Read the Interview Tea Leaves Forum

[Anonymous User]

I was offered an interview with a Vault 50 firm today and I'm not too sure what to expect. I'm hoping TLS can shed some wisdom on the situation and help me to adequately prepare. Here's the story:

I'm top 5% at a T-30 and am spending the summer in my home market, which is not a major market, interning for a judge. I direct mailed the firm with a tailored cover letter, resume, etc because they're not coming to OCI. I have great ties to the market and tried to convey my sincere enthusiasm for the firm. I only offer those details to demonstrate that it isn't beyond the imagination that I would have gotten the interview. Well, they called and set up a time to interview me before I leave the market for school in the fall. What should I expect? Is this a screening interview? Will it more closely resemble a call-back? I'd welcome any other advice beyond the questions I've asked here on how to handle the interview.

tl;dr version: what should I expect in an interview prior to OCI without having been screened first?

[barry]

90% of the time it's gonna be like a callback if they give it to you from mailing

[Doritos]

Ask how long the interview lasts. 30 minutes = screener. Half a day = callback. Bingo Bango

[RMstratosphere]

When is it scheduled for? Early morning? Probably a call back. After 4:00 pm? Probably a screener. On the weekend? Definitely not a screener.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. The interview is scheduled for a weekday morning.

[Anonymous User]

Not OP.

Is the offer rate for targeted-mail callbacks appreciably lower than a post-OCI callback? Do we have to wait until after schools do OCI to find out in many cases?

[RMstratosphere]

Not OP.

Is the offer rate for targeted-mail callbacks appreciably lower than a post-OCI callback? Do we have to wait until after schools do OCI to find out in many cases?

I'm unaware of any data on this issue, but I can't think of any reason why a firm would be less likely to make an offer to an applicant who secured their callback through a mailing than OCI. Either way, the applicant was screened and approved. I think it's unlikely that the firm would waste their time and resources doing the callback if it were otherwise.

[5ky]

Not OP.

Is the offer rate for targeted-mail callbacks appreciably lower than a post-OCI callback? Do we have to wait until after schools do OCI to find out in many cases?

I'm unaware of any data on this issue, but I can't think of any reason why a firm would be less likely to make an offer to an applicant who secured their callback through a mailing than OCI. Either way, the applicant was screened and approved. I think it's unlikely that the firm would waste their time and resources doing the callback if it were otherwise.

I can see an argument that in situations like this, the firm doesn't have to spend the money to fly the applicant out/put them up in a hotel, but I'm inclined to agree with you. I think any difference in mass mail vs. OCI would be more than made up by the actual interest that OP has in the firm/area.

[Anonymous User]

OP again.

If you've voted, please leave a comment sharing your thoughts. I'd appreciate it.