DOJ Honors 2016-2017 Cycle: Application Status Tracker in the OP - Please update! Forum

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know roughly the percentage of interviewees who get an offer? Are there multiple rounds?

[Anonymous User]

Advice on interview prep from former honors hirees?

[grand inquisitor]

Anyone know roughly the percentage of interviewees who get an offer? Are there multiple rounds?

i think deanna usually breaks out how many interview slots there are for each vacancy--there's some ridiculous formula. but iirc its something like ~4 interview positions for each vacancy in a branch.

for interview advice it really isn't different from biglaw interviewing, except you need to customize how you will play to your interviewers a little differently. half of an interview is stroking the ego of the person across from you, so talk about how you want to work for an honorable client or things like that. don't say, "i just can't imagine working biglaw hours so i decided doj was for me," or the like.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know roughly the percentage of interviewees who get an offer? Are there multiple rounds?

From another thread:

Isn't this a little premature until you actually get the DOJ offer? As of right now it's just an interview

Seriously. Very few people who interview for honors actually get a offer.

Yeah always wondered what the interview/offer rate was for DOJ. Presumably it's not insanely bad for the applicant since the government is paying for people to travel. They wouldn't pay 20 airfares and hotel stays for 1 vacancy.

I think it usually ranges from something like 3.5-5 interviewees per vacancy, with more flexibility allotted to components/offices with only a handful (e.g., 1-2) of slots. This doesn't account for overlap between components. As a percentage, I think getting the interview at all is more "difficult," although presumably come interviews applicants are more qualified.

For example, career services let us know that in 2014 the Criminal Division considered 800 applicants, conducted 36 interviews, and made 8 offers.

And more relevant, from the 2014 thread:

Greetings all:

I just finished updating status for component interview selections.

Congratulations to those of you who were selected.

Every year we make additional interview selections after the initial posting. This permits components to ensure that their roster of candidates is complete. I hesitate to guess at a date when this will occur due to the uncertainty associated with a possible government shutdown. Generally speaking, we try to finalize the candidate pool by the time interviews start to allow candidates adequate time to submit their pre-interview materials and get them booked for travel.

As time permits today, I will try to send abbreviated notification messages so those who were selected know which components selected them. I will send a later message with detailed instructions on how to schedule interviews and travel. Right now, I am focusing on simply identifying the selecting components.

In case you are wondering, there is a sliding scale of interview candidates based on the number of positions a component wishes to fill. Components filling a small number of positions typically select more candidates per position than components filling a larger number of positions. Components with one position to be filled generally interview around 8 candidates. Components filling a large number of positions generally interview about 3 candidates per vacancy. The average is 4 to 6 candidates per vacancy. This is not a rigid quota - it's flexible - but these are fairly typical numbers. I hope this information is helpful to you.

[Anonymous User]

Did anyone hear from OJP? In terms of being selected for an interview with that office.

{Office of Justice Programs
(Office for Civil Rights)}

[Anonymous User]

CRT email received yesterday at the same time as everyone else.

Question (type-a coming out): Do I need to submit anything other than my travel survey to DOJ Honors and the required documents/section preferences to my component contacts? Just want to make sure I'm not missing anything.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone received an email that provides information about how to schedule an interview? I received an email that notified me that I selected for an interview but it didn't contain any information about the interview scheduling process.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone received an email that provides information about how to schedule an interview? I received an email that notified me that I selected for an interview but it didn't contain any information about the interview scheduling process.

If you received the email with the DOJ header on it, there should be multiple links that lead you back to the DOJ site for information. Essentially you need to send then something within 4 business days that lets them know your possible travel schedule. It differs by section and since it is so quickly approach I would reach out ASAP if you don't have that info.

[Anonymous User]

I was selected for an interview with both of the formal USAOs. Any idea if these spots are for the civil or criminal divisions? I'd like to send an appropriate writing sample.

Edit: Deana literally just posted about this. She is looking into it.

[Anonymous User]

1) there is only one round of interviews; this is it.

2) you don't need to submit anything besides the component-specific items (writing sample etc.) and the scheduling info

3) I would be willing to bet that the USAO positions are going to be criminal, though Deana will of course have the final word.

[Anonymous User]

I was selected for an interview with both of the formal USAOs. Any idea if these spots are for the civil or criminal divisions? I'd like to send an appropriate writing sample.

Edit: Deana literally just posted about this. She is looking into it.

I'm hoping for criminal but still sent a civil writing sample just because I think it's my best work. I did 2 different crim internships and I never got to write a brief and no one else wanted formal memos. Just "send me a couple paragraphs on this issue via email" sort of research assignments.

ETA: If it's a criminal position, will sending a civil-sided memo hurt me? It's definitely my best work and received a lot of praise from the supervising attorney, but it has nothing to do with criminal law.

[Anonymous User]

Did anyone else just receive another "you've been selected" e-mail? The selecting components haven't changed, so I'm assuming this is a glitch?

[Anonymous User]

Did anyone else just receive another "you've been selected" e-mail? The selecting components haven't changed, so I'm assuming this is a glitch?

There were a few people, I was one of them, that didn't get the email the first time so Deana sent it again to everyone.

[Anonymous User]

I was selected for an interview with both of the formal USAOs. Any idea if these spots are for the civil or criminal divisions? I'd like to send an appropriate writing sample.

Edit: Deana literally just posted about this. She is looking into it.

I'm hoping for criminal but still sent a civil writing sample just because I think it's my best work. I did 2 different crim internships and I never got to write a brief and no one else wanted formal memos. Just "send me a couple paragraphs on this issue via email" sort of research assignments.

ETA: If it's a criminal position, will sending a civil-sided memo hurt me? It's definitely my best work and received a lot of praise from the supervising attorney, but it has nothing to do with criminal law.

I doubt it, they want to see your best work.

[Anonymous User]

Same as leak, invite for ENR and ATR-Wash. Would love to know if anyone sees codes for ATR field offices.

Would like to know the same...any ATR field offices yet?

My understanding from previous years is that the field offices operate a little independently of HQ in this process, so I'm interested in this too.

Still nothing on this? The pool of interviewees shouldn't be that big, so it's very possible selections are out and no one here got picked, but that would be a little surprising.

[Anonymous User]

Those that didn't hear back... is that it? Or do you think the part where it says a select few will be notified means that there are some offices that may have not decided if they will take an attorney?

[Anonymous User]

I asked OCS back in the day about the AUSA field office openings because I want civil stuff. The advisor basically said that 100% of those positions have been criminal. Obviously if Deana comes back with something different than listen to her, but I would assume for now that they're crim.

I don't think a civil writing sample would negatively impact you at all, unless it's about the taking away prosecutorial discretion or something.

[Anonymous User]

Seems like Deana still hasn't posted whether the USAO for the Northern District of Ohio position is civil or criminal, or am I missing something? I got an email about the USAOs but it didn't actually contain any helpful information. The position is likely criminal as everyone has said, but I just want to be sure.

[Anonymous User]

For those interviewing with EOIR - I've heard that unless you're at a T20 and have significant immigration experience, your chances of getting an offer at the Arlington or Baltimore court is slim to none. Any truth to this? I have a lot of immigration experience and interned at an immigration court last summer. My school is on the lower end of rankings, although I'm in the top 3%.

[Anonymous User]

What are you submitting for the writing sample? Civil requires something not more than 15 pages, but what do you think is too short?

[Anonymous User]

Are people receiving confirmation of DOJ's receipt of their Travel Survey?

[Anonymous User]

What are you submitting for the writing sample? Civil requires something not more than 15 pages, but what do you think is too short?

At least 5 pages, assuming it's all legal analysis and not just facts. Mine is ~10. I submitted a memo I wrote during my SA summer.

Are people receiving confirmation of DOJ's receipt of their Travel Survey?

I haven't received anything. Sent it Thursday afternoon.

[Anonymous User]

Just received my travel itinerary via email.

[Anonymous User]

Hi, folks:

I'm sure many of you have sent in your travel surveys. Now you are worrying about whether we received them. Fear not! Here's how it works -

1. My scheduling team prints and collates surveys. They track them against a "master list" that shows all the candidates and which components wish to interview them.

2. Toward the end of this week, they will send me a by-name list of HP candidates for whom they do not have a survey.

3. As a courtesy, I will send one followup email message to these individuals so they can submit a Travel Survey.

4. After that, there's a published date (in the HP Interviews information) by which you should have received your interview schedule/travel itinerary. If you have not received your information by then, there are instructions on who to contact.

5. Bear in mind that you may not receive your first choice interview week or day. The focus has to be on getting things done for the first interview week, then it shifts to the second week, then the third.

I hope this information is helpful and wish you all great success.

[Anonymous User]

I had a department show up on my "Selected By" area sometime between Friday and today. Not sure if someone withdrew or they decided to interview more people or what. I wasn't on the "leak" for this department. I suggest you all check again unless you went 3 for 3.