V15 Partner/OCI Interviewer Answering Questions... Forum

[Anonymous User]

^^^Not OP, but to the poster above I'd recommend easing back to the extent that's possible. Your questions all seem valid, but they come off pretty neurotic when they're assembled in a giant list, especially since you're really only asking one question. Take a breath, focus on the things that make you a strong candidate, and do not fixate on your transfer-related fears. It is what it is; you stepped up your game, so run with it. If you walk in dripping anxiety you're not doing yourself any favors.

[itbdvorm]

Transfer student: T1 25% --> Northwestern, 5+ years W/E (consulting + co-founded a non-tech startup all in a major East Asian country, if it makes any difference), fully bilingual. I've been told I'm a decent interviewer with lots of interesting work experience to talk about, which probably means I'm just a normal person.

There are no non-midwest firms that come to my old school's OCI but nearly all Chicago firms come. I meet the "published" cutoffs from symplicity for 90% of the Chicago firms. I have no idea if I meet the internal cutoffs but the school has around a 30% BL+FC score on LST.

What are the most typical mistakes transfer students make during the initial interview/hiring process?

Other than grades and the usual things you look for in all candidates, do you look for anything in particular when interviewing transfer students that you don't normally look for when interviewing native students?

Thank you in advance.

*edited to sound less neurotic

Biggest mistake - what cutoffs are you considering? Because the grade cuts for Northwestern kids are NOT the grade cuts for you.

[champloo]

Transfer student: T1 25% --> Northwestern, 5+ years W/E (consulting + co-founded a non-tech startup all in a major East Asian country, if it makes any difference), fully bilingual. I've been told I'm a decent interviewer with lots of interesting work experience to talk about, which probably means I'm just a normal person.

There are no non-midwest firms that come to my old school's OCI but nearly all Chicago firms come. I meet the "published" cutoffs from symplicity for 90% of the Chicago firms. I have no idea if I meet the internal cutoffs but the school has around a 30% BL+FC score on LST.

What are the most typical mistakes transfer students make during the initial interview/hiring process?

Other than grades and the usual things you look for in all candidates, do you look for anything in particular when interviewing transfer students that you don't normally look for when interviewing native students?

Thank you in advance.

*edited to sound less neurotic

Biggest mistake - what cutoffs are you considering? Because the grade cuts for Northwestern kids are NOT the grade cuts for you.

Cutoffs at my old school. But using gpa/callback data at Northwestern for NY firms. Since NU gpa is out of 4.33 im using my old school gpa as reference (i.e. 3.6/4.0 @ old school = 3.6/4.33 @ NU).

[jbagelboy]

Transfer student: T1 25% --> Northwestern, 5+ years W/E (consulting + co-founded a non-tech startup all in a major East Asian country, if it makes any difference), fully bilingual. I've been told I'm a decent interviewer with lots of interesting work experience to talk about, which probably means I'm just a normal person.

There are no non-midwest firms that come to my old school's OCI but nearly all Chicago firms come. I meet the "published" cutoffs from symplicity for 90% of the Chicago firms. I have no idea if I meet the internal cutoffs but the school has around a 30% BL+FC score on LST.

What are the most typical mistakes transfer students make during the initial interview/hiring process?

Other than grades and the usual things you look for in all candidates, do you look for anything in particular when interviewing transfer students that you don't normally look for when interviewing native students?

Thank you in advance.

*edited to sound less neurotic

Biggest mistake - what cutoffs are you considering? Because the grade cuts for Northwestern kids are NOT the grade cuts for you.

Cutoffs at my old school. But using gpa/callback data at Northwestern for NY firms. Since NU gpa is out of 4.33 im using my old school gpa as reference (i.e. 3.6/4.0 @ old school = 3.6/4.33 @ NU).

but that doesn't work because others don't see it that way

[champloo]

but that doesn't work because others don't see it that way

Fair enough. So what else should I do in addition to the regular things everyone else does? I've been keeping in touch/updating most of the lawyers I've spoken with over the past year but I'm not sure if that's enough. A lot have asked me to send resumes and such but I doubt that'll turn into anything significant. I'm mostly happy with just speaking to them about their firm/practice but I feel like I should be more proactive about trying to get interviews.

I've been pretty conservative w/r/t bidding and bid a heavy amount of the less selective NY/CHI firms. But CHI firms don't hire nearly as many people as NY firms and NY firms don't usually hire from my old school. I'm assuming being exceptionally well prepared for interviews is all I can do but in case there's something else, I'm all ears.

[itbdvorm]

but that doesn't work because others don't see it that way

Fair enough. So what else should I do in addition to the regular things everyone else does? I've been keeping in touch/updating most of the lawyers I've spoken with over the past year but I'm not sure if that's enough. A lot have asked me to send resumes and such but I doubt that'll turn into anything significant. I'm mostly happy with just speaking to them about their firm/practice but I feel like I should be more proactive about trying to get interviews.

I've been pretty conservative w/r/t bidding and bid a heavy amount of the less selective NY/CHI firms. But CHI firms don't hire nearly as many people as NY firms and NY firms don't usually hire from my old school. I'm assuming being exceptionally well prepared for interviews is all I can do but in case there's something else, I'm all ears.

Figure out what firms DO hire people from your old school at your GPA. Your OLD school, not your NEW school is what will matter for purposes of grade cuts. Your GPA is not comparable to a Northwestern GPA - do not treat it as such.

[Anonymous User]

What advice do you have for candidates who have high grades (top 5-10) and LR but are not very personable. Not aspbergers or anything like that. Just on the introverted side and not natural conversationalists. Think "nice guy, smart, definitely on the nerdy side."

[itbdvorm]

What advice do you have for candidates who have high grades (top 5-10) and LR but are not very personable. Not aspbergers or anything like that. Just on the introverted side and not natural conversationalists. Think "nice guy, smart, definitely on the nerdy side."

Practice interviews are a really good idea - people can point out your actually flaws

Get used to being in vaguely uncomfortable situations - it's part of the job (you can't necessarily control who you talk to and when)

Be very prepared, try to relax a little - your grades will make up for most/all of these flaws

[Anonymous User]

Is it better to leave non-professional work off of a resume? I worked in customer service after college. I eventually found something better for the following 3 years. Removing it would create almost a year gap. Below/at median.

[itbdvorm]

Is it better to leave non-professional work off of a resume? I worked in customer service after college. I eventually found something better for the following 3 years. Removing it would create almost a year gap. Below/at median.

Depends on the interviewer, I think. Not that helpful at the more "white shoe" firms, but couldn't hurt for scrappier places...

[Anonymous User]

for those interviews that you know they are not interested from the very start, how do you change their mind?

(i.e. they start with asking "what can i tell you about the firm" and did not bother asking a single question on the resume, and you can sense the interviewer is rambling but unlikely to stop...and the whole thing turned into a informational setting where you are forced to ask your questions without giving the chance to contribute and jump in)

I mean we only have thirty minutes and I really hate it when interviewer starts to talk non-stop even I asked specific questions, what is the polite way to stop them and steer their attention back to me? I understand this question might be exceptionally hard

[itbdvorm]

for those interviews that you know they are not interested from the very start, how do you change their mind?

(i.e. they start with asking "what can i tell you about the firm" and did not bother asking a single question on the resume, and you can sense the interviewer is rambling but unlikely to stop...and the whole thing turned into a informational setting where you are forced to ask your questions without giving the chance to contribute and jump in)

I mean we only have thirty minutes and I really hate it when interviewer starts to talk non-stop even I asked specific questions, what is the polite way to stop them and steer their attention back to me? I understand this question might be exceptionally hard

By leaving

If you are underneath their grade cut - especially substantially - you have zero chance

[Anonymous User]

for those interviews that you know they are not interested from the very start, how do you change their mind?

(i.e. they start with asking "what can i tell you about the firm" and did not bother asking a single question on the resume, and you can sense the interviewer is rambling but unlikely to stop...and the whole thing turned into a informational setting where you are forced to ask your questions without giving the chance to contribute and jump in)

I mean we only have thirty minutes and I really hate it when interviewer starts to talk non-stop even I asked specific questions, what is the polite way to stop them and steer their attention back to me? I understand this question might be exceptionally hard

By leaving

If you are underneath their grade cut - especially substantially - you have zero chance

i was talking about above the grade-cut situation. our school does not have the lottery system, so if one has a preselect that means the firm picked the interviewer after checking the resume/ cover letter/ transcript.

"leaving" is a great idea. I might try it next time. I asked my last question by saying "sir this interview has been very informational, but I do still have a lot of credentials I would love to address, is there anything on my resume that you would like me to elaborate" do you think that is a direct affront, or its actually a decent way to change the situation? i thought i had nothing to lose and went for it. ended up telling my story in a rush

[itbdvorm]

for those interviews that you know they are not interested from the very start, how do you change their mind?

(i.e. they start with asking "what can i tell you about the firm" and did not bother asking a single question on the resume, and you can sense the interviewer is rambling but unlikely to stop...and the whole thing turned into a informational setting where you are forced to ask your questions without giving the chance to contribute and jump in)

I mean we only have thirty minutes and I really hate it when interviewer starts to talk non-stop even I asked specific questions, what is the polite way to stop them and steer their attention back to me? I understand this question might be exceptionally hard

By leaving

If you are underneath their grade cut - especially substantially - you have zero chance

i was talking about above the grade-cut situation. our school does not have the lottery system, so if one has a preselect that means the firm picked the interviewer after checking the resume/ cover letter/ transcript.

"leaving" is a great idea. I might try it next time. I asked my last question by saying "sir this interview has been very informational, but I do still have a lot of credentials I would love to address, is there anything on my resume that you would like me to elaborate" do you think that is a direct affront, or its actually a decent way to change the situation? i thought i had nothing to lose and went for it. ended up telling my story in a rush

Honestly, not that much you can do about it. Not even necessarily a sign you're doing badly. Could be a sign they've made a decision - which could be a good one - and they're trying to sell you

I guess you can ask them specific questions - try to lead them down their path...

[Anonymous User]

^^^^

I'm not from the area the firm was located, how likely do you think their indifference to my resume comes from my lack of ties?

[Anonymous User]

Is it a bad thing to say answer "no" when the interviewer asks if I have any other questions? Or am I expected to squeeze every last minute out of it?

[El Pollito]

Is it a bad thing to say answer "no" when the interviewer asks if I have any other questions? Or am I expected to squeeze every last minute out of it?

At least say something like "is there anything else you think I should know?" instead of shutting down the conversation entirely. And yeah, it's probably bad unless the interview is basically over and you've already asked a bunch of questions demonstrating that you're engaged and that you've at least read the firm's website.

[Desert Fox]

[jbagelboy]

itbdvorm must work at a firm MUCH more concerned with GPA cuttoffs than mine. I'm not convinced most firms really have one.

Your firm probably has cutoffs for tier 2/3 schools tho

[Desert Fox]

[Johann]

itbdvorm must work at a firm MUCH more concerned with GPA cuttoffs than mine. I'm not convinced most firms really have one.

he shit on someone in this thread for using like their instead of there on an internet message board as being sloppy. not knocking him because hes doing a very nice thing, but that makes me believe his firm is pretty prestige oriented. i mean can you even imagine the lync conversations at that place.

[El Pollito]

my lync convos are mostly sheep emoticons

[jbagelboy]

In fairness, the thread does say V15 interviewer answering questions (I always assumed Paul Weiss). So its not like the prestige factor is really deceptively advertised.

[Johann]

also, lol at foxy spelling itbdvorms name right. even df feeling the prestige aura in this thread.

[Desert Fox]