As Fall Recruiting (whether OCI or otherwise) progresses, you may get calls from employers for “callback” or “flyback” interviews. In case this happens, keep the following tips in mind:
Answer every phone call in a friendly and professional manner—especially if you don’t recognize the number. If you get a call from an employer, have a tone of eagerness about the employer and gratitude for the invitation. They should be able to tell that you are smiling (aren’t you?).
Have your class/work schedule handy. Do your utmost to avoid missing class. If the employer offers a day for the callback which conflicts with class, it is not unusual to graciously mention that you have a class conflict, and to ask if there is another possible day. There often is, although sometimes not.
If you get a message to call an employer, do so as quickly as possible. It can be a logistical nightmare for legal employers to schedule attorneys to do callbacks—help minimize it by responding to the employer with your availability ASAP.
Start researching the employer and their location, if you haven’t done so already. Be prepared to convey your special interest in the employer based on your research.
For many more tips and an overview of the various formats for callbacks, review the handouts prepared by PDO that are in the “Document Library” in Symplicity (go to the “Documents” tab).
Be prepared to get an offer from an employer with whom you have interviewed—and be ready to ask for the time you need to evaluate the offer in light of remaining options. As you go through the interviewing process, be ranking the employers in terms of where you want to be. Which places do you still want to see before you can accept an offer? Be sure you know the timeline for getting to see these places. That way, if one employer calls to make an offer, you can express gratitude, then ask for the time that you need to see the other options in which you are most interested. Each year, some students are so surprised to get an offer that they fail to consider how much time they need to fairly evaluate their other choices. If you fail to ask for sufficient time, you will probably just end up having to ask for more time anyway –which makes you run the risk of looking like you hadn’t thought things through.
If you accept an offer, please share the good news with PDO! If you have additional interviews scheduled, PDO will contact the employers and update their OCI schedules. In some cases, the employers have alternate lists, and this may open an opportunity for another student to interview.