Post - OCI Forum

[Anonymous User]

I received a good number of callbacks after OCI...as many as anyone else at my school. I am Law Review at a top 20 law school.

Despite all the call backs, I ended up with no offers. I was really disappointed and figured that I must have done something wrong at the callback stage to get so many rejections. I talked to career services (who had done multiple mock interviews with me) and they were also surprised I had no offers and offered to call the firms to ask if they had critiques.

Career Services called me today to tell me they talked to all the firms I had done callbacks with. Apparently all the firms only had good things to say about me but just said their class sizes were small, it was a really tough decision, etc, etc but no constructive feedback whatsoever. Which...makes me feel good about myself but also is of 0 help to me.

I was wondering if there was anyone who had a similar experience or anyone who had tips/thoughts for me. I have been mass mailing, networking, etc and have another set of interviews lined up (none big law unfortunately). My main questions are: 1) is the "nice" talk like the firms gave my career services counselor pretty standard and not something to take seriously (i.e. I did screw something up they just do not want to say anything)?

2) is there anyone who has had the problem of doing well at screeners but not so well at callbacks? Are there (obviously general) tips on how to improve that dynamic?

[Lasers]

I received a good number of callbacks after OCI...as many as anyone else at my school. I am Law Review at a top 20 law school.

Despite all the call backs, I ended up with no offers. I was really disappointed and figured that I must have done something wrong at the callback stage to get so many rejections. I talked to career services (who had done multiple mock interviews with me) and they were also surprised I had no offers and offered to call the firms to ask if they had critiques.

Career Services called me today to tell me they talked to all the firms I had done callbacks with. Apparently all the firms only had good things to say about me but just said their class sizes were small, it was a really tough decision, etc, etc but no constructive feedback whatsoever. Which...makes me feel good about myself but also is of 0 help to me.

I was wondering if there was anyone who had a similar experience or anyone who had tips/thoughts for me. I have been mass mailing, networking, etc and have another set of interviews lined up (none big law unfortunately). My main questions are: 1) is the "nice" talk like the firms gave my career services counselor pretty standard and not something to take seriously (i.e. I did screw something up they just do not want to say anything)?

2) is there anyone who has had the problem of doing well at screeners but not so well at callbacks? Are there (obviously general) tips on how to improve that dynamic?

how are your grades? there's probably a lot of truth to what the firms said about you; summer classes are small and they probably liked you well enough.

i think to be liked even more than you already are (and enough to start getting offers) will have to do with your interviewing skills; you can't really change your resume (and it seems you have a strong one anyway). focus on having a two way conversation, not always following the "interviewing script," and controlling the narrative. good luck.

[09042014]

Those firms were lying. You don't go 0/8+ because class sizes were so small. You are a bad interviewer. Find out why.

[Nelson]

Those firms were lying. You don't go 0/8+ because class sizes were so small. You are a bad interviewer. Find out why.

[NYstate]

What market are you in? What are the class sizes? Did you bid NY?

[Anonymous User]

Those firms were lying. You don't go 0/8+ because class sizes were so small. You are a bad interviewer. Find out why.

Not OP, but this is probably right. Just to provide some useless anecdotal info though, I went 0 for my first 8, then 3 of my last 5 were offers. Didn't really change my approach or anything, just happened to get a better feel from the people during my last callbacks.

[09042014]

Those firms were lying. You don't go 0/8+ because class sizes were so small. You are a bad interviewer. Find out why.

Not OP, but this is probably right. Just to provide some useless anecdotal info though, I went 0 for my first 8, then 3 of my last 5 were offers. Didn't really change my approach or anything, just happened to get a better feel from the people during my last callbacks.

You probably got better at it or were less nervous.

[Anonymous User]

I received a good number of callbacks after OCI...as many as anyone else at my school. I am Law Review at a top 20 law school.

Despite all the call backs, I ended up with no offers. I was really disappointed and figured that I must have done something wrong at the callback stage to get so many rejections. I talked to career services (who had done multiple mock interviews with me) and they were also surprised I had no offers and offered to call the firms to ask if they had critiques.

Career Services called me today to tell me they talked to all the firms I had done callbacks with. Apparently all the firms only had good things to say about me but just said their class sizes were small, it was a really tough decision, etc, etc but no constructive feedback whatsoever. Which...makes me feel good about myself but also is of 0 help to me.

I was wondering if there was anyone who had a similar experience or anyone who had tips/thoughts for me. I have been mass mailing, networking, etc and have another set of interviews lined up (none big law unfortunately). My main questions are: 1) is the "nice" talk like the firms gave my career services counselor pretty standard and not something to take seriously (i.e. I did screw something up they just do not want to say anything)?

2) is there anyone who has had the problem of doing well at screeners but not so well at callbacks? Are there (obviously general) tips on how to improve that dynamic?

how are your grades? there's probably a lot of truth to what the firms said about you; summer classes are small and they probably liked you well enough.

i think to be liked even more than you already are (and enough to start getting offers) will have to do with your interviewing skills; you can't really change your resume (and it seems you have a strong one anyway). focus on having a two way conversation, not always following the "interviewing script," and controlling the narrative. good luck.

OP here. My grades are decent enough - top 10% at a top 20 school. I did callbacks in both DC and Texas.

Thank you all for everything so far...anything you have would be helpful!

[Anonymous User]

Those firms were lying. You don't go 0/8+ because class sizes were so small. You are a bad interviewer. Find out why.

I disagree. The process is often a crap shoot, particularly when class sizes are small. And in most cases you can only learn so much from an interview. It helps screen out the worst douchebags and psychopaths and people who just plain aren't interested in the firm particularly/biglaw generally. I have sat in (non-biglaw) hiring meetings where the discussion boiled down to, "All three candidates are excellent and would do a great job; let's go with candidate X because we just have a gut feeling that X is the best." It is very possible that the OP was simply unlucky.

[Anonymous User]

Those firms were lying. You don't go 0/8+ because class sizes were so small. You are a bad interviewer. Find out why.

No.

In DC and Texas classes are tiny and competition is tight.

[Anonymous User]

I agree that 0/8 could mean anything. I had a callback at big DC firm and didn't get it. Followed up and they had called back 25 to make 2 offers. This is a much different situation than getting a cb at a big NYC firm where the summer class is 25-30.

[Anonymous User]

Those firms were lying. You don't go 0/8+ because class sizes were so small. You are a bad interviewer. Find out why.

No.

In DC and Texas classes are tiny and competition is tight.

This. Most of the firms I interviewed with in Texas had class sizes ranging from 4 to 8. Firms like V&E and BB have significantly larger class sizes but are also significantly more competitive with respect to grades.

And everyone knows DC is insanely competitive.

[thesealocust]

I know people who have struck out or come close, had career services call, and wound up with very candid answers. I wouldn't assume they were lying - probably a combination of back luck and uninspiring credentials (LR at a T20 school ain't what it used to be)

[09042014]

Those firms were lying. You don't go 0/8+ because class sizes were so small. You are a bad interviewer. Find out why.

No.

In DC and Texas classes are tiny and competition is tight.

Even in DC and Texas 0/(a lot) is fucking terrible. If OP only had a few CB, yea, shit is tough. But to get a ton of CB's and strike out. Shit interviewer.

There is a reason why they picked other people and not OP. It's because OP didn't make a good enough impression.

[Anonymous User]

If he's such a bad interviewer, how did he get the CB in the first place? CBs may be longer, but each individual interview only lasts about as long as a screener anyway. Are you guys suggesting that his grades allowed him to get the CB, but bad interviewing sunk him at CBs?

[goldeneye]

Screeners, in my experience, have been to make sure you're not totally weird. If you have the grades, they're looking for a reason not to call you back. If your grades are not stellar, that's when being a great interviewee can get you the callback.