1
FALL RECRUITING/OCI
STUDENT PREP
March 8, 2016
University of Houston Law Center
Career Development Office
2
UHLC On Campus Recruiting
• Fall Recruiting
• Fall OCI: Session I
• Fall OCI: Session II
• Spring Recruiting
• Government and Public Interest Table Talk (GPITT)
• Small & Midsize Firm Open House
• Year-Round Recruiting
• Symplicity Job Bank
• Resume Collects
• Apprentice Program
see https://www.law.uh.edu/career/student/job-fairs.asp
3
Off Campus Recruiting
• Texas in Washington (D.C.) – July
• Loyola Patent Law Interview Program (Chicago) – August
• DuPont Legal Minority Fair (Houston) - August
• Sunbelt Minority Job Fair (Dallas) - August
• Equal Justice Works (DC) – October
• UT Public Service Career Day (Austin) – January
• Regional Virtual Recruiting Fairs (Online) – Varies
• Individualized Student Efforts:
• Networking see https://www.law.uh.edu/career/student/job-fairs.asp
• Direct Outreach
4
Fall Recruiting
• What is OCI?
• Dates to Remember
• Before You Bid
• Bidding
• Selection/Scheduling
• Before Interviews
• Interviews (On Campus & Callbacks)
• After Interviews
• Things to Remember
See OCI FAQs: https://www.law.uh.edu/career/student/FOCI.asp
5
What is OCI?
• OCI = On Campus Interviews
• Typically 85-100 employers
• 20 or 30 minute interviews in the CDO and Finnell Rooms
• Rising 2L and 3L students may participate
• Fall OCI: Session I – August 15-19, 2016
• Predominantly large firms (with 50+ attorneys)
• Seeking Summer Associates
• Includes NALP and non-NALP firms (see handouts)
• Some government agencies
• A few smaller firms (may be looking to hire for Fall)
• Fall OCI: Session II – Date TBD
• A few large firms; more midsize firms and government
agencies
See OCI FAQs: https://www.law.uh.edu/career/student/FOCI.asp
6
What is OCI?
• Important OCI Terms:
• Accept /Decline Interview Period – The period when students can accept or decline interviews granted by
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
employers.
Alternate Interview Sign Up Period – The period when students who employers designated as alternates
may accept interviews based on available interview schedule space.
Bid – An application for a specific employer. The application includes a resume and any other documents
requested by the employer.
Bidding Period – The period when students can place bids for employers that they are interested in
interviewing with.
Callback Interview – Follow up interviews usually held at the employers’ offices for a half or full day.
Campus Interview Period – The period when employers come to campus to conduct interviews of the
students who have accepted their interview request.
Resume Collection – A collection of resumes that an employer gathers from interested students and in lieu of
coming to campus to interview viable candidates, the employer chooses to follow up with the candidates at
the employer’s convenience.
Resume Review Deadline – Students must submit their resumes to their assigned counselor by this date in
order to receive feedback prior to the first day of the Bidding Period. Resumes submitted after this date are
not guaranteed to be reviewed before the Bidding Period begins.
Student Review Period – The period when students can log on to Symplicity and view the employers who
have signed up to participate in Fall OCI: Session I.
see OCI FAQs: https://www.law.uh.edu/career/student/FOCI.asp
7
Dates to Remember
2016 Fall OCI: Session I
• July 1
• July 8
• July 15 – 19
• August 1 – 2
• August 1 – 3
• Aug 3
• Aug 8 – 9
• Aug 15 – 19
•Student Review Period Opens
Resume Review Deadline
Bidding Period
• Accept/Decline Interview Period
•CDO Mock Interview Program Sign-Up Period
Alternate Interview Sign Up Period
Attorney/CDO Mock Interview Program
• 2016 Fall OCI: Session I
See OCI FAQs: https://www.law.uh.edu/career/student/FOCI.asp
8
Before You Bid: Application Documents
•
General Tips
• Typically required documents: resume, tailored cover letter, writing
sample and transcript
• Request review from counselor by July 8
•
Resume –
• One page only; Include your GPA
•
Cover Letters
• Tailor to each employer; address to contact listed; draft as a formal letter
•
Transcript
• Use unofficial law school transcript unless otherwise directed
•
Writing Sample
• 5-10 pages; include a cover page; use LSS memo or memo from
previous employer (with permission); edit based on feedback received
see First Year Initiative (FYI) Handbook
9
Before You Bid: Professional Presence
• Social Media
• You WILL be researched by employers
• Check your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest,
Snapchat, etc. accounts
• Check old/archived blogs, Tumblr accounts, political
sites, etc.
• Remove any inappropriate/inflammatory pictures or
postings
• Tighten privacy settings
• Create/update your LinkedIn account
• Update Voicemail Greeting & Empty Voicemail Box
• Craft a Brief Email Signature
Sincerely,
Ashley C. Scott
Juris Doctor Candidate, 2018
University of Houston Law Center
10
Before You Bid: Research Employers
• Bids are limited, thus employer research is key:
• Employer Websites
• Symplicity “Employer” Tab (for employer profiles)
• Third Party Websites
• www.nalpdirectory.com
• http://www.chambers-associate.com/home
• http://www.vault.com/
• http://www.martindale.com/
• Bloomberg: http://www.bna.com/law-school-professionalsm17179911802/
• https://www.linkedin.com/
• Meet the OCI Employers:
• Tuesday, March 22, 2016, 4-6pm
• UH Student Center (main campus), Houston Room 220
11
Before You Bid: Research Employers
• Investigate:
• Hiring criteria (and manage your bids accordingly)
• Practice areas and sizes
• No multiple interviews with different offices of the
•
•
•
•
same firm
UHLC alumni presence
Recent press (mergers, office openings/closings,
high profile cases, etc.)
Work environment/culture
Length and time of summer program
12
Bidding: How to Bid
• The Symplicity Interface is changing.
• If you bid for MOILP, 1L OCI, or any of the other
recruiting events in the Symplicity “Recruiting” tab, you
will need to familiarize yourself with the new interface
• The CDO will email step-by-step bidding instructions early
in the summer.
13
Bidding: Employer OCI Details
• The Participating OCI Employers will be available for
review beginning July 1, 2016, in Symplicity, including:
• Length of OCI interview (20 or 30 minutes)
• Office(s) interviewing at OCI
• Class year(s) interviewing
• Contact Information (use for cover letters)
• Required application materials
• Summer program dates (full, first half, second half)
• Interviewer names (when provided; may change on the day of
interview)
Note: You may also download a spreadsheet of participating firms from the CDO’s OCI
FAQ page: https://www.law.uh.edu/career/student/FOCI.asp
•
14
Bidding: Bidding Strategy
• Students are typically limited to approximately 25 bids and 15
interviews
• Bids are limited so apply strategically by considering the following:
• Employer’s listed requirements & your research
• First or second half summer program
• Local office practice areas
• Resume Collection bids do not count towards bid limit
• You may withdraw or change bids during the bidding period,
however, you will be locked in when the bidding period is over.
• There is no benefit to bidding earlier in the bidding period as
opposed to later, but don’t wait until the last minute.
15
Selection/Scheduling: Interview Invitations
• Accept/Decline Interview Period (August 1-2)
• “Accept Preselect” = selected for interview
• Alternate Interview Sign Up Period (Aug 3)
• “Accept Alternate” = selected as an alternate
• Tip: Interview time slots - First come, first served
• Decline as soon as you know you’ve chosen not to interview with
that employer
• “Not Invited” = not selected; no action needed
16
Selection/Scheduling: Cancellations
• Attend ALL scheduled interviews
• Shows professionalism
• Maintains the reputation of the Law Center
• Encourages employers to continue Law Center recruiting
• Read the CDO Good Standing Policy
• If you absolutely must cancel, you must
• Provide 48 hours notice or
• Prepare a letter of apology to the employer and deliver to the CDO within 48
hours of the missed interview
• If you have an emergency and may be late or must
cancel, call the CDO immediately (713-743-2090).
17
Before Interviews: Appearance
• Prepare Interview Wardrobe
• Men – dark suits, white shirts, and conservative ties
• Clean-shaven or neat facial hair
• Shoes should be polished
• Women - dark skirt suits with pantyhose, dark closed toe shoes
• Primary employer complaints: attire too tight, sheer blouses, low-cut
neck lines, short skirts and extremely high heels, flashy jewelry
• No Distractions
• Hair – Make sure it’s not distracting, you won’t touch it, and it won’t
change throughout interview.
• Interviewers should be focusing exclusively on what you have to
say and the substance of your resume (e.g. no visible tattoos,
facial piercings, bright nail polish, or strong perfumes/colognes)
• Changing Rooms are located across from the CDO
• When in doubt, ask a CDO Career Counselor
18
Before Interviews: Other Considerations
• Prepare Interview Documents
•
•
•
Print extra copies of documents
Resumes & Cover Letters – on resume paper; upright watermark
Writing Sample & Transcript – regular copy paper, unofficial transcript
unless otherwise instructed
• Practice for the Interview: Do a Mock Interview
• What to Bring
•
•
•
Portfolio with copies of documents inside
Watch/Way to tell time
If you have another bag at OCI, we can store it; avoid bringing other bags
to receptions or callback interviews and don’t leave valuables in your car!
• Purchase thank you notes
•
Neutral shade; simple and professional
• Research individual interviewers
•
•
Interviews could change as late as the day of
Check for last minute changes before your interview
19
Interviews: What to Expect
• OCI:
• 5 hectic days: maintain your stamina, energy and enthusiasm
• Multiple interviews per day, some could be back to back
• Times/locations: Know when and where for each interview
• Some firms may have recruiters present to speak with you 5-10
minutes before the interview begins
• Employers could be anywhere so watch discussions/behavior/attire
in public places
• Callbacks:
• Scheduling around class and other commitments – can happen
quickly (same week as OCI) and continue through the semester
• OK to not answer unknown calls and allow them to leave a
voicemail but must return calls within 24 hours
• Long days – can be 4+ hours of back to back interviews with
various attorneys at the firm
• Don’t forget to request business cards from all
interviewers
20
After Interviews: Thank you Notes
• Provide a separate thank you note for every interviewer
• Personalize each note with topics discussed during the
•
•
•
•
interview; take notes after each interview to remember
Handwritten; legible; spell checked
No embossed symbols
No automated service delivery system
Mail within 24-48 hours of the interview
21
After Interviews: Firm Receptions
• Primarily hosted by large firms
• Some firms invite all interviewees; some invite only callbacks
• Can be scheduled before or after OCI
• Always RSVP; always attend if you RSVP
• Remember, a reception is a part of the job interview
• Generally, attire is business attire
• If you need to attend more than one in one night, it is
acceptable to attend for 20-30 minutes, and then visit the
next event
• Map locations + plan transportation (cab/Uber, carpool,
parking, etc.)
22
After Interviews: Callbacks & Offers
• Accepting/Declining Callbacks and Offers for Employment
• Only accept callback interviews for employers you are truly
interested in
• If you know you are not interested, decline offers for employment
as soon as you know you have chosen not to go to that firm
• NALP Guidelines governs employment offers for NALP member
employers
• When in doubt, talk to your CDO counselor
23
Things to Remember
• Add all scheduled OCI dates to your calendar and set reminders
• Update your LinkedIn profile and check your Social Media accounts
for inappropriate content and tighten your privacy settings
• You must with your Career Counselor for the initial 1L Intro to the CDO
meeting to access Symplicity Recruiting info for OCI
• Request a resume review from your Career Counselor early
(before July 8 deadline)
• OCI is NOT the only resource for law student employment. Stay
informed by regularly reviewing the Symplicity Job Bank, CDO Weekly
Digest, and the CDO webpage for additional opportunities.
see https://www.law.uh.edu/career/students.asp
24
Things To Remember
• Schedule an appointment with your Career Counselor, now and
throughout the summer (in person and by phone)
Ashley Scott (Section B, C & E) – acscott3@central.uh.edu
• Anne Elise Doise (Section A) – ardoise@central.uh.edu
•
• And no matter what:
•
•
•
Be prompt
Be courteous
Be prepared: research, research, research