What to do if you strike out at OCI? Forum

[BOSStongrl]

So OCI starts for a majority of T14's this upcoming Monday, and i'm starting to worry that i'll strike out. Im a transfer (T3) to GULC, with 12 screeners but i'm worried about striking out- either because of my transfer status, because I screw up and suck at interviewing, or because a screener just doesn't like the color of my shirt that day. So I wanted to try to find advice on what to do if someone completely strikes out- what would the options be? would MM be useless, can you get big law in the future, or are you basically done?

[SomewhatLearnedHand]

You should've been mass mailing for the past month, but if you haven't, immediately start mass mailing every firm that does the work youre interested in located in any city youd consider living in. Start with vault, then work through the amlaw firms and NLJ firms.

[Neff]

Mass mail yesterday. At least 100-200, or until you get a job.

[totesTheGoat]

I'm not big on mass mailing. I'm not saying you shouldn't do it, but it should be something you're constantly doing on a slow burn in the background.

Your focus should be on networking. For the next year (or however long it takes to get a job), you should see everything from class selection to the place you eat lunch through the lens of networking. The career services office should have a chair with your buttprint on it by the time you get a job. The local barista should have you drink prepped for you before you walk in the door because you're meeting so many lawyers for a cup of coffee to discuss law school, law practice, and getting a legal job. You should be involved in every. single. extracurricular that interacts with attorneys. Each of your professors should be well aware that you're job hunting, and they should see you at their office hours, not only so that you kick ass at school next year, but so that you get to know them and let them introduce you to some of their lawyer friends.

If you hoof it for the next 6-12 months, treating networking as a full-time job, you will be absolutely fine.

[BOSStongrl]

I have been MM (though I did start VERY late), but worst case scenario say I completely strike out with MM as well, what would my options be then? Is it possible to get biglaw as a 3L or post graduation, or is this it? I think i'm just being pessimistic today, but would be nice to know that this is isn't my only shot

[BOSStongrl]

I'm not big on mass mailing. I'm not saying you shouldn't do it, but it should be something you're constantly doing on a slow burn in the background.

Your focus should be on networking. For the next year (or however long it takes to get a job), you should see everything from class selection to the place you eat lunch through the lens of networking. The career services office should have a chair with your buttprint on it by the time you get a job. The local barista should have you drink prepped for you before you walk in the door because you're meeting so many lawyers for a cup of coffee to discuss law school, law practice, and getting a legal job. You should be involved in every. single. extracurricular that interacts with attorneys. Each of your professors should be well aware that you're job hunting, and they should see you at their office hours, not only so that you kick ass at school next year, but so that you get to know them and let them introduce you to some of their lawyer friends.

If you hoof it for the next 6-12 months, treating networking as a full-time job, you will be absolutely fine.

phew, thanks! This was the type of information I was definitely looking (and hoping) for. Hopefully I won't end up striking out, but at least now i'll have a game plan if I do. TLS certainly makes it seem that if you don't have a 2L SA then you're out of big law for good- so good to know there's at least a chance after OCI.

[Neff]

I'm not big on mass mailing. I'm not saying you shouldn't do it, but it should be something you're constantly doing on a slow burn in the background.

Your focus should be on networking. For the next year (or however long it takes to get a job), you should see everything from class selection to the place you eat lunch through the lens of networking. The career services office should have a chair with your buttprint on it by the time you get a job. The local barista should have you drink prepped for you before you walk in the door because you're meeting so many lawyers for a cup of coffee to discuss law school, law practice, and getting a legal job. You should be involved in every. single. extracurricular that interacts with attorneys. Each of your professors should be well aware that you're job hunting, and they should see you at their office hours, not only so that you kick ass at school next year, but so that you get to know them and let them introduce you to some of their lawyer friends.

If you hoof it for the next 6-12 months, treating networking as a full-time job, you will be absolutely fine.

phew, thanks! This was the type of information I was definitely looking (and hoping) for. Hopefully I won't end up striking out, but at least now i'll have a game plan if I do. TLS certainly makes it seem that if you don't have a 2L SA then you're out of big law for good- so good to know there's at least a chance after OCI.

40-50% of GULC get biglaw+fed clerkship (I think), so you just need to be average or above. 12 screeners seems to be on the low end, but your odds are good overall. You need to go into every screener aiming for the fences.

[BOSStongrl]

I'm not big on mass mailing. I'm not saying you shouldn't do it, but it should be something you're constantly doing on a slow burn in the background.

Your focus should be on networking. For the next year (or however long it takes to get a job), you should see everything from class selection to the place you eat lunch through the lens of networking. The career services office should have a chair with your buttprint on it by the time you get a job. The local barista should have you drink prepped for you before you walk in the door because you're meeting so many lawyers for a cup of coffee to discuss law school, law practice, and getting a legal job. You should be involved in every. single. extracurricular that interacts with attorneys. Each of your professors should be well aware that you're job hunting, and they should see you at their office hours, not only so that you kick ass at school next year, but so that you get to know them and let them introduce you to some of their lawyer friends.

If you hoof it for the next 6-12 months, treating networking as a full-time job, you will be absolutely fine.

phew, thanks! This was the type of information I was definitely looking (and hoping) for. Hopefully I won't end up striking out, but at least now i'll have a game plan if I do. TLS certainly makes it seem that if you don't have a 2L SA then you're out of big law for good- so good to know there's at least a chance after OCI.

40-50% of GULC get biglaw+fed clerkship (I think), so you just need to be average or above. 12 screeners seems to be on the low end, but your odds are good overall. You need to go into every screener aiming for the fences.

I sure hope so- though I don't know if those figures exclude transfers. I'm real nervous coming from a T3 is what's going to cause me to strike out (though I bid conservatively to only V50-V100 firms). MM has gotten be no where so far as well. But thank you for the optimism- definitely needed

[Anonymous User]

I have been MM (though I did start VERY late), but worst case scenario say I completely strike out with MM as well, what would my options be then? Is it possible to get biglaw as a 3L or post graduation, or is this it? I think i'm just being pessimistic today, but would be nice to know that this is isn't my only shot

As someone who struck out at OCI and ended up at a firm there are a few options once the calendar hits ~mid October and firms are more or less done hiring for the following summer:
1) Network, work hard on getting good grades and hope for something to work out 3L or post graduation.
2) Start applying for A3 clerkships
3) Get yourself another crack at OCI. Whether this is a viable strategy will vary by school, but at mine I was able to add a joint MBA in May after 2L and this pushed my timeline back a year so I was able to be a "2L" at OCI again. This is what I did and how I ended up employed.

All 3 of these are helped by better grades though so don't let that your coursework fall to the wayside. A lot of law students are less focused on grades after 1L so it can be relatively easier to excel.

Also make sure you're keeping track of the firms you mass-mailed and following up with those that haven't rejected you periodically. I got some interviews pretty late in the cycle (September/October) the first time around by doing this. One of my offers the second time around actually DID come from mass-mail so it can work. The best thing you can do to help your chances is to be as flexible as possible. Tell every firm that you're interested in their biggest practice area and the office with the biggest summer program. Apply to every major market and every secondary market to which you have some tangible tie.

[BOSStongrl]

I have been MM (though I did start VERY late), but worst case scenario say I completely strike out with MM as well, what would my options be then? Is it possible to get biglaw as a 3L or post graduation, or is this it? I think i'm just being pessimistic today, but would be nice to know that this is isn't my only shot

As someone who struck out at OCI and ended up at a firm there are a few options once the calendar hits ~mid October and firms are more or less done hiring for the following summer:
1) Network, work hard on getting good grades and hope for something to work out 3L or post graduation.
2) Start applying for A3 clerkships
3) Get yourself another crack at OCI. Whether this is a viable strategy will vary by school, but at mine I was able to add a joint MBA in May after 2L and this pushed my timeline back a year so I was able to be a "2L" at OCI again. This is what I did and how I ended up employed.

All 3 of these are helped by better grades though so don't let that your coursework fall to the wayside. A lot of law students are less focused on grades after 1L so it can be relatively easier to excel.

Also make sure you're keeping track of the firms you mass-mailed and following up with those that haven't rejected you periodically. I got some interviews pretty late in the cycle (September/October) the first time around by doing this. One of my offers the second time around actually DID come from mass-mail so it can work. The best thing you can do to help your chances is to be as flexible as possible. Tell every firm that you're interested in their biggest practice area and the office with the biggest summer program. Apply to every major market and every secondary market to which you have some tangible tie.

WOW this is amazing advice. and congrats on getting biglaw, that's seriously impressive. But this is great, I feel 10 times better knowing that this isn't my only shot (though i'm aware it will be extremely difficult getting biglaw still if i strike out at OCI), but this is insanely helpful so thanks for writing this all up! I'm sure future TSLer's will be appreciative too