The Artful Curator: Creating the Bid List That’s Right for You
Posted: 12 Jun 2018 09:00 PM PDT
Give yourself a pat on the back – you survived and thrived during 1L year! It may seem like only yesterday that you walked into your first day of law school with the jitters. Going into your 2L year, you are more confident and one step closer to becoming a lawyer.
Now it is time to conquer the fall on-campus interview (OCI), also known as early interview week (EIW). The bidding process is the first of many steps in obtaining a summer position, and it is an important one. Creating the right bid list can impact your OCI/EIW experience, and ultimately, your employment prospects. Read on for strategies and detailed tips.
Know Thyself
First and foremost, know thyself. Having an honest conversation with yourself about your personal and professional aspirations will pay dividends. Ask yourself the following:
- Where do I see myself living and practicing?
- Am I set on a particular practice area or am I open to more than one?
- Aside from geography and practice area, what other factors are important to me?
- What do I want my lifestyle to look like when I am practicing?
- Where do I see myself both professionally and personally in five years? In 10 years?
Once you have given thought to the above, determine which employers align with your priorities and goals. Consider the following:
- Does this firm offer the practice area(s) in which I am interested?
- Does this firm have an office in the city in which I am interested?
- Does the firm’s culture suit me?
- If partnership is important to you, what does the partnership track look like?
- Does this firm offer alternative career tracks?
- When lawyers leave the firm, where do they go?
Review the “Finding the Right Law Firm Fit” posts on this blog for guidance on using career profiles to identify firms that may be of interest to you this recruiting season.
Utilizing Resources
Finding answers to the questions posed above may seem overwhelming. The good news is that there are an abundance of resources available to make the experience less daunting! For starters, utilize the many law school resources that are available to you. Here are a few:
- career services office (CSO)
- classmates who previously summered at firms
- professors who previously practiced at firms.
There are also many online resources that you can scope out:
- firm websites
- Chambers Associate
- Vault
- American Lawyer
- NALP Law Firm Directory
Networking
It is beneficial to attend networking events year-round but especially in the months leading up to OCI/EIW. In addition to spring 1L receptions, many firms host open houses for rising 2L students during the summer months. Take advantage of the opportunity to visit with lawyers at these firms. It is likely to give you an insight into the culture. At the very least, you will walk away armed with more information.
Bidding Smart
There simply are not enough spaces available for each student to interview with every law firm. Therefore, law schools typically determine the OCI/EIW interview schedules in one of three ways:
- 100% lottery. Students bid on and rank each firm, and a computerized program matches students and employers.
- 100% pre-select. Students submit their resume, transcript and cover letter to potential employers who then decide which students they want to interview.
- Hybrid of lottery and pre-select. Students follow the pre-select method above, while also bidding and ranking each firm. Employers are permitted to pre-select a portion of their interviews, while the other portion is set by lottery.
In order to maximize your chances of securing a summer associate position, it is important to be realistic when creating your bid list. Consider classifying employers as a “reach”, “target”, or “safety”. You may have followed this approach when applying to undergraduate and/or law school.
Although employers may look beyond grades, the vast majority certainly use grades as one indicator of success. This is due to the limited number of interview spaces available. Firms provide the CSOs with their hiring criteria (including preferred GPA). Consider using your bids on employers who are the best fit in terms of matching your specific circumstances with their hiring criteria.
Final Words of Wisdom
This is an exciting time in your law school chapter. The work you put into your bid list will ultimately impact your future career path. Carve out the necessary time to curate your best bidding list.
Keep calm and bid on! You’ve got this.