Month: July 2015

Preparing for OCI (Part 3 of 3): Suspend All Disbelief

/ DQuattrochi / Leave a comment

Editor’s Note: I’m a recently graduated, proud alumnus of Boston College Law School, a community I love with all my heart. This is the third and final post in a series aimed at helping rising 2Ls prepare for the on-campus interview process. The topic(s) of this post, specifically, address short term OCI alternatives and long term career planning-best practices. It is my sincere hope that you will find this both helpful and comforting as you move through this process. Most importantly it’s my wish that you never forget that you’re not alone. We’re Eagles. We fly together.

My story:

“Is this a sick joke?” I stared at the screen in disbelief, laughed uncomfortably, and then excused myself from his Honor’s chambers to prevent myself from awkwardly crying in front of Alicia, the Courtroom Deputy.

Convinced I’d read it wrong, I put on a smile, tightened my tie, grabbed my jacket, and scurried down the hall to the John R. Bartels Library, my frequent third floor escape that summer when I just couldn’t even. “Mr. Quattrochi, 26(f) conference on my docket this morning, you said you’d wanted to see one. I trust I’ll see you there?” I looked up, reflexively. “Yes, Judge. Just going to grab a coffee before we start. Can I get you anything?”  With that aside, I entered the library and pulled out my cell phone.

Nope. I hadn’t read it wrong. Out of the more than fifty bids I’d submitted, I’d only been selected for one screener in Boston, and two screeners in New York. I walked out of the library, turned, went directly into the bathroom, and ugly-cried for a good ten minutes straight. Then my phone vibrated.

Continue reading →

Preparing for OCI (Part 2 of 3): Interviewing 101

/ Rob Rossi / 1 Comment

Editor’s Note: Cara Fonseca is a rising 3L and the incoming Co-Chair of the LSA Career Mentoring Committee, which organizes the 1L Boot Camp Career Prep Series each year. For the second in our series of three posts geared to help rising 2Ls prepare for the on-campus interview process, Cara was kind enough to contribute as a guest blogger. The topic of this post is straightforward – how to interview with law firms as well as you possibly can during OCI and callbacks.

By now, a significant number of you probably have three little letters buzzing around in your head: OCI. You have worked hard all year, made it through two aggressive rounds of final exams, and now it’s summer.  You are probably working somewhere awesome, but you also know there are other new and exciting opportunities on the horizon, especially if you are interested in working for a large firm. You have also probably heard through the grapevine that working at a firm offers the opportunity to get unbelievable training and experience, not to mention to work with awesome clients on fascinating cases. (Totally true!) Ok, so OCI is certainly a worthwhile endeavor, and you’ve decided how you want to bid and sent in (or are about to send in) your resumes and writing samples. So you’re ready for interviews, right?!?!

If you’re anything like I was as a rising 2L, you probably see the interview process as equally exciting and intimidating.  I truly believe the interview is the most important part of the recruiting process. A great interview can get you an awesome summer associate offer, even if your grades are not the best in the class. Although I am by no means an expert when it comes to interview strategy and skills, I’ve provided a bit of my own advice and tidbits from interviewing attorneys, summer associates, and junior associates to compile a list of tips and tricks that I hope you will find helpful as you enter into your own interviewing process:

Continue reading →

Preparing for OCI (Part 1 of 3): Timeline & Breakdown

/ Rob Rossi / 1 Comment

Editor’s Note: This post is the first in a series of three geared to help rising 2Ls prepare for the on-campus interview process and provide prospective students with an inside look at the recruiting process during law school. The topic of this post is a general overview and breakdown of the logistics of the OCI process, and tips for navigating it each step of the way.

As hard as it may be to believe, OCI is right around the corner. If you knew the phrase “on-campus interview” before the start of law school, you had a head start on most of the class. And if you found time during 1L to learn a bit about the process, even better.

Leading up to your first round of interviews, it’s perfectly normal to feel excited, impatient, and more than slightly nervous. One way we do not want you to feel is unprepared. As with any advice, the information that follows is not a one-size-fits-all, guaranteed recipe for success. Hopefully, however, you find the suggestions worthwhile and as a result feel more confident heading into the OCI process. Let’s start by laying out the timeline: Continue reading →