Graduate Fellow
Law Career Development
GGU’s Spring Recruitment Program connects students with law firms, government agencies, and public interest organizations. These organizations hire summer associates, interns, and post-bars through the on campus interview. Although the Spring Recruitment Program is not the only way to get a summer and/or fall internship, it is a great resource if you don’t have an internship already lined up.
Interviews are Your Turf
Just as the name suggests, one of the benefits of applying for OCI is that it is on campus. Since OCI is within the school itself, you do not have to worry about whether to choose between going to your classes or to your interview. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive an email notification indicating the date of the interview and available time slots for you to pick from. Note: If you do not pick an interview time, by the stated date, one will be chosen for you. In the past, OCI has taken place in Law Career Development’s (LCD) conference room. By now, this should be a familiar place for you. If it is not, make LCD a priority. LCD is a resource that you can tap into not only as a student, but later as a graduate.
Employers are Specifically Coming to See You
Secondly, the employers attending OCI are here to see you. Many employers at OCI have a long-standing relationship with GGU Law and have hired GGU students in the past. Do not hesitate to apply if you see an employer that you are interested in. The odds are in your favor. Upon applying, your cover letter and resume will be reviewed by LCD’s career counselors before they are sent to the respective employers. Moreover, the chances that the employer will receive and/or review your application are higher compared to if you sent it on your own (e.g. your application will not get lost in the employer’s inbox).
FYI, Spring Recruitment works! During my 2L year, I applied and received numerous internship offers through Spring Recruitment. If you receive more than one offer, consider deferring one of them for your fall semester. To figure out the best way to approach this, you should speak with an LCD counselor.
Preparing for OCI
You should prepare for an OCI like you would for any other job interview. You should be ready to discuss what you can offer the employer and should have questions ready for the employer. The only way that you will have meaningful questions to ask the interviewing law firm is by conducting thorough research. Oftentimes, you will be given the identity of the lawyers who are scheduled to interview you. You should research them, but be ready if a different lawyer shows up for the interview. The interviewers will expect that you have done your homework before coming to the interview, so do not disappointment them.
If you are nervous or need help preparing for an interview, do a mock interview with an LCD counselor. A mock interview may identify questions that you have difficulty with, which you can easily fix before you sit in for the real deal. Do not wait to the very last minute to make an appointment. Instead, make an appointment a week in advance or a few days before your interview. LCD gets very busy the week of OCI.
For more interviewing tips, please see Julie Cumming’s article Solider On: Boot Camp to Law School – Secret, and Not-So-Secret Interview Tips.
Dress to impress. While some employers may offer you the opportunity to interview in business-casual attire, the rule of thumb is to dress nice, but conservatively. This is the employer’s first impression of you, so do not give them a reason to judge you. What you may think is business-causal may not be up to par with the employer’s standard.
Lastly, carry your documents in a professional portfolio. Bring extra copies of your cover letters, resumes, writing samples, and unofficial transcripts with you. Although employers have allocated time to come see you, they are busy people and may have forgotten to bring copies of your resume. On the same note, employers may not have asked for a writing sample in the initial job description, but could request it during the interview. Having extra copies will show that you are prepared and well organized. Be sure to get the names and business cards of the people who interview you. Don’t just sit on the cards when you get home, use the information to create a thoughtful “thank you” email or note card within 2-3 days of the interview. See LCD for help if you find yourself struggling with writer’s block. They’re here to help!
