Top Law Schools

My CDO insists its a bad idea to mail firms that are already coming to OCI saying its "rude". Was wondering if anyone had experience with this.
I don't agree with the advice and will probably mail because:
a). No guarantee I'll get an interview and if I mail after it's likely too late.
and b). I really doubt that the person interviewing me is going to have checked the database of everyone who mass mailed prior to interviewing (saying it confirms to me that its absurd).

Can anyone explain why it would be a problem to mass mail (especially the popular firms showing up?)

Thanks

Unless you are an extremely desirable candidate, it's not going to work. And, while I think "rude" is a little strong, I would be annoyed if I were a recruiter and you spammed me before I came to your school. It wouldn't make me want to call you back.

Renzo wrote:Unless you are an extremely desirable candidate, it's not going to work. And, while I think "rude" is a little strong, I would be annoyed if I were a recruiter and you spammed me before I came to your school. It wouldn't make me want to call you back.

+1

Because they didn't pick you and therefore don't want you. Firms would do zero lottery picks if they could.

Perhaps there will be no harm if you DO get a shot at OCI (but this is by no means guaranteed).

However, if you DO NOT get anything at OCI, whoever you mail your resume to will pick up the envelope and say to themselves "Didn't we go to his/her school?", shortly before depositing your resume in the trash.

So, possible downside? Yes. Upside? None.

Renzo wrote:Unless you are an extremely desirable candidate, it's not going to work. And, while I think "rude" is a little strong, I would be annoyed if I were a recruiter and you spammed me before I came to your school. It wouldn't make me want to call you back.

If they were an extremely desirable candidate, they'd have gotten pre-selected for OCI. There is no benefit.

My School has no pre-select... so I'm not sure how any of this rationale applies.

Anonymous User wrote:My School has no pre-select... so I'm not sure how any of this rationale applies.

All of the rationale still applies. If you don't get an interview with a firm you really like, drop a resume with them during OCI. If you are an extremely desirable candidate, they'll get you an interview. If not, you might get an interview if someone cancels or they find some extra time. But they aren't going to do anything but be annoyed that you are trying to frustrate the lottery if you try and frustrate the lottery.

Interesting, so you really believe the partner interviewing at OCI actually takes the time to go to the recruiter and ask who applied to the firm in mass mailing?

Anonymous User wrote:If you don't get an interview with a firm you really like, drop a resume with them during OCI

This is the best way. Stalk the hospitality suite and then appear normal for the 3 minute conversation while dropping your resume off. If you are a high value candidate then it will be as good as an actual interview.

Anonymous User wrote:Interesting, so you really believe the partner interviewing at OCI actually takes the time to go to the recruiter and ask who applied to the firm in mass mailing?

No. If you get an interview through the lottery, you will have done nothing important by spamming them. All you'll have done is annoyed a recruiter when s/he found a double-copy of your resume.

And, if you don't get an interview through the lottery, you'll have done nothing important by spamming them. All you'll have done is annoyed a recruiter when s/he had to throw away your resume while wondering why you though you were so special that you wouldn't have to go through the lottery process like everyone else.

Absolutely do this. Wait until about two weeks before OCI and send your stuff to the firm and include in your cover letter something to the effect of "I bid on you, did not get you, and am still interested and would like to set up an interview." I'm not quite sure the bizarre thinking that you will appear rude, this is not rude at all. Don't wait for the hospitality suite to drop off your resume, you can do that as well if you want, but email before OCI. I did this and snagged some additional interviews, both at OCI and outside.

Anonymous User wrote:Absolutely do this. Wait until about two weeks before OCI and send your stuff to the firm and include in your cover letter something to the effect of "I bid on you, did not get you, and am still interested and would like to set up an interview." I'm not quite sure the bizarre thinking that you will appear rude, this is not rude at all. Don't wait for the hospitality suite to drop off your resume, you can do that as well if you want, but email before OCI. I did this and snagged some additional interviews, both at OCI and outside.

The OP said specifically that they were not talking about waiting until they had an interview schedule and applying to OCI firms they missed out on. That's legitimate. Spamming firms before the interview schedules are set is just an annoyance; it's not like they are going to find room for you in a schedule that doesn't exist, and might potentially already have your name on it.

Renzo wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Absolutely do this. Wait until about two weeks before OCI and send your stuff to the firm and include in your cover letter something to the effect of "I bid on you, did not get you, and am still interested and would like to set up an interview." I'm not quite sure the bizarre thinking that you will appear rude, this is not rude at all. Don't wait for the hospitality suite to drop off your resume, you can do that as well if you want, but email before OCI. I did this and snagged some additional interviews, both at OCI and outside.

The OP said specifically that they were not talking about waiting until they had an interview schedule and applying to OCI firms they missed out on. That's legitimate. Spamming firms before the interview schedules are set is just an annoyance; it's not like they are going to find room for you in a schedule that doesn't exist, and might potentially already have your name on it.

I've not gone through OCI yet, but I think these two posts perfectly sum up what the OP should do. Submit bids. Wait. Don't Spam. Then for firms where you don't get an interview, you may want to send in a targeted cover letter & resume (though in all likelihood it will still come to nothin').

but randomly mass mailing before the schedule has come out is a terrible idea.

A friend of mine mailed a firm that was coming to OCI sometime in early July, long before the OCI interview selections...long story short he was one of the few people I knew who got to do OCI offer already in hand. The reason your schools CS office tells you not to do it is because they do not want a rush of all their students applying pre-oci.

Anonymous User wrote:A friend of mine mailed a firm that was coming to OCI sometime in early July, long before the OCI interview selections...long story short he was one of the few people I knew who got to do OCI offer already in hand. The reason your schools CS office tells you not to do it is because they do not want a rush of all their students applying pre-oci.

A friend of mine did it and got hit by lightning a week later. So the reason OCS doesn't want you to do it is because it angers the gods.

This is the problem with most OCS offices... they advise you based on what is best for the schools reputation and not for your personal job prospects. There's absolutely no downside to double applying. The partner is not going to be aware and the recruiter does not memorize everyone's name who did a mass mailing.

It would compromise the schools lottery system if everyone mass mailed the firms coming to OCI, but guess what, firms want the best students not the ones who ended up getting on their interview list by chance, they don't like the lottery either.

The only downside of this is to your school's reputation, which I am not sympathetic to as my school is not 200k in debt.

Anonymous User wrote: It would compromise the schools lottery system if everyone mass mailed the firms coming to OCI, but guess what, firms want the best students not the ones who ended up getting on their interview list by chance, they don't like the lottery either.

The only downside of this is to your school's reputation, which I am not sympathetic to as my school is not 200k in debt.

This assumes that the mass mailer is one of "the best students" and that they firm will feel like they really missed out if they don't get a shot at the person. Otherwise, the firm is only annoyed by mass-mailers (although, as you say, no one will really notice), and undermining the lottery actually hurts the mass-mailer.

Renzo wrote:

Anonymous User wrote: It would compromise the schools lottery system if everyone mass mailed the firms coming to OCI, but guess what, firms want the best students not the ones who ended up getting on their interview list by chance, they don't like the lottery either.

The only downside of this is to your school's reputation, which I am not sympathetic to as my school is not 200k in debt.

This assumes that the mass mailer is one of "the best students" and that they firm will feel like they really missed out if they don't get a shot at the person. Otherwise, the firm is only annoyed by mass-mailers (although, as you say, no one will really notice), and undermining the lottery actually hurts the mass-mailer.

This. If you are one of the best students, or you have connections with the firm, mail them ahead of time. If not, it's not going to work.

Does anyone know this first hand...

What happens when you mass mail firms your resume?

Do they keep it? Create a file? Throw it out? Hit delete?

Anyone have any REAL info???

Anonymous User wrote:Does anyone know this first hand...

What happens when you mass mail firms your resume?

Do they keep it? Create a file? Throw it out? Hit delete?

Anyone have any REAL info???

What kind of question is this? They receive your material, review it, decide whether or not to give you an interview, and inform you of your choice. The fuck were you expecting them to do, add it to their fuel pile for the smoke signals the use to warn of British invasion?

Anonymous User wrote:A friend of mine mailed a firm that was coming to OCI sometime in early July, long before the OCI interview selections...long story short he was one of the few people I knew who got to do OCI offer already in hand. The reason your schools CS office tells you not to do it is because they do not want a rush of all their students applying pre-oci.

This. I had a three or four callbacks completed and an offer in hand before my school even began OCI.

If you target firms that typically hire from your schools/region, and you present a compelling case on paper, you absolutely should do a July mailing IMO.