Biglaw OCI Interviewer Taking Questions Forum

[law321]

Like last year, I am happy to answer questions about OCI interviews and the general hiring process. Fire away if you would like.

[Tygra]

How much do you care about "ties to the area"? Does the amount that your care increase as the school rank decreases?

Thank you for doing this, btw.

[heavoldgotjuice]

What do you think about transfers, especially from TTT-TTTT schools?

Do those interviewees that you "click" with have a better chance of getting the job, or the more gunner-esque interviewee with the great grades and less "bro" personality?

[FSK]

Lets say you get a screener (at a preselect school) through a professional connection. In converting this to a call back, should I try and emphasize anything different than normal? Or just the usual deal.

[cookiejar1]

Have you ever finished an interview and thought to yourself, "Wow, that bro was friendly, amazing, and I really got along with him but he didn't do anything to sell himself to me and my firm"? Does "fit" and "personality" really mean so much? Should I even bother trying to explain to you that I'm generically hardworking, intelligent, collegial, etc by way of behavioral stories / examples?

[Tygra]

Also, how much does it matter to you if an interviewer attended a not so prestigious undergrad?

[Anonymous User]

I have median grades and so far no journal from T20 school but come from a background in IB and startups - worked on some pretty big deals. Currently have a 1L SA at an in-house gig. I've had a few interviews at V20 firms where my school alumni are partners. They've been frank and said my median grades and unknown status of journal hurts me - but my resume, work experience, and interview skills really make up for it - they just don't know how much that will carry at the point of hiring for next summer.

How, when submitting my resume, can I mitigate the impact of my grades on my resume and make sure they don't see that and ignore it - rather look at my experience as well? Should I simply keep the GPA off my resume and submit my transcript as well? Is it best if i network with partners to try and get them to go to bat to get an interview at obi or straight to the CB?

I'm very open in my CL about wanting to go into corporate, specifically PEG/VC, Startups, and M&A where I have extensive experience.

[moonman157]

What's the number one mistake you see people make in screener interviews?

[law321]

How much do you care about "ties to the area"? Does the amount that your care increase as the school rank decreases?

Thank you for doing this, btw.

No problem.

It is one factor that I consider, although it will not make or break a candidate. The amount I care about ties generally won't change with the school ranking.

[law321]

What do you think about transfers, especially from TTT-TTTT schools?

Do those interviewees that you "click" with have a better chance of getting the job, or the more gunner-esque interviewee with the great grades and less "bro" personality?

Good questions.

I personally don't view transfers any differently than the other students.

For me, clicking with the interviewee is extremely important. The more gunner-esque interviewee is almost always not getting my endorsement.

[law321]

Lets say you get a screener (at a preselect school) through a professional connection. In converting this to a call back, should I try and emphasize anything different than normal? Or just the usual deal.

I am not sure I understand your question. If you are asking whether you should approach/treat a screener obtained through a connection any differently than a screener obtained through other channels, my view is the answer is no. Treat it like any other screener (meaning be prepared and be ready to prove yourself).

[law321]

Have you ever finished an interview and thought to yourself, "Wow, that bro was friendly, amazing, and I really got along with him but he didn't do anything to sell himself to me and my firm"? Does "fit" and "personality" really mean so much? Should I even bother trying to explain to you that I'm generically hardworking, intelligent, collegial, etc by way of behavioral stories / examples?

I think I commented on the fit issue a bunch last year (so feel free to look up my prior responses). But, I will generally restate here that I find fit to be extremely important. So, for me, fit and personality are vital. Lots of law students are smart, but not as many as you'd think appear relaxed, friendly, professional and easy-going during interviews.

Feel free to share stores that illustrate who you are, but don't go overboard (e.g., awkwardly insert them into the conversation when they don't seem to apply and thereby seem to be overselling). As a general matter, I will be able to get a decent sense as to whether you are collegial by our discussion.

[law321]

Also, how much does it matter to you if an interviewer attended a not so prestigious undergrad?

Interesting question.

Generally, I don't care much about the prestigiousness of a student's undergraduate institution.

I really only care about undergrad institution attended under two circumstances: (i) if the student appears arrogant about his/her undergrad; or (ii) if the student somehow intimates that he/she went to a lesser undergrad just to pad the GPA for law school applications.

[law321]

What's the number one mistake you see people make in screener interviews?

Selecting one is tough, so I will share a few common ones that come to mind.

Expecting the interviewer to drive the bus/do the vast majority of the talking.
Failing to answer what I consider lay-up questions (e.g., why this firm? why law? why X law school?) with a clear, intelligent and organized answers.
Not knowing at least the basics about my firm.

[BigZuck]

What's the number one mistake you see people make in screener interviews?

Selecting one is tough, so I will share a few common ones that come to mind.

Expecting the interviewer to drive the bus/do the vast majority of the talking.
Failing to answer what I consider lay-up questions (e.g., why this firm? why law? why X law school?) with a clear, intelligent and organized answers.
Not knowing at least the basics about my firm.

How should people go about learning about firms and what they do? Just reading through NALP and firm websites they all tend to bleed together- they all value diversity, they all do top notch work for sophisticated clients, they all work hard and play hard, blah, blah. Just a bunch of marketing stuff that's all kind of the same.

I get that some firms have different practices areas (one might do some admiralty law, one might have a large real estate practice). But I guess my question is how do we differentiate firms and where should we go to to find the types of information you think we should know?

[Anonymous User]

If you get a resume w/o a GPA on it, but you have their transcript. What's your initial gut reaction?

[Anonymous User]

How do you tend to view transfer students, particularly ttt or ttt students near the top of their class? Is there a certain point at which the candidate does not stand a chance based on the school he/she attended first year?

[shifty_eyed]

What is a good answer to "why law"?

[TheThriller]

How do you tend to view transfer students, particularly ttt or ttt students near the top of their class? Is there a certain point at which the candidate does not stand a chance based on the school he/she attended first year?

Scroll up. He just answered the question.

[2014]

At schools where the first time you have access to a transcript is the moment a candidate walks in the door, how much time do you spend looking at it and when? (like while the candidate is in the room, during your break, just pass it onto recruiting, etc) Is it kind of guesswork figuring out what their GPA is and where they fall in the class at that point?

[Anonymous User]

As an international student at a lower t14, am I viewed any differently than a U.S. citizen? Is there anything I need to emphasize in an interview that is different from what other interviewees need to emphasize?

[Anonymous User]

Do you look at students any differently if they have been networking with your firm and a partner (or two) that they networked with reached out to you before interviews with a positive review of that student?

Similarly, do you give any "bump" to students you interview who networked with you personally before even getting the interview?

In both of those cases, if there is a positive bump for such students, what mistakes have you seen that effectively render that bump useless?

[Anonymous User]

What makes a good interviewee, a good interviewee?

I know a couple people with 1L SA's. Half of them have insane grades but the other half have median or below median grades with no substantial WE. I hear they are great at interviewing (will probably ask them for tips later but also wanted your feedback as well).

I'm trying to understand what someone does or can do that charms the interviewer so much that they'll give them a CB even with poor grades.
I mean, I know what it takes to NOT be a bad interviewee: make sure you aren't rigid, have substantive yet personal answers, keep it more conversational, etc. but EVERYONE to a certain extent is a "decent" interviewee.
I just don't know what it takes to be an EXCELLENT interviewee and to stand out in a 20 minute session.

[Anonymous User]

Read your thread last year and thanks for doing this again this year.

Q: Through Simplicity most students are able to see who else is interviewing with the firm. If most/all the other students have better grades + a better journal (law review), how does this bode for the preselected student who's looking at an uphill battle in the interview? I know you have talked a lot about personality and fit but can a good interview beat out the top 15%+Law Review?

[Anonymous User]

I have gotten feedback from both live and mock interviews that I interview very well. The only common criticism I get is that I appeared almost too calm/confident and can be a little informal at times. I got this same feedback verbatim during mootcourt as well. I actively tried to be more formal in later mootcourt rounds and mock interviews and still got the same feedback in regards to my demeanor. I don't really know what I can do to change this as I still get the same feedback when actively trying to be formal. I obviously do not want to come off in interviews as flippant or not serious, but I also do not want to sacrifice "clicking" with the interviewer and being able to kind of control the pace of the interview and engage in a good discussion.

How bad is this? And any tips on how to improve this?