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Does anyone have a sense of which GDC offices are least competitive? My intuition is that LA and NYC hire the most people and are less selective than DC/SF/Denver, etc., but that's just a hunch.

The situation is that I'm a recently no-offered rising 3L who may be able to get an interview at GDC because of a strong connection through the firm that no-offered me. But this person's connection at GDC said it depends on which office I'm interested in, and that I should send my materials to the one or two offices I'm most interested in. I don't really care--I just want a job. Any advice? Also, should I write an office-specific cover letter for each application I send to each hiring coordinator? That seems weird, but I really have no idea what to do. I'm guessing none of this will result in anything, but I want to give it my best shot.

TYIA.

ETA: Not sure if this matters, but I'm in the top 2% at a T25 that GDC doesn't come on campus for.

Anonymous User wrote:Does anyone have a sense of which GDC offices are least competitive? My intuition is that LA and NYC hire the most people and are less selective than DC/SF/Denver, etc., but that's just a hunch.

The situation is that I'm a recently no-offered rising 3L who may be able to get an interview at GDC because of a strong connection through the firm that no-offered me. But this person's connection at GDC said it depends on which office I'm interested in, and that I should send my materials to the one or two offices I'm most interested in. I don't really care--I just want a job. Any advice? Also, should I write an office-specific cover letter for each application I send to each hiring coordinator? That seems weird, but I really have no idea what to do. I'm guessing none of this will result in anything, but I want to give it my best shot.

TYIA.

Denver's going to be hard as hell to get into. You're anon; what ties do you have to any given GDC market?

Bikeflip wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Does anyone have a sense of which GDC offices are least competitive? My intuition is that LA and NYC hire the most people and are less selective than DC/SF/Denver, etc., but that's just a hunch.

The situation is that I'm a recently no-offered rising 3L who may be able to get an interview at GDC because of a strong connection through the firm that no-offered me. But this person's connection at GDC said it depends on which office I'm interested in, and that I should send my materials to the one or two offices I'm most interested in. I don't really care--I just want a job. Any advice? Also, should I write an office-specific cover letter for each application I send to each hiring coordinator? That seems weird, but I really have no idea what to do. I'm guessing none of this will result in anything, but I want to give it my best shot.

TYIA.

Denver's going to be hard as hell to get into. You're anon; what ties do you have to any given GDC market?

Sure, I was listing Denver as an example of "not happening without ties."

Unfortunately, I've never really left the midwest (but I'm not from Denver, naturally). Namely, I don't have obvious ties to LA, SF, or NYC. I do have some extended family in DC, and I could talk that up, but I don't know if that counts as "ties."

Bump for the evening crowd. Any thoughts?

My T14's OCI statistics back up LA and NYC being the least selective. They are 0.1-0.15 lower in terms of average GPA than their smaller offices.

Anonymous User wrote:My T14's OCI statistics back up LA and NYC being the least selective. They are 0.1-0.15 lower in terms of average GPA than their smaller offices.

Thanks so much!

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:My T14's OCI statistics back up LA and NYC being the least selective. They are 0.1-0.15 lower in terms of average GPA than their smaller offices.

Thanks so much!

In that case, ask about NY, because it's far easier without ties than anywhere in the country

Perfect, thanks. Given that this partner connection is in the LA office, do you think I should also submit a cover letter and resume to that office (as in, he may hold more sway over what happens there?) Or will it look like I'm just taking shots everywhere and prevent me from being seriously considered.

Also, any tips as to how to spin an interest in the NYC without any ties there? Something about the practice areas there, maybe?

Anonymous User wrote:Perfect, thanks. Given that this partner connection is in the LA office, do you think I should also submit a cover letter and resume to that office (as in, he may hold more sway over what happens there?) Or will it look like I'm just taking shots everywhere and prevent me from being seriously considered.

Also, any tips as to how to spin an interest in the NYC without any ties there? Something about the practice areas there, maybe?

Do you have to show an interest in NYC? People from NYC just assume that you want to be there cuz they think its the center of the world

.

brotherdarkness wrote:

ArtistOfManliness wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Perfect, thanks. Given that this partner connection is in the LA office, do you think I should also submit a cover letter and resume to that office (as in, he may hold more sway over what happens there?) Or will it look like I'm just taking shots everywhere and prevent me from being seriously considered.

Also, any tips as to how to spin an interest in the NYC without any ties there? Something about the practice areas there, maybe?

Do you have to show an interest in NYC? People from NYC just assume that you want to be there cuz they think its the center of the world

Every single NYC firm I've interviewed with or contacted has asked me why I'm interested in NYC.

this is true, but generally, a strong interest in any type of financial work is enough. It's not like Chicago, SF, LA, Miami where you have to show some really strong tie to the area - simply having a reason for wanting to be here is enough

brotherdarkness wrote:

ArtistOfManliness wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Perfect, thanks. Given that this partner connection is in the LA office, do you think I should also submit a cover letter and resume to that office (as in, he may hold more sway over what happens there?) Or will it look like I'm just taking shots everywhere and prevent me from being seriously considered.

Also, any tips as to how to spin an interest in the NYC without any ties there? Something about the practice areas there, maybe?

Do you have to show an interest in NYC? People from NYC just assume that you want to be there cuz they think its the center of the world

Every single NYC firm I've interviewed with or contacted has asked me why I'm interested in NYC.

They are especially worried if you've spent your whole life in one region, like the midbest, the west or the south.

I don't know how Gibson Dunn is set up, but I doubt this LA partner will have a lot of sway in anywhere but his own office. I'd go 100% at LA. Make up ties if you have to.

Desert Fox wrote:I don't know how Gibson Dunn is set up, but I doubt this LA partner will have a lot of sway in anywhere but his own office. I'd go 100% at LA. Make up ties if you have to.

This was my my intuition. NYC would be especially tough to spin because I have no corp/transactional creds or interest.

Thanks again, everybody, and wish me luck.