From August 9-11, the Office of Career Services will hold its annual Early Interview Week, hosting 8,422 scheduled interviews conducted by 620 lawyers from firms and select federal agencies. Nearly 500 2Ls and 3Ls participate in 20-minute screening interviews with the hopes of launching their legal careers. Irene Dorzback, associate dean for career services, spoke with Michelle Tsai, public affairs officer, about the current employment market, what firms seek in candidates and how the Office of Career Services prepares students for their summer, post-graduate and lateral job searches.
What is the Number One quality that employers/recruiters are looking for in interviews?
Major law firms provide sophisticated substantive work, strong training and a high salary. For that, they want your time commitment, your intellect, and your desire to do the work.
They are looking for two things: Can you do the work? And will we enjoy working with you?
How does the Office of Career Services help prepare students for Early Interview Week?
Our team of counselors offers extensive, individualized support. Preparation for EIW starts in October of the 1L year and extends to the big event every August (and afterward). Over the course of the year, students attend numerous career panels, job search skills workshops, networking events, practice interviews, and individual coaching sessions. Hundreds of NYU Law alumni participate in career-related programming; they are very committed to assisting with students’ career development.
One of the most important programs we offer is “Strike-a-Match,” an April EIW launch meeting during which we discuss the factors students should consider in evaluating the firms on which they bid. We provide historical data that correlate academic performance with employment outcomes. These data are critical to our guidance. As a follow-up to Strike-a-Match, OCS counselors review students’ draft lists of 50 interview bids to guide students in selecting employers that have hired other students with similar academic backgrounds. The Strike-a-Match program and EIW bid list review process have been part of NYU Law’s career advising since 1995 and distinguish NYU Law from its peer schools. The combination of bidding effectively, researching employers, and interviewing well is key to this success.
Why do so many employers recruit at NYU Law?
We often hear from employers that they hire a high percentage of NYU Law students for their summer programs because our students combine intelligence with a sense of community. They say that our students are well prepared, both in terms of academics as well as in their job interviews. Employers also value the diversity in our students— cultural and racial background, extracurricular interests, experience prior to law school, and representation across the country and the world.
Posted August 12, 2015
Updated August 9, 2017