Strategic scheduling question (small market vs. NYC) Forum

[sergiokun16]

Hi guys, need some strategic scheduling advice. I've been getting a fair number of pre-selects in the NY market (where I want to be), but also got offered an interview in a much smaller market with a regional firm at the firm itself. Should I schedule that interview before OCI, or should I schedule it after OCI? If I schedule it before OCI, I will be interviewing in the next ~10 days, but if I wait, it will be about 20 (from today). What would be the comparative advantages/disadvantages?

[sundance95]

Hi guys, need some strategic scheduling advice. I've been getting a fair number of pre-selects in the NY market (where I want to be), but also got offered an interview in a much smaller market with a regional firm at the firm itself. Should I schedule that interview before OCI, or should I schedule it after OCI? If I schedule it before OCI, I will be interviewing in the next ~10 days, but if I wait, it will be about 20 (from today). What would be the comparative advantages/disadvantages?

Before. If at all possible, you want to have an offer in hand at OCI.

Also, practice is good if nothing else.

[Johann]

Interviewing earlier usually provides a slight boost. If you make a good impression and bond, the interviewers will be looking for why not to hire the other people. Not a huge boost, but real

[sergiokun16]

Good deal, just scheduled it for before. Thanks guys.

[Nat Sherman]

Because you want New York, I'd say it doesn't really matter. If you wanted the small market, then I'd say before. Smaller markets tend to move slower and if it's a smaller office they might not want to extend an offer until they do OCI at local schools. So if you did it after OCI you might not get an offer until after your NYC offers expire. Since you're just using a small market as a back up, it's really up to if you'd rather be first through the gate or be compared against the people they saw at OCI. Since you're just using it as a backup plan, you might want to schedule it after OCI so that if you strike out, you'll have more interview experience and will be able to do better.