What is the application process?

Step 1

Starting July 15, begin reviewing OCI information on the CSO web page and Symplicity and review "Navigating the Symplicity System Handbook".  You will find information concerning when employers are coming on-campus or whether they are collection resumes only or require students to send materials directly to them, whether they are interviewing 2Ls and/or 3Ls, the qualifications they are seeking, the application materials they wish to receive, and wherever possible, a link to their website. 

Step 2

Decide which employers you wish to apply to. Remember that if you submit application materials and are selected for an interview, you are expected to take the interview. Students failing to select an interview time will be assigned a time and notified accordingly. Failure to appear for an interview results in the forfeiture of a future interview.

Step 3

Get Your Documentation Ready and Upload Your Materials to Symplicity

Please note that employers WILL NOT be able to view your materials until the stated OCI deadlines (NOON on Aug. 8, 2008 for Washington DC Interview Day employers and NOON on Wed. Aug. 13, 2008 for all other OCI employers), so you may update your materials and employer selections as necessary.  If you do not upload your materials and select employers by the stated deadlines, then the employers will not receive your materials.  You will have to apply directly to them outside of the Symplicity system/Pitt Law OCI process. Application materials will not be accepted after the stated OCI deadlines.

OCI employers will request different application materials, so review the requested application materials carefully! Non-OCI employers should receive a cover letter and resume. You should bring a copy of any cover letters, your resume, unofficial law school transcript, writing sample and list of references to each and every interview. 

Cover Letters

Cover letters are generally not used for OCI employers unless specifically requested by an employer. However, cover letters are very important for your independent job search/direct send employers. Make certain there are no typos, misspellings or grammatical errors.  Submit your cover letter(s) to a CSO counselor for review!

Resume

Make certain there are no typos or misspellings. Ideally your resume should be one page in length. You may report your numerical G.P.A. (i.e., 3.42) and/or your letter grade average (i.e., B+). No indications of rank are permitted.

Students may use the grade distribution bar graphs for their class to estimate if they meet an employer’s hiring criteria. This is not an exact science so students should apply to those employers where they think they are close to meeting the criteria and/or have special skills that might be of interest to that employer. The CSO does not prescreen student submissions and all materials submitted via Symplicity are sent to the employers.

For your independent job search/direct send employers, you are strongly encouraged to include the Law School’s grade policy and grade distribution bar graph for your class with your application materials.  The CSO sends the policy and bar graphs to Pitt Law on-campus and resume collection OCI employers.

If you know with certainty that you will participate in a Moot Court Competition, or other law school activity or program, you may include it on your resume even though it has not commenced, e.g. Moot Court Competition Participant, Fall 200_. If you have to try out to be selected to participate, then do not add it to your resume.

• Tip #1: Submit your resume early to the CSO for review and suggestions. Email it to any of the CSO counselors or schedule an appointment.
• Tip #2: Have friends or family read your resume for content and logic. Proof your resume carefully.

Transcripts

Have several official and unofficial law school transcripts available and at least one official undergraduate transcript available. Employers will accept an unofficial transcript unless they specify that they require an official transcript.  

Due to the fact that the University does not release electronic transcripts, students will have to create a digital version of their transcript to upload to Symplicity.  Students may do this by scanning their “unofficial” law school transcript into a file that is less than 200KB (do NOT attempt to scan in an official transcript because the University Seal will cause the file to exceed the 200KB limit). The CSO has a scanner available in the Student Resource Center. Use the scanner to scan the document into a PDF with “low resolution.” Additional scanners are also available at University Computer Labs as well as Kinkos. Once you have created this PDF file, you will be able to upload it to Symplicity. If you are not able to use the scanning method, you may create an “Unofficial & Self-Prepared Transcript” using the sample format at the end of the Navigating the Symplicity System Handbook. You should save this as a PDF file and upload it to Symplicity. 

• Tip #1: Visit the undergraduate Registrar's Office website to find out how to obtain your law school transcript.

Writing Sample

Make certain there are no typos, misspellings or grammatical errors and that it is fewer than 10 pages. The sample should be substantially your own work, i.e., not heavily revised by anyone else. Get permission from your employer before using a work product as your writing sample. Employers generally want legal analysis and prefer writing samples done in connection with work rather than as an academic endeavor, but you should submit the sample that represents your best legal analysis and writing. Be sure to take steps to protect confidential or privileged information and clients names (e.g., redactions, change names, etc.). Alternatively, use the argument section from your 1L appellate brief. Include a cover sheet with the same contact information on your resume, the purpose for which the writing sample was written, and a sentence or two with pertinent facts.  Pat Wysor, in the Legal Writing Center, is also available to work with you on your writing sample (email her at Wysor@pitt.edu).

References

Certain employers request that you submit a list of professional references. Use a separate sheet of paper with your contact information on the top and list the name, title, address, phone and email (if available) of 3-4 professional references. Select references that are familiar with your professional or academic work. Always ask permission before listing someone as a reference.

Step 4

Review participating employers and apply via Symplicity.

Please note that employers WILL NOT be able to view your materials until the stated OCI deadlines (NOON on Aug. 8, 2008 for Washington DC Interview Day employers and NOON on Wed. Aug. 13, 2008 for all other OCI employers), so you may update your materials and employer selections as necessary. Application materials will not be accepted after the stated OCI deadlines.  If you do not upload your materials and select employers by the stated deadlines, then the employers will not receive your materials.  You will have to apply directly to them outside of the Symplicity system/Pitt Law OCI process.

Please be aware that there are currently three separate OCI sessions:

1. Fall Recruiting Session I (Aug./Sept.) – this session includes:

(a) employers interviewing on-campus; and

(b) resume collection employers (i.e. employers requesting materials only and will separately contact any candidates they wish to interview); and

(c) direct send employers (i.e. employers that want students to send the requested materials ASAP or by the stated deadline directly to the employer outside of the Symplicity system).  You can distinguish the above employers by viewing “Interview Dates.”

       2.    Washington DC Interview Day

       3.    Philadelphia Interview Day