Summer 2013 Non-OCI Job Hunt (Mass Mail, Job Fairs, etc) Forum

[chrisbru]

Snail mail rejection from Dykema DC even though I contacted them through e-mail.


So due to journal training + transfer orientation, I won't be available for non-DC callbacks until Tuesday, August 28. Is this really late? Am I screwed? I only have 4 DC interviews so far through mass mailing. All OCI screeners are NYC, and pushing NYC callbacks (if i get any..) back to end of Aug/beginning of Sept worries me if all of the NYC spots will get snatched up fast.

I don't think you'll be too late. I just scheduled a callback with a firm (admittedly non-NYC, but a pretty big market), and they said they don't even start hosting callbacks until August 29.

I think a lot of secondary markets wait until the NYC/Chicago/DC callbacks happen, at least the way things have been looking around the Midwest.

[ilovesf]

Depends. I guess it's different but in SF call backs are already going on this week (and it's still OCI week, too).

[Gecko of Doom]

Didn't mean to imply that that was the norm. Just saying I don't think being unavailable until then means you're too late to get an offer.

[Anonymous User]

Ugh I'm getting destroyed with my schools OCI, 100% preselect and I got zero the first round... Top 20% mid tier 1. I've already mailed out around 120 firms, but I'm going to try to get to over 200 this weekend.

[ShitLawOrBust]

Ugh I'm getting destroyed with my schools OCI, 100% preselect and I got zero the first round... Top 20% mid tier 1. I've already mailed out around 120 firms, but I'm going to try to get to over 200 this weekend.

good lord, that's rough

[dreakol]

I've mailed about 20 large firms in Florida. A couple dings, but I don't expect anything with my resume.

What is the time frame for midsize firms? I feel like I'll have a lot more success with those.

a lot of the mid sized firms i've mass mailed already have told me to talk to them again come September. This is also when most of the mid size firms that do oci at my school are coming to campus so i'm probably going to spam like crazy the 25-100ish size firms come the first of the month.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have success in San Diego? It's my home market and ideally I would love to practice down there but there are only a few "BigLaw" firms from my understanding, plenty of 2-10 attorney boutique firms and a metric fuckton of solo practitioners. Should I waste my time with the boutique firms and inquire about a Summer Associate position or just target the small amount of big firms and hope for the best?

I was one of two summers at a 7 lawyer firm this summer - not in San Diego, but I guess I'm trying to say it doesn't hurt to ask. Play up any connections you have.

Thanks, for the advice. I'm gonna start mass mailing to these types of firms at the beginning of September and see what happens. Out of curiosity, did they still pay you a pro-rated salary like BigLaw, or just hourly? Are you still waiting to hear back if they extended you an offer?

[chrisbru]

I've mailed all the big firms that I have any shot at - next week I'll be starting mid-size Chicago and Minneapolis firms and small Des Moines firms. Wish me luck - I don't have faith in OCI turning anything up for me.

[Anonymous User]

6 dings in one day, and this is weeks since I mailed them. Also dinged at the one hometown screener I went on. This is just ugly.

[lawschoofoo]

2 dings today from Chicago. However, did get interview with mid-size firm in medium size market on the West Coast.

[Anonymous User]

I've mailed all the big firms that I have any shot at - next week I'll be starting mid-size Chicago and Minneapolis firms and small Des Moines firms. Wish me luck - I don't have faith in OCI turning anything up for me.

Good luck in with anyone in Chicago. It's insane. Minneapolis actually doesn't look bad this year - wish you the best.

[Anonymous User]

IUB top 25%. Didn't get any interviews at OCI. Want Indy for final market...

[Anonymous User]

6 8 dings in one day, and this is weeks since I mailed them. Also dinged at the one hometown screener I went on. This is just ugly.

Same anon. I guess firms just wanted to get rid of the trash pre-OCI

[Anonymous User]

So I'm finishing up my school's market mass mailing this weekend and already did my home market. I have no real ties to any other market. I have about ~20 screeners thru OCI here, had a few interviews in my home market. I'm #5 at a lower T1. Is it even worth mass mailing NYC for me without any ties whatsoever or any other market I should mail?

[dreakol]

So I'm finishing up my school's market mass mailing this weekend and already did my home market. I have no real ties to any other market. I have about ~20 screeners thru OCI here, had a few interviews in my home market. I'm #5 at a lower T1. Is it even worth mass mailing NYC for me without any ties whatsoever or any other market I should mail?

from what i've heard, nyc doesn't care about ties and try your undergrad market if it is different from your law school's market/home market

also, ties can be stretched

[crossarmant]

Yay, more NYC dings trickling in today. This is lovely.

[ShitLawOrBust]

So I'm finishing up my school's market mass mailing this weekend and already did my home market. I have no real ties to any other market. I have about ~20 screeners thru OCI here, had a few interviews in my home market. I'm #5 at a lower T1. Is it even worth mass mailing NYC for me without any ties whatsoever or any other market I should mail?

Do it. I've received 2 NY interviews this week and I have no ties. #2 at a lower T1

[Anonymous User]

So to follow-up on that, what do I put where I would normally put where my "why this market" sentence in my cover letter is? Is it best to just not mention anything?

[chitown2626]

So to follow-up on that, what do I put where I would normally put where my "why this market" sentence in my cover letter is? Is it best to just not mention anything?

i've still mentioned at least a sentence, something generic like "I am interested in your NY office because as someone wanting to do transactional work, I recognize that New York is the major hub for this type of work"

however, ive only hear crickets so far so maybe im doing it wrong.

[Gotti]

Tagging. I'm a little late but I'm hoping to send out a shit ton more of mass mails to NYC. Nervous.

[dreakol]

mass mailed mid/big firms in LA, SF, Pittsburgh, Philly, Chicago, and NYC. some rejections/ask us later but mostly silence. :/

time to stretch my ties even further and hit up random markets.

[Dr. Review]

mass mailed mid/big firms in LA, SF, Pittsburgh, Philly, Chicago, and NYC. some rejections/ask us later but mostly silence. :/

time to stretch my ties even further and hit up random markets.

It's a shade early for mid firms in Pittsburgh. Big firms won't do Pgh OCI for another few weeks also, so don't get discouraged.

[JenDarby]

Tagging. I'm a little late but I'm hoping to send out a shit ton more of mass mails to NYC. Nervous.

I'm right there with you. Are you hitting CA too?

[Anonymous User]

Is it too late to send out mass mails to markets I have very marginal ties to but just want to live in? (particularly in the Mountain West)

[JenDarby]

Is it too late to send out mass mails to markets I have very marginal ties to but just want to live in? (particularly in the Mountain West)

It's definitely not too late, but getting moving on it ASAP. The only thing you have to lose is not getting interviews. You have a 100% chance of not getting them if you don't try.