Worth it to mass-mail DC? Forum

[BigZuck]

Did not mean to tick you off so much. I'm trying to efficiently split my time between catching up on reading for class, prepping for other callbacks, and mass mailing. Mass mailing firms that hire 1 or 0 summer associates just isn't an efficient use of time.

You can definitely sort NALP by firms that hire 1Ls, you might be able to do it for 2Ls as well

Btw even if they say they don't take SAs I'd throw them an app anyway, doesn't take much time. Just do those last.

Also, doing anything school related isn't a very good use of your time right now, I would focus everything on the job search.

True, but I'm really hoping something comes from the four firms I'm waiting on and three callbacks I have next week. And when I mass mail, I get super stressed and think back to the top firms with huge CB to offer ratios who callbacks I screwed up due to awful interview skills, and I mean awful. I waited too long to get taught how to interview properly, because I didn't think I was horrific.

Honestly, I think you should do less thinking, more mass mailing. Don't be paralyzed by the past, learn from it and do better next time. I know that's trite and easy for me to say but I think that's what you should try to do.

Good luck, I sincerely hope you crush your upcoming callbacks!

[Anonymous User]

Thank you. I hope so, too. I don't take my sorrows with me into callbacks, so I hope something good comes early this week.

[Anonymous User]

What are you altering about your interview strategy? Do as many mock interviews between now and your future cbs as humanly possible.

[Anonymous User]

What are you altering about your interview strategy? Do as many mock interviews between now and your future cbs as humanly possible.

That's what I did. I did a set of three mock interviews in a row from lawyers at a top firm who do callback interviews to get their prospective and advice on how to interview, but have only had two callbacks since then at the end of this past week. Still waiting on those.

[Anonymous User]

Do 5 more before the upcoming cbs. Call your ocs and say you want to mock w professors..call family members and ask to mock w them. Spend as much time listening to their feedback as you do interviewing

[Anonymous User]

Do 5 more before the upcoming cbs. Call your ocs and say you want to mock w professors..call family members and ask to mock w them. Spend as much time listening to their feedback as you do interviewing

If only that was realistic. I don't have time between now and the three callbacks (early this week) to do 5 mocks let alone 1. And for the most part, people who I could get to do immediate mocks with me wouldn't have the knowledge or experience to know what kind of feedback to give me. And it's feedback I need, not experience--I've done so many already that nerves aren't an issue anymore at this point.

Thanks for the tip, though.

Edit: And getting a bunch more feedback from people who aren't involved in the process, so don't know what firms are actually looking for, will only make things super confusing, as their advice will almost definitely vary from person to person, with possibly none of it being accurate.

[BigZuck]

Do 5 more before the upcoming cbs. Call your ocs and say you want to mock w professors..call family members and ask to mock w them. Spend as much time listening to their feedback as you do interviewing

If only that was realistic. I don't have time between now and the three callbacks (early this week) to do 5 mocks let alone 1. And for the most part, people who I could get to do immediate mocks with me wouldn't have the knowledge or experience to know what kind of feedback to give me. And it's feedback I need, not experience--I've done so many already that nerves aren't an issue anymore at this point.

Thanks for the tip, though.

Edit: And getting a bunch more feedback from people who aren't involved in the process, so don't know what firms are actually looking for, will only make things super confusing, as their advice will almost definitely vary from person to person, with possibly none of it being accurate.

Have you tried recording yourself and listening/watching how you answer questions?

[Anonymous User]

Tcr is DO MORE MOCKS

[Anonymous User]

Do 5 more before the upcoming cbs. Call your ocs and say you want to mock w professors..call family members and ask to mock w them. Spend as much time listening to their feedback as you do interviewing

If only that was realistic. I don't have time between now and the three callbacks (early this week) to do 5 mocks let alone 1. And for the most part, people who I could get to do immediate mocks with me wouldn't have the knowledge or experience to know what kind of feedback to give me. And it's feedback I need, not experience--I've done so many already that nerves aren't an issue anymore at this point.

Thanks for the tip, though.

Edit: And getting a bunch more feedback from people who aren't involved in the process, so don't know what firms are actually looking for, will only make things super confusing, as their advice will almost definitely vary from person to person, with possibly none of it being accurate.

Have you tried recording yourself and listening/watching how you answer questions?

I have pre-interview lessons, and listened to a bunch of it. But I don't think it will be too helpful at this point because I've completely changed my approach to answering questions since then.

How detailed should I be when telling a firm "why them"? How do you tend to answer such a question?

[Anonymous User]

Tcr is DO MORE MOCKS

What is TCR?

Edit: Oh, "the correct response."

Edit #2: See above response.

[TooOld4This]

Did not mean to tick you off so much. I'm trying to efficiently split my time between catching up on reading for class, prepping for other callbacks, and mass mailing. Mass mailing firms that hire 1 or 0 summer associates just isn't an efficient use of time.

That's a good idea. It's refreshing to read a comment on here that isn't trying to attack someone or insult them. Thank you.

I really need to keep up with class this semester, though. If I don't end up at a firm I like this coming summer, I want to keep up my grades to upgrade during 3L OCI. That's a thing, right? (I mean, if I learn how to interview well between now and then.)

You already admit that you were horrible at interviewing and didn't figure it out until too late. Well, right now you are being told that you are screwing up your mass mailing before it is entirely too late. You should be able to keep up with readings and mass mail at the same time. And if you can't, readings are the thing that should be second priority. Your exams aren't for another 2 months. The vast majority of legal hiring for the types of jobs you are interested in will be done in 3-4 weeks. 3L legal hiring is not a thing. It's a chance for people who already won the game of musical chairs to swap seats. That's not changing unless the economy seriously heats up in the next 6 mos. Not having a good 2L summer job lined up can hurt you in the clerkship search. Your priorities need to be 1. Prepping for call backs, 2. Mass mailing, 3. Following up on everything you've not heard from . . . . . . Sleep, class work, anything else.

I've given this advice on interviewing before, hopefully it is helpful. Your goal should be to demonstrate that you want this job, not just a job and that you are prepared to add value. Think (in advance) of whether your answers to questions would make you want to hire a candidate. In the interview, use mirroring. Your demeanor should be in line with your interviewer, while still being authentic. If you have a very formal interviewer, be your most formal self. If you have a very informal interviewer, loosen up, but stay on the more formal side. High energy should be met with high energy (within professional bounds), more reserved tones means you shouldn't be boisterous. Make eye contact and try to read it (are they waiting for me to say more, or do they look like they want me to shut up).

Be confident without being cocky and always be respectful when speaking of others (professors, past employers, etc). Make sure you don't reveal confidences about your 1L job. If the subject you are talking about seems like it might be confidential, flag that the part you are discussing is not (as described in our briefing, as you may have read in news reports, though some of what I worked on is still confidential I can say).

Good luck.

[Anonymous User]

Did not mean to tick you off so much. I'm trying to efficiently split my time between catching up on reading for class, prepping for other callbacks, and mass mailing. Mass mailing firms that hire 1 or 0 summer associates just isn't an efficient use of time.

That's a good idea. It's refreshing to read a comment on here that isn't trying to attack someone or insult them. Thank you.

I really need to keep up with class this semester, though. If I don't end up at a firm I like this coming summer, I want to keep up my grades to upgrade during 3L OCI. That's a thing, right? (I mean, if I learn how to interview well between now and then.)

You already admit that you were horrible at interviewing and didn't figure it out until too late. Well, right now you are being told that you are screwing up your mass mailing before it is entirely too late. You should be able to keep up with readings and mass mail at the same time. And if you can't, readings are the thing that should be second priority. Your exams aren't for another 2 months. The vast majority of legal hiring for the types of jobs you are interested in will be done in 3-4 weeks. 3L legal hiring is not a thing. It's a chance for people who already won the game of musical chairs to swap seats. That's not changing unless the economy seriously heats up in the next 6 mos. Not having a good 2L summer job lined up can hurt you in the clerkship search. Your priorities need to be 1. Prepping for call backs, 2. Mass mailing, 3. Following up on everything you've not heard from . . . . . . Sleep, class work, anything else.

I've given this advice on interviewing before, hopefully it is helpful. Your goal should be to demonstrate that you want this job, not just a job and that you are prepared to add value. Think (in advance) of whether your answers to questions would make you want to hire a candidate. In the interview, use mirroring. Your demeanor should be in line with your interviewer, while still being authentic. If you have a very formal interviewer, be your most formal self. If you have a very informal interviewer, loosen up, but stay on the more formal side. High energy should be met with high energy (within professional bounds), more reserved tones means you shouldn't be boisterous. Make eye contact and try to read it (are they waiting for me to say more, or do they look like they want me to shut up).

Be confident without being cocky and always be respectful when speaking of others (professors, past employers, etc). Make sure you don't reveal confidences about your 1L job. If the subject you are talking about seems like it might be confidential, flag that the part you are discussing is not (as described in our briefing, as you may have read in news reports, though some of what I worked on is still confidential I can say).

Good luck.

Thanks for the interview tips. As for mass mailing, I started two weeks ago and got 7-8 quick callbacks out of it using my strategy. Maybe I'll try other people's strategy, but I value not falling 200 pages behind in each class. If I have a strong semester, I'll have a solid chance at a NY fed clerkship, which is separate and aside from biglaw, so I don't want to ruin those odds by having to catch up a month from now. Again, thank you for the advice--I'll try to apply it the best I can.

[Anonymous User]

UPDATE!

I received my first offer today! Thanks everyone for the interview advice, and if anyone would like some advice on how I went about mass mailing, feel free to respond, and I'll message you.

[iworkforlsac]

Gratz! I'd like some of that advice!

[BigZuck]

OP- you're about to get about 27 people asking for PMs. Can you please post in the official mass mailing thread? That way you can help future generations. You're anon so no reason not to.

[Anonymous User]

OP- you're about to get about 27 people asking for PMs. Can you please post in the official mass mailing thread? That way you can help future generations. You're anon so no reason not to.

I'm almost done writing up my mass mail strategy in the mass mail thread not under anon, since the account I'm using to post it has almost zero history on here, and I want people to feel free to message me with questions.

[BigZuck]

OP- you're about to get about 27 people asking for PMs. Can you please post in the official mass mailing thread? That way you can help future generations. You're anon so no reason not to.

I'm almost done writing up my mass mail strategy in the mass mail thread not under anon, since the account I'm using to post it has almost zero history on here, and I want people to feel free to message me with questions.

Nice, you're a good man

[Anonymous User]

OP- you're about to get about 27 people asking for PMs. Can you please post in the official mass mailing thread? That way you can help future generations. You're anon so no reason not to.

I'm almost done writing up my mass mail strategy in the mass mail thread not under anon, since the account I'm using to post it has almost zero history on here, and I want people to feel free to message me with questions.

Nice, you're a good man

My strategy is posted to the mass mail thread. Good luck, everyone!

[Anonymous User]

Someone said Paul Hastings DC was looking still.