• Pitt Home
  • Pitt Law Home
  • JURIST
  • Calendar
  • Find People
  • Contact Us
  • Search
career > recruiting > oci

On-Campus Recruiting and Placement

The Fall is a busy time of year for both employers and students in the job market. Employers who are able to hire far in advance of their needs, like large law firms, government agencies, and corporations, participate in OCI (on-campus interviewing). At the same time, savvy students are engaged in their own job search independent of OCI. This independent job search involves identification of employers and formal outreach to them via cover letter, personal visit, introduction via a third-party, letters of recommendation, etc. The effective job seeker will use both OCI and the independent job search to maximize opportunities for future employment.

We are available for appointments to talk about your independent job searches and also recommend that you attend the programs offered by the CSO. These programs will assist you in both your independent job search and the On-Campus Interview process. The CSO office is open full-time during the summer - drop-ins are welcome, although an appointment is the best way to get the attention you deserve. We look forward to helping you.

If you have any questions about what to expect or how to conduct your job search, please contact any of the following Career Counselors: Pam Day (412) 648-2359 (pday@pitt.edu), Jennifer Poller (412) 648-1408 (poller@pitt.edu) or Mary Thinium (412) 648-1051 (thinium@pitt.edu).

What can you do to make the most of the Fall Recruiting Season?

  1. Be Aware of Deadlines and Other Important Dates
  2. Get Your Documentation Ready
  3. Submitting OCI Materials
  4. Interview Information
  5. Prohibitions / Sanctions

  1. Be Aware of Deadlines and other Important Dates

    Email from registrar that includes CSO information about OCI July

    Access to list of OCI employers via Symplicity                   START UPLOADING APPLICATION MATERIALS

    		Tues., July15
    Interview Preparation Days: Mock Interviews with local attorneys

    August TBA                Room & Times TBA               

    Deadline to upload application materials for Washington D.C. Interview Day employers Fri., August 8
    Deadline to upload application materials for all other OCI employers Wed., August 13
    Employers review materials and will notify the CSO regarding students selected for interviews, usually 5 days before the interview. Selected students will need to to sign-up for a convenient interview time via Symplicity. August 15-Oct.
    Washington, D.C. Interview Day Fri., August 22
    Interviewing Workshops: The Initial Interview; The Call-Back Interview

    Wednesday, August 27 Room & Times TBA

    First Day of On-Campus Interviewing Thurs., August 28
    Philadelphia Interview Day Fri., September 5
    No on-campus interviewing September 1, 29, 30     Oct. 1, 8, 9
    • Tip #1: Buy and use a day planner/PDA
    • Tip #2: Check for CSO email messages and the bulletin board several times a day. Also check the CSO website regularly for updated and additional information

  2. Get Your Documentation Ready

    OCI Employers will request different application materials, so review the requirements on the website carefully! Non-OCI employers should receive a cover letter and resume and your transcript and/or writing sample if they represent you well. References could be included on a separate sheet of paper.

    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.

    Writing Sample:

    Make certain there are no typos, no misspellings 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 prefer writing samples done in connection with work rather than as an academic endeavor, but you should submit the sample that represents your best analysis and writing. Be sure to take steps to protect confidential or privileged information and clients names (e.g., redactions, change names, etc.).

    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.

    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. 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 don't add it to your resume.

    • Tip #1: Submit your resume early to the CSO for review and suggestions. Email or fax (412-624-4843) it to any of the Career Counselors or schedule an appointment.
    • Tip #2: Have friends or family read your resume for content and logic. Proof your resume carefully.
    Cover Letters

    Cover letters are generally not used for OCI unless specifically requested by an employer. However, cover letters are very important for your independent job search.

    • Tip #1: Submit your cover letter(s) to the CSO for review. Also review Guerilla Tactics by Kimm Walton.

  3. Submitting OCI Materials

    • Step One: After selecting the employers to whom you will submit your materials, upload your materials and select the employers via Symplicity.
    • Step Two: Note: the deadline to submit materials for the Washington, D.C. Interview Day is Friday, August 8, 2008. If you are studying abroad this summer, please contact Pam Day at pday@pitt.edu as soon as possible to discuss your individual situation.
    • Step Three: Obtain and fill out "submission forms"; indicating which employers you will apply to. Separate submission forms will be available for the On-Campus Employers, Resume Collections, Washington, D.C. Interview Day, and Philadelphia Interview Day. Make a copy of all forms for yourself and leave the originals with the CSO.
    • Step Four: The CSO cannot accept materials after Friday, August 13, 2008. If you do not upload your materials and select employers by this deadline, then the employers will not receive your materials. You will have to apply directly to them.
    • Tip #1: There is no correct number of employers to apply to. Apply to any employer you would seriously consider an offer from, but if you apply and the employer selects you for an interview, you are committed to taking that interview.
    • Tip #2: The uploading and submission process will take you anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour depending on how many other students are uploading materials at the same time, so plan ahead!
    • Tip #3: The CSO cannot accept materials after Friday, August 13, 2008. If you do not upload your materials and select employers by this deadline, then the employers will not receive your materials. You will have to apply directly to them.

  4. Interview Information

    On-Campus Location:

    For August and most of September, OCI interviews usually will take place on the second floor of the William Pitt Union in the interviewing suites of the undergraduate Placement Office. There will be signs directing you to the interview site and a CSO staff person will be present at all times to assist students and interviewers. After September, interviews will take place at the Law School and/or at other sites within the University. Make sure to check the interview schedule to see where your interview will be.

    • Tip #1: Give yourself plenty of time to get from the Law School to the William Pitt Union.
    • Tip #2: Build some flexibility into your interview schedule. Interviews can start earlier or later than scheduled. When scheduling interivews, please allow AT LEAST 20 minutes between each interview.
    • Tip #3: Bring an extra copy of your resume, writing sample, transcripts and list of references to the interview.
    On-Campus Notification and Scheduling

    Employers will notify the CSO regarding students selected for interviews, usually 5 days before the interview. Selected students will need to to sign-up for a convenient interview time via Symplicity. Only students on the employers list may sign-up for an 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.

    • Tip #1: Students are invited to schedule an appointment with a Career Counselor for a mock interview. Let one of us conduct a video-taped mock interview and provide feedback about your performance.
    • Tip #2: Attend the Interview Workshops.
    • Tip #3: Build some flexibility into your interview schedule. Interviews can start earlier or later than scheduled. When scheduling interivews, please allow AT LEAST 20 minutes between each interview.
    Washington D.C. and Philadelphia Interview Days:

    For the Philadelphia Interview Day, WE HAVE RESERVED A BLOCK OF ROOMS for Pitt Law students at the Marriott Philadelphia Airport, One Arrivals Road, Philadelphia, PA, 19153, (215) 492-9000 or 1 (800) 228-9290, www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/phlar-philadelphia-airport-marriott. Your reservation must be made on or before Thursday, August 30, 2007 in order to receive the group rate: Single: $129.00 Double: $129.00 (plus applicable state and local taxes). If you hope to participate in the Philadelphia Interview Day, please consider scheduling your travel plans ASAP - they can always be cancelled closer to the date. Note that you will need to take public transportation to the interview site. Additionally, due to the number of participating employers, plan on arriving the night before the interviews (Thurs. Sept. 4) and plan on leaving during the late evening of the interview day.

    Students who submit materials for the Washington, D.C. Interview Day AND Philadelphia Interview Day are making a commitment to accept all interviews for which they are selected and they may not opt to forgo the respective Interview Day. Students who fail to appear for interviews will forfeit a future interview.

    • Tip #1: You are responsible for your own travel to Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia. Make arrangements now.
    • Tip #2: One interview can yield a job. Don't forgo an opportunity because you receive only one interview.
    • Tip #3: Write to other employers that interest you in the area in mid-August and let them know that you will be in town interviewing and would appreciate the opportunity to interview or schedule an informational interview at that time.

  5. Prohibitions / Sanctions

    Missed Interviews:

    Your request that the Career Services Office send your resume to an employer is a commitment to interview if you are selected by the employer. Students who are scheduled for an interview and miss the interview will be denied an interview for which they are selected by a subsequent employer. In most, but not all cases, the student will forfeit the first interview after the missed interview and be required to write a note of apology to the employer.

    Falsification of credentials:

    Misrepresentations of academic or biographical data on a resume will subject the student to academic discipline by the Law School.

    Ranking:

    The Law School prohibits students from estimating class rank, i.e., students may not designate themselves as in the Top 1/3. Any violation of this policy will be stricken from your resume. Your resume will be sent to the employer with the information removed.

    Third-year students awaiting offers:

    If you are a third-year student awaiting a full-time offer from your summer employer, you may upload materials and apply to OCI employers. Please put us on notice about your status. As soon as you receive a full-time offer and accept it, please notify Jennifer Poller (poller@pitt.edu) or Danielle Schoch (mailto:dschoch@pitt.edu). Your name will be removed from subsequent interview lists without penalty.