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I’ve been offered an interview for one of my dream clerkships. However, I’m currently clerking far away from the interview location. They’ve offered a phone interview. Are there any pros to the phone interview? I can only think of cons. Would judges seriously hire someone through a phone interview? I obtained my current clerkship through a video interview, which in itself was a bit strange to me. Perhaps I’m just more traditional. My strong inclination at this point is to carve out time to attend in person. But if that is impossible for whatever reason, so you know of clerks hired after a phone interview when the other applicants are probably interviewing in person?

Anonymous User wrote:Are there any pros to the phone interview?

Pro: It's a lot cheaper than flying out to the interview location. That's the reason why my judge would offer a phone interview -- to save the applicant the time and expense of traveling to interview at our location.

Pro: It's likely to get you an interview sooner, which can be good with judges who basically hire the first non-offensive person they talk to. (Back when I was applying for a clerkship, I scheduled an interview on a Tuesday for the next Friday morning, and I got a phone call on Wednesday letting me know that the position had been filled already.)

Anonymous User wrote:Would judges seriously hire someone through a phone interview?

Yes. Why would a judge offer this option if he/she didn't intend to actually use it for its purpose of deciding whether or not to hire an applicant?

Anonymous User wrote:[D]o you know of clerks hired after a phone interview when the other applicants are probably interviewing in person?

My judge has hired several clerks after phone interviews.

Anonymous User wrote:I’ve been offered an interview for one of my dream clerkships. However, I’m currently clerking far away from the interview location. They’ve offered a phone interview. Are there any pros to the phone interview? I can only think of cons. Would judges seriously hire someone through a phone interview? I obtained my current clerkship through a video interview, which in itself was a bit strange to me. Perhaps I’m just more traditional. My strong inclination at this point is to carve out time to attend in person. But if that is impossible for whatever reason, so you know of clerks hired after a phone interview when the other applicants are probably interviewing in person?

To provide two data points that hopefully ease your fears: I interviewed for two clerkships, both by phone--one 2/9/DC, and the other for a lesser-known yet up-and-coming d. ct. judge. Both involved other candidates who applied in person. I received both offers.

OP here. Thanks. This did assuage my fears, but I went ahead and booked an in-person interview for Friday. Ha, maybe I should’ve done it by phone!