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OCI is on Monday and I'm getting a bit nervous. I'm spending up to an hour researching each firm using the links posted in this forum, brainstorming questions and taking notes to refresh my memory the day of. Is that enough research until I find out what I have for callbacks? How well am I supposed to know these firms at this point?

transfer2014 wrote:Is that enough research until I find out what I have for callbacks?

What the fuck, man? You're researching firms you don't even know if you have an interview with?

Relax. Go outside and play. Have a beer or five. Research the firms you'll actually be talking to.

kalvano wrote:

transfer2014 wrote:Is that enough research until I find out what I have for callbacks?

What the fuck, man? You're researching firms you don't even know if you have an interview with?

Relax. Go outside and play. Have a beer or five. Research the firms you'll actually be talking to.

No, I know I have 20 minute interviews at OCI with the firms I'm researching. I'm asking if thats enough preparation for those interviews.

transfer2014 wrote:

kalvano wrote:

transfer2014 wrote:Is that enough research until I find out what I have for callbacks?

What the fuck, man? You're researching firms you don't even know if you have an interview with?

Relax. Go outside and play. Have a beer or five. Research the firms you'll actually be talking to.

No, I know I have 20 minute interviews at OCI with the firms I'm researching. I'm asking if thats enough preparation for those interviews.

In that case, that should be more than fine. Just have a few questions, 3-5, ready to go about the firm. That 20 minutes will go by a lot faster than you think.

Thanks, I appreciate the reassurance a lot.

Also, I know it seems fairly obvious, but just in case...if the firm is obviously proud of something, and you can talk intelligently about that, play it up. There's nothing wrong with some "stock" interview questions, but one or two about firm-specific things is good.

What Kal said. After a couple screeners to get your groove, the rest are easy.

rad lulz wrote:What Kal said. After a couple screeners to get your groove, the rest are easy.

Even if we're not cool like you?

rad lulz wrote:What Kal said. After a couple screeners to get your groove, the rest are easy.

I dunno. I'm having a terrible time asking questions - I think I just might not be doing enough research or something. I feel like my questions are too general, and it's hard to know what to lead with. I may be overthinking it but interviewers act surprised when I start with "what's your favorite thing about the firm?" or something; maybe that's more of a callback question and screeners are for cold hard facts?

Anonymous User wrote:

rad lulz wrote:What Kal said. After a couple screeners to get your groove, the rest are easy.

Even if we're not cool like you?

I don't think TLS can help you with that. It might actually have the opposite effect.

piccolittle wrote:

rad lulz wrote:What Kal said. After a couple screeners to get your groove, the rest are easy.

I dunno. I'm having a terrible time asking questions - I think I just might not be doing enough research or something. I feel like my questions are too general, and it's hard to know what to lead with. I may be overthinking it but interviewers act surprised when I start with "what's your favorite thing about the firm?" or something; maybe that's more of a callback question and screeners are for cold hard facts?

That's a fine Q. Some of my standby's always are shit that provokes long responses that I can follow up with, stuff like

"What made you choose X firm?" and the related "Why do you like working in a small/large/lit focused/corporate focused firm?"
"I see you do X practice area. What made you interested in X and how did you get involved?"
"What do you like most about working in Y location?"

These questions will lead to followups if you're not an idiot, and you can skate by a CB with minimal research w these. Just try to have a nice conversation. A lot of the screeners I went on seemed like grades and a "sniff test" to see if you suck.

rad lulz wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

rad lulz wrote:What Kal said. After a couple screeners to get your groove, the rest are easy.

Even if we're not cool like you?

I don't think TLS can help you with that. It might actually have the opposite effect.

Rad, imagine all the additional callbacks you would have gotten, had TLS not made you an exponentially shittier person.

rad lulz wrote:a "sniff test" to see if you suck.

Evocative, but thanks lol

HeavenWood wrote:

rad lulz wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

rad lulz wrote:What Kal said. After a couple screeners to get your groove, the rest are easy.

Even if we're not cool like you?

I don't think TLS can help you with that. It might actually have the opposite effect.

Rad, imagine all the additional callbacks you would have gotten, had TLS not made you an exponentially shittier person.

I think about it every day.

been looking for more opinions on this: I know it probably varies by firm and individual interviewer, but how important would you guys say it is to express an interest in a specific practice group during a screener? I don't wanna pigeonhole myself, but at the same time I don't wanna seem like I'm not passionate about/interested in anything.

rad lulz wrote:

piccolittle wrote:

rad lulz wrote:What Kal said. After a couple screeners to get your groove, the rest are easy.

I dunno. I'm having a terrible time asking questions - I think I just might not be doing enough research or something. I feel like my questions are too general, and it's hard to know what to lead with. I may be overthinking it but interviewers act surprised when I start with "what's your favorite thing about the firm?" or something; maybe that's more of a callback question and screeners are for cold hard facts?

That's a fine Q. Some of my standby's always are shit that provokes long responses that I can follow up with, stuff like

"What made you choose X firm?" and the related "Why do you like working in a small/large/lit focused/corporate focused firm?"
"I see you do X practice area. What made you interested in X and how did you get involved?"
"What do you like most about working in Y location?"

These questions will lead to followups if you're not an idiot, and you can skate by a CB with minimal research w these. Just try to have a nice conversation. A lot of the screeners I went on seemed like grades and a "sniff test" to see if you suck.

Sadly, I cannot use half these Q's for NYCBIGLAWL.

Anonymous User wrote:

rad lulz wrote:

piccolittle wrote:

rad lulz wrote:What Kal said. After a couple screeners to get your groove, the rest are easy.

I dunno. I'm having a terrible time asking questions - I think I just might not be doing enough research or something. I feel like my questions are too general, and it's hard to know what to lead with. I may be overthinking it but interviewers act surprised when I start with "what's your favorite thing about the firm?" or something; maybe that's more of a callback question and screeners are for cold hard facts?

That's a fine Q. Some of my standby's always are shit that provokes long responses that I can follow up with, stuff like

"What made you choose X firm?" and the related "Why do you like working in a small/large/lit focused/corporate focused firm?"
"I see you do X practice area. What made you interested in X and how did you get involved?"
"What do you like most about working in Y location?"

These questions will lead to followups if you're not an idiot, and you can skate by a CB with minimal research w these. Just try to have a nice conversation. A lot of the screeners I went on seemed like grades and a "sniff test" to see if you suck.

Sadly, I cannot use half these Q's for NYCBIGLAWL.

Why the hell not.

Anonymous User wrote:

rad lulz wrote:

piccolittle wrote:

rad lulz wrote:What Kal said. After a couple screeners to get your groove, the rest are easy.

I dunno. I'm having a terrible time asking questions - I think I just might not be doing enough research or something. I feel like my questions are too general, and it's hard to know what to lead with. I may be overthinking it but interviewers act surprised when I start with "what's your favorite thing about the firm?" or something; maybe that's more of a callback question and screeners are for cold hard facts?

That's a fine Q. Some of my standby's always are shit that provokes long responses that I can follow up with, stuff like

"What made you choose X firm?" and the related "Why do you like working in a small/large/lit focused/corporate focused firm?"
"I see you do X practice area. What made you interested in X and how did you get involved?"
"What do you like most about working in Y location?"

These questions will lead to followups if you're not an idiot, and you can skate by a CB with minimal research w these. Just try to have a nice conversation. A lot of the screeners I went on seemed like grades and a "sniff test" to see if you suck.

Sadly, I cannot use half these Q's for NYCBIGLAWL.

Good thing you anon-poasted that gem of a one-liner.

Another stock question I like is asking how the SA program is set up. Ask if you report to one partner and assignments funnel through that person, or if random people assign you things. Do you rotate through practice areas or work in one thing?

Not only is it generic and usually leads to follow-up questions, but it's actually good info to have.

kalvano wrote:Another stock question I like is asking how the SA program is set up. Ask if you report to one partner and assignments funnel through that person, or if random people assign you things. Do you rotate through practice areas or work in one thing?

Not only is it generic and usually leads to follow-up questions, but it's actually good info to have.

Also good. Although sometimes this is listed on the website somewhere

rad lulz wrote:

kalvano wrote:Another stock question I like is asking how the SA program is set up. Ask if you report to one partner and assignments funnel through that person, or if random people assign you things. Do you rotate through practice areas or work in one thing?

Not only is it generic and usually leads to follow-up questions, but it's actually good info to have.

Also good. Although sometimes this is listed on the website somewhere

Also: most firms have some unique or special training/development/assignment program that they think is important. Ask your interviewer if they think it accomplishes its goals. Super open-ended, lots of chances for followup and to move the discussion in a different direction, while showing you've done your homework and care about becoming a better lawyer.

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