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When is it okay to request a status update after an interview?

For example, if a judge tells you they plan to make a decision by a certain time, is it inappropriate to request an update at the end of that time?

Only time I'd ask for a status update is if I was interviewing with another judge and wanted to let them know to sort of nudge them and see where I stand. Otherwise no need to bug them.

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 07, 2023 2:38 pm

Only time I'd ask for a status update is if I was interviewing with another judge and wanted to let them know to sort of nudge them and see where I stand. Otherwise no need to bug them.

That makes sense. I guess what I really want to know is if it is safe to assume I didn't get a clerkship if I haven't heard anything during the time period the judge said they planned to extend offers.

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 07, 2023 2:38 pm

Only time I'd ask for a status update is if I was interviewing with another judge and wanted to let them know to sort of nudge them and see where I stand. Otherwise no need to bug them.

Yeah, I agree with this. Or if theoretically you had another job offer and needed to know the judge’s decision to choose on the offer (less common with a clerkship but not impossible).

Basically assume you don’t have the job until told otherwise. You can’t be certain at this point that you don’t have it - lots of things could delay a decision - but admittedly it’s not a good sign.

Not to say this is always the case or to freak out OP but I find in both judges' and firms' hiring practices you usually hear very soon if the news is good. Whiffed on my first two clerkship interviews, the one judge let me me know after like 2-3 weeks and the other judge literally never even told me, I just assumed it was a no after a couple weeks passed (it was a super negative interview experience too, I should probably drag him by name on here lol). The judge I ultimately wound up with called me to extend an offer like 22 hours after I left chambers. Not to say this means anything for OP necessarily and I don't want to be too negative, I've just found in legal hiring usually if it's a "yes" you hear back quickly.

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 07, 2023 3:14 pm

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 07, 2023 2:38 pm

Only time I'd ask for a status update is if I was interviewing with another judge and wanted to let them know to sort of nudge them and see where I stand. Otherwise no need to bug them.

That makes sense. I guess what I really want to know is if it is safe to assume I didn't get a clerkship if I haven't heard anything during the time period the judge said they planned to extend offers.

Assume now you didn't get it and operate as such. But if you have not yet heard back and get an interview offer from another judge, email this judge to nudge them.

There is no scenario in which a request for status update, without more (like another offer) would prompt an offer from us. You might get a rejection shortly thereafter, if we've already decided to reject you and have forgotten to do so, or haven't gotten around to a batch of rejections.

But I disagree that not hearing back quickly means no offer. At least in appellate, we are often sitting on 6-10 acceptable applications for a while, hoping for a superstar applicant, but we'd eventually hire one of the acceptable candidates if not.