In House "Office Visit"? Forum

[Anonymous User]

2L, struck out during OCI.

I had a skype interview with an in house department, and got a callback to come into their office. The lawyer who interviewed me made it sound like an interview, but the HR person called in an "office visit." This office visit is in another state, and based on the email does not sound like a formal callback interview (as in I'm not meeting with 3-4 people).

The company is not paying for airfare or hotel (is this normal?), and the ticket is $400 before hotel costs. My question is whether this office visit is similar to the callback where I have a good chance of making it? Does anyone else have experience with a similar situation? I would feel more comfortable spending $400+ if I knew the company didn't just call everyone back.

[tbird]

I had a similar situation 1L summer. Was your skype interview for a position that they are actively trying to fill? If so, then it sounds like a call back. My office visit was in my home town, so I didn't have to pay to travel. But I just sat down with the lawyers in the department in their conference room. They told me more about what each one does and asked me a few questions. Then the head of the department came in and talked to me for a bit and asked if I had any final questions about the job. I left, and got called with the offer within an hour.

I would treat it like a callback. The fact that you have to pay doesn't mean anything to me. My experience is that in-house doesn't care to "schmooze" people like big law does.

[NotMyRealName09]

Yeah it sure sounds like an interview. You, a job candidate, going into the office following a skype interview...that's an interview. They could call it afternoon tea, or a schmooze and booze, but its all just job candidate meeting potential co-workers to help employer make a hiring decisions, i.e., an interview.

Good luck!

[Anonymous User]

I had a similar situation 1L summer. Was your skype interview for a position that they are actively trying to fill? .

OP here: Yup. Gonna treat it like a callback, but I just wanted to double check other people's experiences.

Thanks to both of you for responding.

[wolfie_m.]

.

[JenDarby]

Is this interview supposed to be for a permanent position? I'm confused about why they won't pay your travel expenses.

Outside of standard OCI type dictated interview processes, companies often/generally don't pay for travel expenses. The applicant generally needs the job more than the company needs the junior applicant.