed Nov 22, 2017 6:59 pm

Just received email from DOT after messaging for an update on my candidacy. DOT is still reviewing candidates and no updates at this time.

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by Abcde1234567890 » Wed Nov 22, 2017 7:03 pm

LawstudentCU wrote:Just received email from DOT after messaging for an update on my candidacy. DOT is still reviewing candidates and no updates at this time.

I really appreciate your update, thank you! Please try to enjoy your Thanksgiving; I know this is a stressful time. I will keep the forum posted with any updates I receive.

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Nov 22, 2017 7:06 pm

Abcde1234567890 wrote:
LawstudentCU wrote:Just received email from DOT after messaging for an update on my candidacy. DOT is still reviewing candidates and no updates at this time.

I really appreciate your update, thank you! Please try to enjoy your Thanksgiving; I know this is a stressful time. I will keep the forum posted with any updates I receive.
Thanks! You're a champ!

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by LawstudentCU » Wed Nov 22, 2017 7:10 pm

No problem at all. Happy Thanksgiving!

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Nov 28, 2017 6:46 pm

I checked in with DOT today. They are still in the middle of the evaluation/selection period, and hope to provide an update soon.

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by LawstudentCU » Wed Nov 29, 2017 10:53 am

Thanks for the update. Fingers crossed.

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Dec 01, 2017 4:01 pm

Anyone hear anything from DOT since the Tuesday update above?

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Dec 01, 2017 6:10 pm

Nothing here either. Maybe a new person can send a follow-up email next week. I'd hate to send two :lol:

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Re: DOT Honors 2018 Will Be Hiring - Recruiter Taking Questions

Post by LawstudentCU » Sun Dec 03, 2017 3:47 pm

That would be a nice thing for someone to do...

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

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