Handbags for OCI? Forum

[Lawcat11]

This is a bit of a silly question, but as I'm preparing for on campus interviews I've been realizing that I'll need to bring a crap ton of stuff with me, so I want to bring a gigantic bag. I'm really inexperienced at legal interviews, but what kinds of bags do female law students generally bring to these things- do you use briefcases or purses? Any recommendations for large bags that won't stand out too much?

[2014]

There's generally a staging area where students gather, you bring your stuff in whatever and leave it with friends or career services then only bring a padfolio containing your resume, transcript and writing sample into the interview room in case any of those documents are requested.

[Anonymous User]

There's generally a staging area where students gather, you bring your stuff in whatever and leave it with friends or career services then only bring a padfolio containing your resume, transcript and writing sample into the interview room in case any of those documents are requested.

Good to know, thanks! I'll ask our Career Services for details about that.

[Anonymous User]

You still have to carry your bag for callbacks, so be sure to have a decent one. Carry something like this: https://www.dagnedover.com/collections/legend-tote

[cron1834]

I definitely saw some girls with bags like the one above (black or brown-leather) at our OCI. I didn't think it was weird. As a guy, carrying my wallet, phone, keys, padfolio, pen and at times a water bottle was annoying af. I wished I had something other than shitty interior suit pockets. Obviously some oversize fashion piece is inappropriate, but I wouldn't bat an eye at a manageable and understated bag.

But, I guess if no one else at your school does this, then don't be the only one. Go with the flow.

[Slytherpuff]

I definitely lugged around an oversized purse for my interviews - this was what I used a couple years back. Something like the Dagne Dover bag would be perfect. If you have a lot of interviews you won't have time to go back to the staging area to grab things in between, and you might want access to water/makeup/mints/hairbrush in addition to all your interview documents.

[Lawcat11]

I definitely lugged around an oversized purse for my interviews - this was what I used a couple years back. Something like the Dagne Dover bag would be perfect. If you have a lot of interviews you won't have time to go back to the staging area to grab things in between, and you might want access to water/makeup/mints/hairbrush in addition to all your interview documents.

Thanks! I like the Dagne Dover one- do you think the Legend might be a little too big though?

[Anonymous User]

I brought my backpack to my callback interviews for 1L summer associate position. Is that considered professional enough? Maybe okay for west coast offices/firms, but not okay for east coast ones?

[Slytherpuff]

I definitely lugged around an oversized purse for my interviews - this was what I used a couple years back. Something like the Dagne Dover bag would be perfect. If you have a lot of interviews you won't have time to go back to the staging area to grab things in between, and you might want access to water/makeup/mints/hairbrush in addition to all your interview documents.

Thanks! I like the Dagne Dover one- do you think the Legend might be a little too big though?

Nah, I think it'll be an okay size. It's not so bulky that you'll stand out but you'll still have space for all your stuff.

[elendinel]

I brought my backpack to my callback interviews for 1L summer associate position. Is that considered professional enough? Maybe okay for west coast offices/firms, but not okay for east coast ones?

Probably want to avoid for east coast. I don't know about west coast.

I used this or something like it in interviews, IIRC. It's cheap so it was a bit worn by the end of the fall, but it fit all my stuff.

[cron1834]

I brought my backpack to my callback interviews for 1L summer associate position. Is that considered professional enough? Maybe okay for west coast offices/firms, but not okay for east coast ones?

Damn, you really went full backpack?

[Nebby]

I brought my backpack to my callback interviews for 1L summer associate position. Is that considered professional enough? Maybe okay for west coast offices/firms, but not okay for east coast ones?

Damn, you really went full backpack?

I'm a big backpack proponent (sooo clutch when you live in a city w/ good public transit and don't need a car), but don't take your backpack to an interview.

[cron1834]

I brought my backpack to my callback interviews for 1L summer associate position. Is that considered professional enough? Maybe okay for west coast offices/firms, but not okay for east coast ones?

Damn, you really went full backpack?

I'm a big backpack proponent (sooo clutch when you live in a city w/ good public transit and don't need a car), but don't take your backpack to an interview.

Oh yeah, for work, 100%. Not interview.

[Anonymous User]

Original "backpack" poster here. I indeed brought my backpack to interviews at west coast firms/offices. I was just trying to be low-key. Maybe that's part of the reason why I didn't get offers. Good to know right before my coming callback interview at a NYC firm...

[cron1834]

Original "backpack" poster here. I indeed brought my backpack to interviews at west coast firms/offices. I was just trying to be low-key. Maybe that's part of the reason why I didn't get offers. Good to know right before my coming callback interview at a NYC firm...

Backpack might actually work at a couple Silicon Valley offices (guys at Quinn literally interviewed me in shorts and Sperries). But yeah, anywhere else, go professional handbag or padfolio. Sorry the 1L interviews didn't work out for you, but the upside is that you'll have a little more experience and insight relative to your classmates that didn't even snag interviews. Good luck!

[thisiswater]

at my school interviews have an HR/recruiting person outside or close by and they always offered to let me leave my cheap-ish version of the dagne dover tote and just carry in my padfolio