1L Spring OCI issues

[Anonymous User]

I'm in the top 10% of my class after my first semester, and I applied to a lot of small to mid-sized firms coming to our OCI. However, most of the firms I applied to have rejected my application and decided not to interview me at all. I have a life sciences background from undergrad if that matters if at all. The only firm that invited me to interview was one biglaw firm. The only other biglaw firm coming to OCI listed me as an alternate.

I don't know what the hell I'm doing wrong...my resume was approved by the career office along with my cover letters. Has anyone had any similar experiences? I'm wondering if it's because of my life sciences background from undergrad...?

[Colonel_funkadunk]

Spring OCI for 1L is notoriously small. They often don't have enough interviews for all the students bidding. You should be happy with a 1L SA interview. Keep mass mailing all the small firms around you not just the ones who were coming to OCI. Email the firms from OCI you didn't get in the bidding process and let them know you're still interested. I picked up an additional biglaw interview from doing this and offering to meet with them outside of the traditional OCI time. just keep grinding- i feel you though it sucks looking for 1L positions. I have great grades too and have applied to nearly 100 places and have heard radio silence from most. The unfortunate fact is we don't have a lot of valuable skills as 1Ls. A small firm has an option of hiring 1Ls or 2Ls as clerks and if the 2L has experience they may lean for them since paying a clerk is a decent expense. Don't get down about it- OCI isn't the end all be all- most ppl get jobs through their own personal job search outside of the school for 1L summer.