Call with partner before OCI Forum

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Call with partner before OCI

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Jul 08, 2013 10:31 pm

My main question is how important is it to have a conversation with at least one partner/attorney from a firm you're targeting for OCI?

I mean like finding a partner from your school who practices in an area you're interested in at the firm, emailing them asking for a 20 min phone call where you just ask general questions etc. Our career services has made it seem like this is really important to do before OCI and it will be much more difficult to get a callback if you don't do this. Can anyone comment on how true this is?

I'm sort of worried about what will happen if you have a conversation with them and they don't particularly like you, or the partner you happen to email thinks students doing this is annoying, etc, especially when I'm doing this cold rather than being able to say "so and so told me to get in touch with you". Also, I'm far away from my home market this summer so meeting in person is pretty much out of the question.

And now for the dumbest question of all... if I do send out some introductory emails, what would an appropriate subject line be? I was thinking "Rising 2L at [my school] seeking career advice" or something. But that sounds incredibly stupid I think.

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atcushman

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Re: Call with partner before OCI

Post by atcushman » Tue Jul 09, 2013 2:03 am

I have been doing this a lot except I usually ask them out to coffee and I think it will pay off...I usually just put "Informational Interview" in the subject line. I ask for 15-20 minutes and it usually turns into an hour. I spent almost 2 hours talking to the hiring partner at a firm im interested in and he asked for me to send my materials directly to him...It is a lot easier to make a good impression in these situations than a formal interview because you will be more relaxed and the more you do it the more comfortable you will be speaking with partners which will pay off at OCI regardless of the connections you make. I think when you compare the hour of sincere conversation you will be having to the rushed 20 minutes OCI interviews its easy to see why this is a good idea. Also you will be able to drop some knowledge that the average kid who just glances at the website wont know and it will make you look like you actually are interested in the firm.

Myself

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Post by Myself » Tue Jul 09, 2013 2:22 am

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Last edited by Myself on Tue Nov 19, 2013 9:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Anonymous User
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Re: Call with partner before OCI

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jul 09, 2013 6:33 pm

OP here. Thanks for replies, this is helpful.

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sundance95

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Re: Call with partner before OCI

Post by sundance95 » Tue Jul 09, 2013 7:02 pm

its helpful to the extent that you can leave a positive impression such that you are a person rather than just a name on a resume.

obviously they can also hurt you if you leave a negative impression

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