Struck out at OCI, what's the best course of action? Forum

[lolwat]

Struck out at OCI. Just above median at lower T14 (like "just above" matters). Should I only be MMing secondary markets?

Mass mail everywhere. Job > no job.

It's hard for me to mass mail because from what I've read, you're only supposed to apply to firms with practices you can demonstrate an interest in. Isn't the cover letter supposed to tie your experience/interests/etc with the firm's practice areas? What do you do when you have nothing in your transcript or work experience to show that you have the slightest interest in what the firm does?

Huh? Unless you're coming in with like X years of experience and/or have a technical background and have a very good reason for only being interested in one particular field or another, all you should know right now (if anything) is whether you have any leaning towards litigation or corporate.

[Anonymous User]

Struck out at OCI. Just above median at lower T14 (like "just above" matters). Should I only be MMing secondary markets?

Mass mail everywhere. Job > no job.

It's hard for me to mass mail because from what I've read, you're only supposed to apply to firms with practices you can demonstrate an interest in. Isn't the cover letter supposed to tie your experience/interests/etc with the firm's practice areas? What do you do when you have nothing in your transcript or work experience to show that you have the slightest interest in what the firm does?

Huh? Unless you're coming in with like X years of experience and/or have a technical background and have a very good reason for only being interested in one particular field or another, all you should know right now (if anything) is whether you have any leaning towards litigation or corporate.

That's a lot less detail than this guide suggests.

[lolwat]

That's a lot less detail than this guide suggests.

IMO, unless you have a legitimate connection to a particular practice area, that particular piece of advice is pretty useless. It's telling you to target places that you have some connection to--basically, the same reason that you would apply to firms in cities where you have ties (where you grew up, where you have family, etc.).

I happen to disagree with focusing on practice areas, personally. Generally speaking, locking yourself into specific practice areas this early can actually be a negative. What if that particular practice group at the firm isn't hiring, but some other practice you were also probably interested in is?

[Anonymous User]

That's a lot less detail than this guide suggests.

IMO, unless you have a legitimate connection to a particular practice area, that particular piece of advice is pretty useless. It's telling you to target places that you have some connection to--basically, the same reason that you would apply to firms in cities where you have ties (where you grew up, where you have family, etc.).

I happen to disagree with focusing on practice areas, personally. Generally speaking, locking yourself into specific practice areas this early can actually be a negative. What if that particular practice group at the firm isn't hiring, but some other practice you were also probably interested in is?

And I'm inclined to agree with that because it makes more sense. But every resource I have found suggests otherwise.

[Anonymous User]

Just keep mailing. Ignore those "sorry we're done" letters. Firms will often bring you in for a callback after sending those. I got 4 callbacks out of 200 mails.

And follow up on your mass mails. I found this to be the way to make them most effective. Two weeks or so after you send them, send them another email on your original message chain, and tell them that they are a top choice and you are very much interested in their firm. It makes your mails seem a lot more targeted and less scattershot.

Do you have a sample of the email you sent to follow up?

[lgleye]

Just keep mailing. Ignore those "sorry we're done" letters. Firms will often bring you in for a callback after sending those. I got 4 callbacks out of 200 mails.

And follow up on your mass mails. I found this to be the way to make them most effective. Two weeks or so after you send them, send them another email on your original message chain, and tell them that they are a top choice and you are very much interested in their firm. It makes your mails seem a lot more targeted and less scattershot.

Do you have a sample of the email you sent to follow up?

Jesus, if you have to ask for that, no wonder you're fucked.

user outed for anon abuse

[Pokemon]

Good luck OP.

Generally, I recommend creating a number of formats. Then merely change names.

1) The New York Format.
2) The Ties Format.
3) The Region where your School is Located Format.

If you are IP, have a particular practice focus (something that you have a narrative on--not just "I like litigation"), then you can add that as long as the firm is known for it. Finally, again if you have a practice focus, look at Chambers & Partners and create a specific practice based format and send it without a geographic limitation.