OCI with no Work Experience Forum

[BigZuck]

I would definitely come up with some answers to spin your internship experience. But from all the screeners I did (probably between 40-50 between 1L and 2L year) I got maybe 2 where someone asked behavioral stuff like "Tell me about a difficult situation with a coworker and how you responded." In some of my best interviews, my work experience didn't get brought up at all or it was pretty cursory.

[Anonymous User]

I would definitely come up with some answers to spin your internship experience. But from all the screeners I did (probably between 40-50 between 1L and 2L year) I got maybe 2 where someone asked behavioral stuff like "Tell me about a difficult situation with a coworker and how you responded." In some of my best interviews, my work experience didn't get brought up at all or it was pretty cursory.

Yeah, the weird behavioral questions aren't too common.

Also, hearing about measuring plants is probably more interesting to an interviewer than hearing a tenth interviewee talking about their year spent as a paralegal. My OCI interviewers were way more intrigued by my three-month stint as a hotel housekeeper than they were by my year as a paralegal.

[Anonymous User]

Relevant work experience definitely helps. You probably won't do as well someone with equal numbers who has solid experiences to talk about.

I vastly outdid my "numbers" in great part, I think, because I had a pretty good finance job before law school. It came up in every interview, and I was ready to explain it and then why law school/law firms is a better fit for me.


Of course it's not a barrier, and if you apply broadly and interview well then you'll likely be ok.

[Desert Fox]

The bigger issue is that you seem dumb or naive.

You didn't spend a year measuring plants. You spent a year conducting biology experiments in a lab.

What are you doing this summer.

[kcdc1]

It is fair to assume that most first-year law students did not have stellar undergrad jobs or fancy jobs in that patented year off. Otherwise, why go to law school?

If one was an electrical engineer before law school , then one should not be at OCI.

These statements are flatly false, particularly among candidates that are competitive for biglaw positions. Do not assume that most people attend law school for the same reasons that you did.

That said, focus on your strengths during OCI, and develop a narrative that is favorable to your experience and intended career path. It will only hurt you if you spend time worrying about the qualifications of others.

[AreJay711]

The bigger issue is that you seem dumb or naive.

You didn't spend a year measuring plants. You spent a year conducting biology experiments in a lab.

What are you doing this summer.

Yeah, hype up what you've done.

I did some construction work in undergrad and occasionally me and another young helper would be sent out to knock out some punch-list shit (putting on registers and grills mostly). I drove the truck and filled out the time sheets. On my OCI resume I "lead crews" and in interviews I said I loved the job because I was given uncommon autonomy for a 19 year old student -- They'd say here's the problem, figure out how to get it done. You should do the same thing. You liked biology experiments because there was a methodical, detailed way to take measurements and every step had to be done exactly right for the experiment to be worthwhile. You loved the precision involved, and knowing that by following the procedure you were doing it right. Even if you hated it, you should be excited about some aspect of every job.

[BasilHallward]

They are not flatly false. They are just not absolute; they are generalities. jesus

Any suggestions on how I would spin my measuring plants internship?

Your'e in law school. Dress it up. I totally don't know what your internship consisted of, but speak to the nuances of this quantitative analysis. Then, tell the interviewer to kill himself or herself for referencing the trite plant internship. Seriously though, you'll be fine.

Why are you answering questions as a 0L, especially since your advice is so bad.

The subject is interviewing. These skills that pertain to interviewing are not held under a monopoly by law students; especially those who feel insecure about said interviewing. My advice was tongue in cheek. OP poster will be fine, as I stated. I'm sorry that your addled mind did not catch the farcical undertones. Take a load off.

[nick417]

I am just going to say what everyone is thinking . . . stop worrying! So many things factor into OCI; it is pointless to worry about something you can't fix. It's not like you can reverse time and get work experience again. You knew this going into law school. Therefore, focus on things you can improve on such as grades, contacts, references, interviewing skills, etc.

[Cobretti]

The subject is interviewing. These skills that pertain to interviewing are not held under a monopoly by law students; especially those who feel insecure about said interviewing. My advice was tongue in cheek. OP poster will be fine, as I stated. I'm sorry that your addled mind did not catch the farcical undertones. Take a load off.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=189981

[A. Nony Mouse]

They are not flatly false. They are just not absolute; they are generalities. jesus

Any suggestions on how I would spin my measuring plants internship?

Your'e in law school. Dress it up. I totally don't know what your internship consisted of, but speak to the nuances of this quantitative analysis. Then, tell the interviewer to kill himself or herself for referencing the trite plant internship. Seriously though, you'll be fine.

Why are you answering questions as a 0L, especially since your advice is so bad.

The subject is interviewing. These skills that pertain to interviewing are not held under a monopoly by law students; especially those who feel insecure about said interviewing. My advice was tongue in cheek. OP poster will be fine, as I stated. I'm sorry that your addled mind did not catch the farcical undertones. Take a load off.

Except 0Ls are not allowed to comment in this forum.

[sumner]

Start filling your resume with law school activities and leadership roles. Also, put something interesting in your interests section that gives them something to chat with you about during the interview.

Also, don't stress. It is what it is at this point, you might strike out and you might not. I was K-JD and I struck out at OCI, but I ended up with a good mid law job for 2L summer and took a full time offer there for post grad.