As we head into the first round of OCI (On Campus Interviews), we wanted to share some last-minute tips from those who interviewed at OCI last year. The CDO asked some rising 3Ls:
What was the first question you were asked in the OCI interview?
“Tell me about yourself.”
Some firms added a variation like “Tell me about yourself…
“…and why did you decide to come to law school?” or
“…and why did you choose Richmond Law?” or
“…and what you are looking for in a firm?”
Were you asked any questions that are not on the standard list of interview questions in the CDO Interview Guide?
“Give us three…”
…traits that you have as a person that would make you a good fit at their firm, or
…words to describe yourself and your skills, or
…attributes that make you unique from other students.
“Talk about a time when you had to prioritize school/work over personal life.”
“You have 1 minute to make me passionate about any non-legal subject matter.”
“Tell me about a time you overcame a difficult time in your life.”
“What has been the most difficult part of law school?”
“What is your favorite restaurant in Richmond?”
“Who is your favorite comedian?”
“What do you do for fun?”
“Why should I go back to our firm’s hiring team and say that you deserve a callback?”
Were you surprised by anything in your interviews?
The interviewers were a lot friendlier and more laid back than I anticipated. It felt like we were just having a casual conversation. In some interviews, the employers talked more than me.
One firm asked about my writing sample brief, so it was a very good thing that I had reviewed my writing sample and was prepared with all submitted materials.
Any final advice?
I would encourage students to not over-prepare; I’ve found I’ve connected much better with employers when I’m genuinely answering their questions and being thoughtful, rather than reciting a response I’ve prepared word for word.
I think that the guides on the CDO website have been extremely helpful and I have used them a lot this summer, not only for interviews but for informational interviews as well.
All the questions revolved around four themes: (1) Tell me about yourself; (2) Why did you apply for our firm? (3) Tell me something that is not on your resume; (4) Do you have some questions for me?
Thank you to the following rising 3Ls for their feedback and advice for this article:
Ibrahim Aldajeh
Jack Babcock
Jessica Birdsong
Laney Flanagan
Rita Gentile
Paige Hastings
Zoe Jackson
Ginnie Lynch
Emily Pollock
Courtney Squires
For more interviewing preparation resources, check out:
CDO On-Demand webinars: On-Demand Resources – Career Development – School of Law – University of Richmond
CDO Callback Interview Guide: Microsoft Word – Callback Guide.docx (richmond.edu)
CDO Blogs on Interview Skills: Interview Skills | Richmond Law Career Development Office