NU OCI 2013/The Great Jerb Hunt Forum

[Anonymous User]

When I submit my bids, it gave me an extra 3 "due to related offices." What does that mean?

Some offices don't allow for multiple interviews. So if you bid multiple offices, you can only get one. Since two or three bids for the same office could only yield one interview slot, they give you extra bids.

Ok... Now let's say I bid firm X at 1, 2, 3... and firm Y at 4.

Let's I get interview with firm X. Will my bid for firm Y re-convert to a bid 2, or is it still a bid 4.
Meaning, in getting Y, who will be ahead:

Me Other Person
X A
X B
X Y
Y C....

Obviously I would appreciate an answer from someone who knows before 4:45 PM...

[rinkrat19]

If a screener lasts over an hour, that's at least not a BAD sign, right?

[Icculus]

If a screener lasts over an hour, that's at least not a BAD sign, right?

How long was it scheduled for? My best interviews were the ones we went over or almost went over our time limit. If they didn't like you they wouldn't want to keep talking to you.

[rinkrat19]

If a screener lasts over an hour, that's at least not a BAD sign, right?

How long was it scheduled for? My best interviews were the ones we went over or almost went over our time limit. If they didn't like you they wouldn't want to keep talking to you.

The email had said "a 20-30 minute screener," but it's not like he's doing a day full of them; just me. (So schedule isn't as big of a deal as at OCI.) It was with the partner who is head of a small IP group at one of Portland's littlebiglaw offices. He said he hates canned interview questions that only get canned answers and he likes to just get to know people when he interviews. So we talked hockey and Chicago pizza. (In addition to why I like trademark--which was appropriate in this case because that's mostly what their little IP group does!--and what I've been working on this summer, and why he chose the firm.)

After my dressing-down from BK and IAFG yesterday I didn't want to read too positively into it, but I felt like it went well.

[lgleye]

.

[soj]

When I submit my bids, it gave me an extra 3 "due to related offices." What does that mean?

Some offices don't allow for multiple interviews. So if you bid multiple offices, you can only get one. Since two or three bids for the same office could only yield one interview slot, they give you extra bids.

Ok... Now let's say I bid firm X at 1, 2, 3... and firm Y at 4.

Let's I get interview with firm X. Will my bid for firm Y re-convert to a bid 2, or is it still a bid 4.
Meaning, in getting Y, who will be ahead:

Me Other Person
X A
X B
X Y
Y C....

Obviously I would appreciate an answer from someone who knows before 4:45 PM...

i think you will be ahead.

If you bid on interviews for a "No Multiple Interview" employer multiple times (i.e., Firm X - Latin America, and Firm X - Asia Pacific), the system will only recognize the first bid you place for that organization.

source: http://web.law.columbia.edu/llm-intervi ... idding-faq

disclaimer: i'm not an authority on symplicity, and my interpretation might be wrong. i wanted to offer it anyway since your question is urgent. i would truly like to know if anyone has contrary information.

[tictactoe]

When I submit my bids, it gave me an extra 3 "due to related offices." What does that mean?

Some offices don't allow for multiple interviews. So if you bid multiple offices, you can only get one. Since two or three bids for the same office could only yield one interview slot, they give you extra bids.

Hi:
Getting a bit confused here. He wasn't talking about submitting OCI bids, was he? I thought all we had to do for OCI was to prioritize our bids, and just wait for the system to lock them down at midnight, right?

Bidding closes at 5 pm CT, not midnight.

[lgleye]

.

[Anonymous User]

When I submit my bids, it gave me an extra 3 "due to related offices." What does that mean?

Some offices don't allow for multiple interviews. So if you bid multiple offices, you can only get one. Since two or three bids for the same office could only yield one interview slot, they give you extra bids.

Ok... Now let's say I bid firm X at 1, 2, 3... and firm Y at 4.

Let's I get interview with firm X. Will my bid for firm Y re-convert to a bid 2, or is it still a bid 4.
Meaning, in getting Y, who will be ahead:

Me Other Person
X A
X B
X Y
Y C....

Obviously I would appreciate an answer from someone who knows before 4:45 PM...

i think you will be ahead.

If you bid on interviews for a "No Multiple Interview" employer multiple times (i.e., Firm X - Latin America, and Firm X - Asia Pacific), the system will only recognize the first bid you place for that organization.

source: http://web.law.columbia.edu/llm-intervi ... idding-faq

disclaimer: i'm not an authority on symplicity, and my interpretation might be wrong. i wanted to offer it anyway since your question is urgent. i would truly like to know if anyone has contrary information.

Thanks for pointing me to the right direction, but this makes me think I might still not be ahread.
From the same site:


"If you bid on interviews for a "No Multiple Interview" employer multiple times (i.e., Firm X - Latin America, and Firm X - Asia Pacific), the system will only recognize the first bid you place for that organization.

Best practice: Think about which office you prefer. Bid for that office, and in the "Preferred Locations" box, indicate the other office locations in which you have an interest.

Note: If an employer does not have the "No Multiple Interviews" icon, then these rules do not apply. You may bid for the same employer more than once. In this case, you will be using a bid for each office."

Employer has "no multiple interviews" icon... and also does not offer the "best practice' tip of placing one bid and then ranking offices.
OCI career services told me that only one of my bids will count, but did not tell me whether the ones that will not count still affect the order of the rest of my bids.

If anyone has any more insights and experience, please let me know...

[Anonymous User]

I called CSO and received this explanation:

Bids for multiple offices of the same "No Multiple Interviews" firm do count as separate bids, but as soon as you are granted a screener for any of those offices, the remaining bids for that firm are void and your bids further down the list are moved up.

So if you bid:
1. X (NY)
2. X (Chi)
3. X (DC)
4. Y

And your friend bids:
1. A
2. B
3. Y
4. C

Then you might be ahead or behind your friend for getting Y, depending on which office of X you get.

If you get X (NY), your bids #2-3 are void, bid #4 becomes #2, and you are ahead.

Assuming you miss X (NY), if you get X (Chi), your bid #3 is void, bid #4 becomes #3, and you are on equal ground as your friend.

Assuming you miss X (NY) and X (Chi), and you get X (DC) or you get shut out of X altogether, you are behind your friend.

If CSO is correct, the system perversely rewards people who already got lucky and got their top choices, but there it is. Bid multiple offices only if you are willing to push down the rest of your bids to get them.

[Anonymous User]

I called CSO and received this explanation:

Bids for multiple offices of the same "No Multiple Interviews" firm do count as separate bids, but as soon as you are granted a screener for any of those offices, the remaining bids for that firm are void and your bids further down the list are moved up.

So if you bid:
1. X (NY)
2. X (Chi)
3. X (DC)
4. Y

And your friend bids:
1. A
2. B
3. Y
4. C

Then you might be ahead or behind your friend for getting Y, depending on which office of X you get.

If you get X (NY), your bids #2-3 are void, bid #4 becomes #2, and you are ahead.

Assuming you miss X (NY), if you get X (Chi), your bid #3 is void, bid #4 becomes #3, and you are on equal ground as your friend.

Assuming you miss X (NY) and X (Chi), and you get X (DC) or you get shut out of X altogether, you are behind your friend.

If CSO is correct, the system perversely rewards people who already got lucky and got their top choices, but there it is. Bid multiple offices only if you are willing to push down the rest of your bids to get them.

Absolutely awesome... it makes sense... Thank you.

[echooo23]

I called CSO and received this explanation:

Bids for multiple offices of the same "No Multiple Interviews" firm do count as separate bids, but as soon as you are granted a screener for any of those offices, the remaining bids for that firm are void and your bids further down the list are moved up.

So if you bid:
1. X (NY)
2. X (Chi)
3. X (DC)
4. Y

And your friend bids:
1. A
2. B
3. Y
4. C

Then you might be ahead or behind your friend for getting Y, depending on which office of X you get.

If you get X (NY), your bids #2-3 are void, bid #4 becomes #2, and you are ahead.

Assuming you miss X (NY), if you get X (Chi), your bid #3 is void, bid #4 becomes #3, and you are on equal ground as your friend.

Assuming you miss X (NY) and X (Chi), and you get X (DC) or you get shut out of X altogether, you are behind your friend.

If CSO is correct, the system perversely rewards people who already got lucky and got their top choices, but there it is. Bid multiple offices only if you are willing to push down the rest of your bids to get them.

Thanks!

[Anonymous User]

When firms say no multiple interviews, does that mean including interviews I get for same firm but different office from job fairs? So, for example, if I have a screener with Mayer Brown Chicago through CCBA and they made it clear that they are only hiring for Chicago, and I get through OCI a screener with Mayer Brown New York but the OCI system says no multiple interviews, do I have to cancel one of them?

[rinkrat19]

When firms say no multiple interviews, does that mean including interviews I get for same firm but different office from job fairs? So, for example, if I have a screener with Mayer Brown Chicago through CCBA and they made it clear that they are only hiring for Chicago, and I get through OCI a screener with Mayer Brown New York but the OCI system says no multiple interviews, do I have to cancel one of them?

I asked Dave Diamond a similar question:

I saw that we are not allowed to bid (at OCI) on firms we interview with at an outside fair. What if I am interviewing only for IP and a Bay Area office, at the San Francisco fair, and I would be interested in interviewing with them for other practice areas/other offices?

The limitation on interviewing with the same office of the same firm twice comes from the employers, though we are the ones asked to enforce it. Bidding on a firm with whom you will interview at an outside job fair is a wasted bid, as 99 out of 100 times the firms catch the overlap and we have to remove you from their interview list.

[Anonymous User]

When firms say no multiple interviews, does that mean including interviews I get for same firm but different office from job fairs? So, for example, if I have a screener with Mayer Brown Chicago through CCBA and they made it clear that they are only hiring for Chicago, and I get through OCI a screener with Mayer Brown New York but the OCI system says no multiple interviews, do I have to cancel one of them?

I asked Dave Diamond a similar question:

I saw that we are not allowed to bid (at OCI) on firms we interview with at an outside fair. What if I am interviewing only for IP and a Bay Area office, at the San Francisco fair, and I would be interested in interviewing with them for other practice areas/other offices?

The limitation on interviewing with the same office of the same firm twice comes from the employers, though we are the ones asked to enforce it. Bidding on a firm with whom you will interview at an outside job fair is a wasted bid, as 99 out of 100 times the firms catch the overlap and we have to remove you from their interview list.

Hmm. That hardly seems fair. So by taking the job fair screener, I precluded myself from interviewing for multiple offices, whereas if I had passed on the job fair screener I could potentially snag a multiple office screener through OCI. WTF sense does that make?

[IAFG]

Hmm. That hardly seems fair. So by taking the job fair screener, I precluded myself from interviewing for multiple offices, whereas if I had passed on the job fair screener I could potentially snag a multiple office screener through OCI. WTF sense does that make?

I don't think "multiple office screeners" really give you a shot at multiple offices.

[rinkrat19]

Hmm. That hardly seems fair. So by taking the job fair screener, I precluded myself from interviewing for multiple offices, whereas if I had passed on the job fair screener I could potentially snag a multiple office screener through OCI. WTF sense does that make?

I don't think "multiple office screeners" really give you a shot at multiple offices.

So when it says that Firm X is coming to OCI to interview for their Chi/SF/Seattle/Philly/Boston offices, you're not actually getting a shot at all of those? What are you getting a shot at, then?

[Icculus]

Hmm. That hardly seems fair. So by taking the job fair screener, I precluded myself from interviewing for multiple offices, whereas if I had passed on the job fair screener I could potentially snag a multiple office screener through OCI. WTF sense does that make?

I don't think "multiple office screeners" really give you a shot at multiple offices.

So when it says that Firm X is coming to OCI to interview for their Chi/SF/Seattle/Philly/Boston offices, you're not actually getting a shot at all of those? What are you getting a shot at, then?

For example last year I interviewed with a firm and the interviewer was screening for several offices. When I walked in he asked "what office are you interested in?" You probably aren't going to impress if you say "all of them."

[IAFG]

Hmm. That hardly seems fair. So by taking the job fair screener, I precluded myself from interviewing for multiple offices, whereas if I had passed on the job fair screener I could potentially snag a multiple office screener through OCI. WTF sense does that make?

I don't think "multiple office screeners" really give you a shot at multiple offices.

So when it says that Firm X is coming to OCI to interview for their Chi/SF/Seattle/Philly/Boston offices, you're not actually getting a shot at all of those? What are you getting a shot at, then?

I mean I guess you could say, "I do like Chicago, so put me down for that, but I visited Seattle, and that's chill, and I'm from Philly, and Boston is a lot like Philly... but SF is practically the same as Seattle, so just all of them." But what they're looking for, generally, is for you to pick one. I mean, obviously, right? Firms care a about city ties.

[echooo23]

Hmm. That hardly seems fair. So by taking the job fair screener, I precluded myself from interviewing for multiple offices, whereas if I had passed on the job fair screener I could potentially snag a multiple office screener through OCI. WTF sense does that make?

I don't think "multiple office screeners" really give you a shot at multiple offices.

So when it says that Firm X is coming to OCI to interview for their Chi/SF/Seattle/Philly/Boston offices, you're not actually getting a shot at all of those? What are you getting a shot at, then?

I mean I guess you could say, "I do like Chicago, so put me down for that, but I visited Seattle, and that's chill, and I'm from Philly, and Boston is a lot like Philly... but SF is practically the same as Seattle, so just all of them." But what they're looking for, generally, is for you to pick one. I mean, obviously, right? Firms care a about city ties.

Sure, ties are important, but will it really be devastating to want both Chicago and Hometown City?

[IAFG]

Sure, ties are important, but will it really be devastating to want both Chicago and Hometown City?

I dunno, how strong are your grades? And is Hometown actually hiring summers?

[echooo23]

Sure, ties are important, but will it really be devastating to want both Chicago and Hometown City?

I dunno, how strong are your grades? And is Hometown actually hiring summers?

Not strong, and yes but small class size. I see your point.

Edit: so does that mean I shouldn't rank my office preferences and should just choose one? I assume, the firm gets to see the ranks, and it would look bad to rank 4 out of 9 offices or whatever.

[rinkrat19]

So when it says that Firm X is coming to OCI to interview for their Chi/SF/Seattle/Philly/Boston offices, you're not actually getting a shot at all of those? What are you getting a shot at, then?

I mean I guess you could say, "I do like Chicago, so put me down for that, but I visited Seattle, and that's chill, and I'm from Philly, and Boston is a lot like Philly... but SF is practically the same as Seattle, so just all of them." But what they're looking for, generally, is for you to pick one. I mean, obviously, right? Firms care a about city ties.

Oh, so it's more of an "any city," not "all cities"? You do legitimately have a shot at whatever city they say they're interviewing for; just not ALL of the cities.

[IAFG]

Oh, so it's more of an "any city," not "all cities"? You do legitimately have a shot at whatever city they say they're interviewing for; just not ALL of the cities.

Unless they aren't necessarily hiring summers for all cities, which I've heard of. Like, they'll put an office, and the interviewer will even say they're not sure they're hiring summers for that.

[IAFG]

Sure, ties are important, but will it really be devastating to want both Chicago and Hometown City?

I dunno, how strong are your grades? And is Hometown actually hiring summers?

Not strong, and yes but small class size. I see your point.

Edit: so does that mean I shouldn't rank my office preferences and should just choose one? I assume, the firm gets to see the ranks, and it would look bad to rank 4 out of 9 offices or whatever.

I don't think anyone really cares what you ranked on symplicity. They ask you again when you walk in anyway.