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SEVEN 1L SA interviews back-to-back. Help.
Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 5:55 pm
by Anonymous User
I don't know whose idea it was to schedule these interviews, but I just received my interview schedule for Fall OCI and here is what it looks like:
Interview w/ firm A: 9:50-10:10
Interview w/ firm B: 10:15-10:35
Interview w/ firm C: 10:40-11:00
1 hour break followed by 4 more interviews in that set up.
What's the best strategy for tackling short 20 minute interview sessions in quick succession? I've read through all the general interview advice, however I'm wondering if anyone has any tips for this specific scenario. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
inb4 be grateful for what you have and stop bitchin'
Re: SEVEN 1L SA interviews back-to-back. Help.
Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 6:03 pm
by iliketurtles123
Anonymous User wrote:I don't know whose idea it was to schedule these interviews, but I just received my interview schedule for Fall OCI and here is what it looks like:
Interview w/ firm A: 9:50-10:10
Interview w/ firm B: 10:15-10:35
Interview w/ firm C: 10:40-11:00
1 hour break followed by 4 more interviews in that set up.
What's the best strategy for tackling short 20 minute interview sessions in quick succession? I've read through all the general interview advice, however I'm wondering if anyone has any tips for this specific scenario. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
inb4 be grateful for what you have and stop bitchin'
Wear a watch. keep an eye on time. Most OCI screener interviewers won't go over time since they have a schedule to keep too. I'm guessing your interviews are right next to each other in different rooms. SHouldn't be a problem. Just keep your enthusiasm high for each screener. Interview F is just as important as Interview A. Remember that.
Re: SEVEN 1L SA interviews back-to-back. Help.
Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 6:13 pm
by bulinus
Bring water.
Re: SEVEN 1L SA interviews back-to-back. Help.
Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 6:20 pm
by Anonymous User
OP here. Thanks for all the great advice, I'll borrow my roommate's watch and keep a bottle of water handy. I'm pretty sure the adrenaline of possibly getting a job will keep me in high spirits throughout the entire ordeal.
Re: SEVEN 1L SA interviews back-to-back. Help.
Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 6:23 pm
by patogordo
step one would be to calm your balls. this isn't the bataan death march, bro.
make a note card for each firm that you can use to refresh your memory before you go in so you don't start talking about the wrong firm by accident. keeping the firms/interviewers straight is the only tricky part.
other than that come on. you don't need a camelbak and package of clif bars to talk for two hours (with a break!).
Re: SEVEN 1L SA interviews back-to-back. Help.
Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 8:43 pm
by 2014
I agree that you should have a watch but will caution you that there is no real natural way to pull off ending the interview voluntarily, you kind of have to wait until you are dismissed. They are going to remember their last impression of you and if their last impression is you saying "Well this was nice, I'm going to go so you have time to talk to my competition!" that is unlikely to work out for you.
At least for fall OCI in my experience I rarely got out on time. Fortunately, if you aren't getting out on time, whoever your next interviewer is interviewing before you is probably not getting out on time either. In the event that you run late and your next interviewer is waiting, just be apologetic, make a joke about the hectic schedule, and get off the topic ASAP.
I would strongly encourage you to visit the venue/area before hand so you know the route you will need to take. Obviously do all research before hand as well. If they don't tell you who the OCI interviewers are until the morning of, you might not have time to research all of the individuals so prioritize your time according to who is most likely to hire you and don't be stupid with the ones who you didn't research, they likely won't notice.
Re: SEVEN 1L SA interviews back-to-back. Help.
Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 12:09 am
by Anonymous User
Bring notes, have firm-specific questions written out, and take notes or you are going to forget everything. Use your hour break to write down any other notes. Like everything else, over-prepare.
Re: SEVEN 1L SA interviews back-to-back. Help.
Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 12:29 am
by rad lulz
What sort of embarrassment of riches problem is this
Re: SEVEN 1L SA interviews back-to-back. Help.
Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 1:49 am
by hichvichwoh
wait, fall oci schedule in February? wtffff
Re: SEVEN 1L SA interviews back-to-back. Help.
Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 2:57 pm
by fish52
Holy humblebrag. Hopefully you aren't complaining about your plight to your classmates and/or recruiters.
Re: SEVEN 1L SA interviews back-to-back. Help.
Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 8:37 pm
by Anonymous User
troll
Re: SEVEN 1L SA interviews back-to-back. Help.
Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 8:46 pm
by eaternation
Iono bout fall oci. But I know there are some pi fairs going on. Perhaps he's going to Ucla this Saturday
Re: SEVEN 1L SA interviews back-to-back. Help.
Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 8:49 pm
by sublime
..
Re: SEVEN 1L SA interviews back-to-back. Help.
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 4:16 pm
by Anonymous User
OP here, I meant to write Spring OCI. Thanks to everyone who offered advice, I'm still a nervous wreck but slightly less so after reading through this thread.
Also to everyone who thinks this is a troll/humblebrag, please spend more time on TLS posting useless comments.
Re: SEVEN 1L SA interviews back-to-back. Help.
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 4:51 pm
by patogordo
Anonymous User wrote:OP here, I meant to write Spring OCI. Thanks to everyone who offered advice, I'm still a nervous wreck but slightly less so after reading through this thread.
Also to everyone who thinks this is a troll/humblebrag, please spend more time on TLS posting useless comments.
if they spent less time on tls and more time studying they'd be the ones worrying about their
SEVEN (7) 1L SA interviews back to back amirite??
Re: SEVEN 1L SA interviews back-to-back. Help.
Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 3:41 pm
by hoos89
.
Re: SEVEN 1L SA interviews back-to-back. Help.
Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 6:03 pm
by bulinus
Are your initials BR?
Re: SEVEN 1L SA interviews back-to-back. Help.
Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2014 11:37 pm
by sublime
..
Re: SEVEN 1L SA interviews back-to-back. Help.
Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2014 6:12 pm
by girlrunning
Edit:

Just saw how old this thread is. Leaving in case it serves anyone who finds it next year.
I was literally in the same situation (7 interviews, 1L job fair, back-to-back/half hour break between two big blocks) and I found all the of the advice ^ above credited.
I memorized as much as I could about each firm and had a "cheat sheet" for each that I made about a week in advance and reviewed as much as I could during class breaks/whatever "free" time I had. During interview day, I reviewed the cheat sheets in blocks (first three, then during the next break for the next two firms, etc.) in the hospitality suite and had the questions in bullet point form on the side of my sheet (• women's initiative; • prof. development; • successful SA traits; • Interviewer #1 same UG, etc.) so that I could review walking from interview to interview.
I was super neurotic and nervous (and had all the logistics questions you probably have) until after I walked out of my second interview and realized that my preparation had allowed for me to remember all of my questions whilst sounding genuine. You'll be just fine.
Also, you won't be the only one they're interviewing and they're cognizant you may have back to backs. I found that for the only interview I was a few minutes "late" to, the interviewers just said, "We have no doubts you've been super busy all day!"
Best of luck!