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I go to a school on the East Coast, got a callback for a firm (big firm--V20) on the West Coast. I had a few questions regarding scheduling the CB (and all CBs in general).

I have friends in the callback city, and was planning to ask them to get my tickets so that I stay there for a few days afterwards (CB is on Friday, wanted to fly in Thursday and fly out Sunday). Is this kosher to ask?

For those of you that have done coast-to-coast callbacks, is the standard room reimbursement 2 nights (one night before, one night after)? I don't need to ask for a 3rd night or anything, just wondering whether I should call up people to crash for 2 nights or 1.

Appreciate the help!

My experience was that one callback equaled one night at a hotel. Thus, if you are only doing one callback, only expect the firm to pick up the tab for one hotel night.

Also, while the firm may not have a problem scheduling your return flight to fit your visit, they could look at that and think you used them for a free vacation unless you are exclusively or largely interviewing with West Coast firms. Anything and everything seems to be a factor in receiving an offer, especially if you are not a super star candidate. HTH.

lawyerwannabe wrote:My experience was that one callback equaled one night at a hotel. Thus, if you are only doing one callback, only expect the firm to pick up the tab for one hotel night.

Also, while the firm may not have a problem scheduling your return flight to fit your visit, they could look at that and think you used them for a free vacation unless you are exclusively or largely interviewing with West Coast firms. Anything and everything seems to be a factor in receiving an offer, especially if you are not a super star candidate. HTH.

Agree 100%.

I'd add that there's a good likelihood they'll have you book travel through an outside agency and so nobody at the firm itself will actually scrutinize your travel arrangements. But I would still not risk it. If anyone looks at your itinerary for whatever reason, or even just casually asks you about your travel plans, it will look a little bit suspect that you're trying to get a free vacation out of it. This is a business trip, and you should treat it that way. Go visit your friends another time.

You will only get one night at the hotel. As for flights, they usually don't care when you fly. I scheduled several callbacks for Thursday or Friday and then just stayed the weekend with friends and flew out Sunday. That shouldn't be a big deal.

One night, but I disagree with everyone above who said it makes it look like you're off for a free vacation. Just take their one free night and stay the weekend with friends. If they ask about your travel plans, don't be shy about telling them you're there to stay with friends/family. If anything, it only strengthens or makes your ties seem more legit. It's literally full-retard to think that this would be held against you.

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Morgan12Oak wrote:One night, but I disagree with everyone above who said it makes it look like you're off for a free vacation. Just take their one free night and stay the weekend with friends. If they ask about your travel plans, don't be shy about telling them you're there to stay with friends/family. If anything, it only strengthens or makes your ties seem more legit. It's literally full-retard to think that this would be held against you.

I agree with this.

Morgan12Oak wrote:It's literally full-retard to think that this would be held against you.

I think you're right that the risk is marginal. But it's not "full retard" to think otherwise, as evidenced by the fact that three posters have already said otherwise. And it's definitely not literally retarded. I would say OP should do it if it's worth the marginal risk. If it's his number one firm and he's a marginal candidate, maybe not.

Morgan12Oak wrote:One night, but I disagree with everyone above who said it makes it look like you're off for a free vacation. Just take their one free night and stay the weekend with friends. If they ask about your travel plans, don't be shy about telling them you're there to stay with friends/family. If anything, it only strengthens or makes your ties seem more legit. It's literally full-retard to think that this would be held against you.

I actually had several recruiters comment on the fact that it was nice I had friends/family to stay with, and it helped me sell my desire to be in a particular city at my calback. My interviewers would often ask when I was leaving, etc. and it was nice to mention I had a network in the area.

Icculus wrote:

Morgan12Oak wrote:One night, but I disagree with everyone above who said it makes it look like you're off for a free vacation. Just take their one free night and stay the weekend with friends. If they ask about your travel plans, don't be shy about telling them you're there to stay with friends/family. If anything, it only strengthens or makes your ties seem more legit. It's literally full-retard to think that this would be held against you.

I actually had several recruiters comment on the fact that it was nice I had friends/family to stay with, and it helped me sell my desire to be in a particular city at my calback. My interviewers would often ask when I was leaving, etc. and it was nice to mention I had a network in the area.

I had this experience as well

People would often ask if I was visiting family or friends in the area

One firm even offered (unprompted) to fly me out on a Sunday so I could spend time w my family

OP here:

Ok, seems to be no firm answer on this...I think I'll go ahead and ask them for it since the firm is pretty chill and definitely has the money.

As for hotels, I thought 2 nights because I did a callback last year, and the attached callback FAQ said: "For students traveling a long distance (Los Angeles or San Francisco to New York), the firm will reimburse one night upon arrival, and one night after the interview". This was a V75 in NYC.

Anyway, thanks for the responses!

As for hotels, I thought 2 nights because I did a callback last year, and the attached callback FAQ said: "For students traveling a long distance (Los Angeles or San Francisco to New York), the firm will reimburse one night upon arrival, and one night after the interview". This was a V75 in NYC.

A firm I did a callback with on the west coast a couple years ago did two nights. I was traveling from east coast.

Not a big deal. I don't think most firms really even connect the travel expenses with the individual candidate unless they are a complete outlier. You don't talk to anyone at the firm to get your travel arranged, they outsource everything to a travel agency with specific guidelines on budgets, hotels, and airlines (only sometimes). I scheduled a lot of my CBs on a Friday or a Monday so that I could see a few friends over the weekend.

Throwing my hat in the "stay and visit friends" camp. I did that in all of the out-of-state callbacks I took. Like many above, most interviewers asked what I was doing when I was in town.