OCI screening interviews - should I write thank you notes? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Some people say it's mandatory, some say optional, some say to not write them.

What's the proper etiquette?

[alicrimson]

Some people say it's mandatory, some say optional, some say to not write them.

What's the proper etiquette?

I'm also interested in this, as I'm debating whether to send one right now.

[3ThrowAway99]

I think the advice is no for screeners, yes for callbacks (after the callback).

[letsdoit]

I think the advice is no for screeners, yes for callbacks (after the callback).

TITCR. Our CSO specifically said this because employers get annoyed at thank yous from screeners.

[ilovesf]

I don't think so.

But it does confuse me a little because every interviewer so far has given me their business card and is like, oh please contact me if you have any questions. I know that's just the nice thing to do, but I don't really know why I would ever contact them if not to write a thank you note.

[traehekat]

No.

[thesealocust]

Screening interviews: No. Never. No room for discussion.

Callbacks: There's actually a legitimate division of opinion here. My school's CSO (and former biglaw partner) thinks it's a dated practice and unnecessary most of the time. May depend on the firm and the market. Many do them anyway. If you do them, make them flawless and get them out the door quickly.

Do it if you want to, but don't consider it a 'better safe than sorry' choice to do them. A mistake or awkward email is more likely to do you harm than silence at most firms, in most markets.

[pertristis]

From what others have said before, the no-thank-you-note policy excludes Southern and small firms. In those cases, it's probably a good idea.

[legalmindedfella]

From what others have said before, the no-thank-you-note policy excludes Southern and small firms. In those cases, it's probably a good idea.

Did they mention whether DC would be included in the southern hospitality ranks?

[thesealocust]

DC is neither the south nor a small legal market.

[cojsterling]

My schools OCS (not saying I agree with them) told us to send thank yous to screeners for our New York interview program.

[thesealocust]

My schools OCS (not saying I agree with them) told us to send thank yous to screeners for our New York interview program.

llllllllllol. OCS can be adorable sometimes.

[SFConfidential]

People are divided on this. You'll get a million different answers/reasons (yes for this reason, no for that reason, yes always, no never, etc etc etc).

My personal opinion is to send them if you think you had a good interview/have something substantive to say other than "thanks for taking the time to talk to me." That's their job. But if you really connected on something (ie the interview stood out in your mind for a reason other than you like the firm or the job prospects, etc...a personal connection, basically), I think it can be a useful tool to remind the person of that connection. But I think it's safe to say it doesn't have any real correlation to callbacks, its more just a pleasantry.

TL;DR: everybody says different things, its totally personal preference.

[Rocío]

I always wrote handwritten thank you notes, to every interviewer at every round, and made sure to keep it short. Emails are just not even worth it IMHO. I got 15/20 callbacks, and two offers in case that means anything.

I actually found these really cute Thank You postcards that I sent for screener interviews - that way if people were "annoyed" they could just chuck them.

[Anonymous User]

I wrote a brief thank you e-mail to each of the screening interviewers with whom I felt I had a good conversation or worked at a firm that I really wanted. I also wrote a thank you e-mail to every single callback interviewer.

[Tanicius]

I got 15/20 callbacks, and two offers in case that means anything.

[Rocío]

I got 15/20 callbacks, and two offers in case that means anything.

Yeah, government work... Hiring freezes... Made for a painful interview cycle. And I was lucky

[Anonymous User]

Does the no thank you note rule apply if the 30 minute screener was held at their office as a part of the school's program? Or is it expected to send one? Thanks!

[Anonymous User]

My school's CSO said to write thank yous after screening interviews (I'm in the south). I ended up doing them solely because I didn't want to be one of the few who didn't write one and have that come across poorly. I figure that sending one isn't going to hurt (or help) my chances at all, but not sending one could potentially hurt, so it's worth the few minutes it takes.

[Anonymous User]

I don't think it's necessary to write thank you notes for screeners. Most of the time they'll have already filled out their evaluations before they get the thank you note.

On the other hand, I don't think it'll hurt you if you feel like doing it. I had a friend who did it last year at OCI. He got tons of CBs anyway. He ended up summering at Skadden, so it seemed to work out for him.

[Anonymous User]

My school's CSO said to write thank yous after screening interviews (I'm in the south). I ended up doing them solely because I didn't want to be one of the few who didn't write one and have that come across poorly. I figure that sending one isn't going to hurt (or help) my chances at all, but not sending one could potentially hurt, so it's worth the few minutes it takes.

This. This is how I felt. I sent emails to screeners who I really clicked with. While I don't think it helped anything per se, one office held screener emailed me back shortly that same night to let me know that they are going to call me on Thursday to set up a callback. I don't know if this has to do with thank yous, but it's kind of nice to know that one callback is coming my way before OCI starts.

I feel like it's one of those things where, so long as you don't write anything stupid, no one is going to ding you for being polite; however, if someone did want a thank you and you fail to send, you could be hurt for that. I wouldn't send them to all the firms, but if you have something to say, I don't think it could hurt.

[reformed calvinist]

DC is neither the south nor a small legal market.

It's south of the mason-dixon line...

[2014utLaw]

.

[DrGuano]

I always wrote handwritten thank you notes, to every interviewer at every round, and made sure to keep it short. Emails are just not even worth it IMHO. I got 15/20 callbacks, and two offers in case that means anything.

I actually found these really cute Thank You postcards that I sent for screener interviews - that way if people were "annoyed" they could just chuck them.

Huge waste of time and paper. Have heard from numerous interviewers that they make their decision right after you leave. There is no round table discussion where they go over their notes with the hiring committee. They make it on the spot and report back.

By the time they get your letter in the mail, you're an afterthought, one way or the other.

[nmcdgt]

Related question: if you are going to send a thank you note and you had multiple interviewers, do you send one to them both or just pick one?