Reminder: Bidding Deadline for Fall 2008 Resume Referral / Direct Contact Program

As a reminder, the deadline to apply to those employers participating in the Fall 2008 Resume Referral / Direct Contact Program (October 2, 2008) session is tomorrow, October 2, 2008 at 11:00 p.m. EST.

Instructions on how to apply are available in the Student Guide to Symplicity.

Phase II // Session III of Fall OCI

Phase II of the Fall 2008 On Campus Interview (OCI) Program will take place from Monday, September 8 to Friday, October 31. As Phase II is longer than Phase I, it is divided into three sessions, the third of which will take place from Monday, October 13 through Friday, October 31.

To participate, you must complete the bidding process via the Symplicity system. Bidding for Phase II // Session III employers will begin Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. EST and will conclude Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 11:00 p.m. EST. You may log onto Symplicity to view those employers participating in Phase II // Session III. Please keep in mind that you will only be able to view those employers accepting applications from your class year or LL.M. program. Likewise, you will only be able to submit bids to those employers accepting applications from your class year or LL.M. program.

To help you through the bidding process, the CDO is providing you with detailed instructions on both the OCI program and the Symplicity system. The Fall 2008 On Campus Interview (OCI) Program Handbook is online or in hard copy at the CDO. Please take the time to read the Handbook to acclimate yourself with the Fall OCI process and the Symplicity system. For information related to the OCI program, please read the "General Information" section and FAQs. For specific instructions on how to view participating employers and bid using Symplicity, please read the "Student Guide to Symplicity." Reading this information before bidding will answer most of the questions you have, will minimize any problems you may encounter with the system and will make the bidding process much easier for you.

Phase II // Session II of OCI

Phase II of the Fall 2008 On Campus Interview (OCI) Program will take place from Monday, September 8 to Friday, October 31. As Phase II is longer than Phase I, it is divided into three sessions, the second of which will take place from Monday, September 22 through Friday, October 10.

To participate, you must complete the bidding process via the Symplicity system. Bidding for Phase II // Session II employers will begin tomorrow, Saturday, August 30, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. EST and will conclude Sunday, September 7, 2008 at 11:00 p.m. EST. You may log onto Symplicity to view those employers participating in Phase II // Session II. Please keep in mind that you will only be able to view those employers accepting applications from your class year or LL.M. program. Likewise, you will only be able to submit bids to those employers accepting applications from your class year or LL.M. program.

To help you through the bidding process, the CDO is providing you with detailed instructions on both the OCI program and the Symplicity system. The Fall 2008 On Campus Interview (OCI) Program Handbook is online or in hard copy at the CDO. Please take the time to read the Handbook to acclimate yourself with the Fall OCI process and the Symplicity system. For information related to the OCI program, please read the "General Information" section and FAQs. For specific instructions on how to view participating employers and bid using Symplicity, please read the "Student Guide to Symplicity." Reading this information before bidding will answer most of the questions you have, will minimize any problems you may encounter with the system and will make the bidding process much easier for you.

Fall 2008 OCI Program - Phase II / Session II

Phase II // Session II – Important Dates

Bidding Period: Saturday, August 30 at 9:00 a.m. - Sunday, September 7 at 11:00 p.m.

Interviews: Monday, September 22 - Friday, October 10

OCI Information & Symplicity Training Session: Tuesday, August 26 @ 12:30 p.m. in Room 109

Resume Workshop: Thursday, August 28 @ 12:30 p.m. in Room 109

Interview Skills Workshop: Thursday, September 18 @ 12:30 p.m. in Room 109

Get Ready for Phase II / Session I of Fall OCI!

The following programming has been scheduled to coincide with the bidding and interviewing process for Phase II // Session I of the Fall 2008 OCI Program:

Not familiar with OCI or Symplicity? Then the OCI Information & Symplicity Training Session is for you! Learn how to bid before the bidding deadline of August 24. You will see firsthand how to place your bids for Phase II // Session I employers. The session will take place on Tuesday, August 19 at 12:30 p.m. in Room 109.

Need help updating your resume before the bidding deadline of August 24? Attend a Resume Workshop on Wednesday, August 20 at 12:30 p.m. in Room 109.

Wondering what the callback interview process is like? The Ins and Outs of OCI: Callbacks, Acceptances and More will feature a law firm recruiting coordinator and 3L students who went through the process before. The panel discussion will take place on Thursday, August 21 at 12:30 p.m. in Room 109.

Want to brush up on your interviewing skills before interviews begin on September 8? Stop by the Interviewing Skills workshop on Thursday, September 4 at 12:30 p.m. in Room 109.

Prepare Yourself for Callback Interviews

With Fall OCI underway, it is time to start thinking about any potential callback interviews. To help you through the callback process, the CDO has several useful resources:

I. Ins and Outs of OCI: Callbacks, Acceptances and More Panel Discussion

Are you wondering what happens after the initial on-campus interview? How to prepare for a callback interview? What to expect during the callback interview? How to accept an offer? Please join the Career Development Office for a panel discussion on "The Ins & Outs of OCI: Callbacks, Acceptances & More." Gunster Yoakley will be here - along with fellow students who successfully navigated the callback process last year - to give you tips on how to prepare and what to expect. Don't miss this opportunity to have all your questions answered.

The panel will take place Thursday, August 21 at 12:30 in Room 109.

II. CDO Callback Guide

The CDO Callback Guide provides useful tips on how to handle the callback process. Have to travel? Unsure about lunch? Information on this and many other related topics are covered. A copy of the Callback Guide is available at the link at the bottom of the email. Hard copies are available in the CDO or online.

Also included in the Callback Guide are a copy of the NALP Travel Expense Reimbursement Form (for callback-related expenditures incurred during out of town travel), the NALP Open Letter to Law Students and the article "Student Professionalism During the Interview Season: A Quick Guide to Your Ethical Responsibilities in the Offer and Decision-Making Process."

III. NALP Timing Guidelines

The NALP Timing Guidelines are standards many firms use to determine when a student must accept an offer. The guidelines have been changed for the 2008-2009 school year. It is important that students are aware of and understand the timelines so that they meet every offer deadline. To learn more about the guidelines, please visit the NALP website to view the guidelines in full. The guidelines are also discussed in the Callback Guide. If you have any questions about the new guidelines, please speak with your advisor so that you understand your deadlines.

Phase II of Fall OCI is Here!

Phase II of the Fall 2008 On Campus Interview (OCI) Program will take place from Monday, September 8 to Friday, October 31. As Phase II is longer than Phase I, it is divided into three sessions, the first of which will take place from Monday, September 8 through Friday, September 19. To participate, you must complete the bidding process via the Symplicity system.

Bidding for Phase II // Session I employers will begin tomorrow, Saturday, August 16, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. EST and will conclude Sunday, August 24, 2008 at 11:00 p.m. EST. You may log onto Symplicity to view those employers participating in Phase II // Session I. Please keep in mind that you will only be able to view those employers accepting applications from your class year or LL.M. program. Likewise, you will only be able to submit bids to those employers accepting applications from your class year or LL.M. program.

To help you through the bidding process, the CDO is providing you with detailed instructions on both the OCI program and the Symplicity system. The Fall 2008 On Campus Interview (OCI) Program Handbook is online or in hard copy at the CDO.

Please take the time to read the Handbook to acclimate yourself with the Fall OCI process and the Symplicity system. For information related to the OCI program, please read the "General Information" section and FAQs. For specific instructions on how to view participating employers and bid using Symplicity, please read the "Student Guide to Symplicity." Reading this information before bidding will answer most of the questions you have, will minimize any problems you may encounter with the system and will make the bidding process much easier for you.

Fall OCI Resources

With Fall OCI just around the corner, the CDO has compiled a number of resources useful during this time. All of the following materials are available in the Resource Library, in the paper holder located to the left of the copy machine.


o Fall OCI Checklist

o Fall OCI Myths and Legends

o Fall OCI Bidding and Interview Dates

o Get Ready for OCI Workshops

o Habits of Highly Effective Summers (article)

o Help! My Grades Stink! (article)

o Job Fair Information (2008)

o NALP Open Letter to Law Students

o NALP Travel Expense Reimbursement Form

o Steps to Follow when Applying to Large Law Firms

o Steps to Follow when Applying to Small and Mid-Sized Firms

o Student Guide to Symplicity

o Student Professionalism During the Interview Season: A Quick Guide to Your Ethical Responsibilities in the Offer and Decision-Making Process (NALP article)

o Utilizing Online Resources to Conduct Online Searches

Fall OCI - Phase I Supplemental Session #1

During the Fall On Campus Interview (OCI) Program, occasionally employers sign up to participate in OCI after the initial registration and bidding process closes. These employers are referred to as "supplemental" employers and the bidding period for these employers will differ depending on when they are added.

Bidding is currently underway for Phase I - Supplemental Session #1 and will end on Thursday, July 24 at 11:00 p.m. EST. To view participating employers and submit a bid, please log onto Symplicity.

Fall 2008 Resume Referral and Direct Contact Programs

Each year, the Career Planning Center administers its Resume Referral and Direct Contact programs in conjunction with its Fall On Campus Interview (OCI) Program. Employers who recruit candidates through these programs are unable to interview on campus but would like to receive applications from interested students. Both programs are administered via Symplicity.

Firms participating in the Resume Referral program require students to provide all requested materials (resumes, transcripts, etc.) to the CPC by placing a bid on Symplicity. The CPC then forwards to employers the materials of interested students. The employers will contact selected applicants directly. Do not submit materials to Resume Referral employers on your own. Resume Referral employers will only review materials provided by the CPC.

Direct Contact employers elect to have students send their applications directly to them. However, all relevant information including hiring criteria, how to apply and submission deadlines will be available on Symplicity. Typically there are more Resume Referral employers than Direct Contact employers.

Throughout the fall recruitment period, there will be several Resume Referral and Direct Contact sessions that have their own deadlines independent of the OCI session bidding deadlines. Each session will be labeled by its deadline (i.e. Fall 2008 Resume Referral and Direct Contact Session (August 14, 2008)). For your applications to Resume Referral employers to be submitted by the CPC, you must submit your bid by the session deadline. For your applications to Direct Contact employers to be considered by those employers, you must send your applications directly to the employers by the deadline provided on Symplicity.

As with OCI employers, you will only be able to see those employers accepting applications from your class year or LL.M. program.

The CPC will continue to add Resume Referral and Direct Contact employers as it receives them. Therefore, it is to your benefit to check the various sessions on occasion to ensure that you have not missed any new employers.

For instructions on how to apply to Resume Referral and Direct Contact employers, please see the Student Guide to Symplicity which is available on the CPC website.

Fall OCI - Phase I Deadline Extended and FAQs

Due to the fact that class rankings have not yet been tabulated, the bidding deadline for Phase I of the Fall 2008 On Campus Interview (OCI) Program has been extended for all classes to Wednesday, July 16 at 11:00 p.m. EST.

***

With bidding underway, the CPC has received many of the same questions from students. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions. If you have questions about Phase I bidding, be sure to check out the following questions and answers.

From reading the OCI Handbook, it sounds like it does not matter whether I submit my bids on the first day or the last day of bidding (or any time in between). Is that correct?

That is correct. Employers will not know when you submitted your bids so there is no benefit to submitting early. However, the CPC does not recommend waiting until the last minute to submit your bids to avoid any problems should you incur computer or internet access issues. Your bids must be submitted by the deadline of 11:00 p.m. EST on Monday, July 14, 2008 in order to be sent to the employers.

Likewise, employers will not know if you choose to withdraw your bid and/or rebid. Therefore, if you feel that you have made a bid in error, or need to update your application materials after you submitted your bid, please feel free to withdraw your bid and, if necessary, submit a rebid. Again, no employer receives this information.


Will I be able to participate in Phase I bidding if I do not have all of my grades in?

Yes, you are not only able to participate but you are encouraged to do so. Submit your bids with materials that are as up to date as possible. If you receive all of your grades, or have any other changes before the bidding deadline, you may withdraw your bid and then rebid on the employer(s). The employer is never informed that you withdrew and then rebid.


How do I deal with the fact that I don’t have all my grades yet? Should I bid already or wait until I receive all of my grades?

As there is no benefit to submitting bids early, you can wait and receive all of your grades before beginning the bidding process. However, the CPC does not recommend waiting until the last minute to submit your bids to avoid any problems should you incur computer or internet access issues. Your bids must be submitted by the deadline of 11:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 in order to be sent to the employers. Should you choose to bid before you receive all of your grades, you can withdraw your bids and then rebid with your updated materials. The employer is never informed that you withdrew and then rebid.


Will employers know that I uploaded one set of documents and then uploaded a revised set of documents and rebid?

No, that information is never provided to the employer. The most up to date information received by the bidding deadline is what is sent to employers. Previous materials from previous bids are not forwarded to employers.


Can I round up my GPA?

No. University of Miami School of Law policy does not allow for rounding up of GPAs or estimating of class ranks. If you choose to list your GPA and class rank on your resume, it must be the current ones reflected on your transcript.


Should I submit cover letters to employers even if they don’t ask for them?

You should only submit those materials requested by the employer. As no OCI employer will request a cover letter, you do not need to submit one. However, some Resume Referral and Direct Contact employers may request cover letters and for those employers, you must submit a cover letter in order for your bid to be considered.


Typically, do the OCI employers want letters of recommendation uploaded to them directly with the bids?

No. If an employer would like letters of recommendations, a list of references or any other application material, it will be stated on Symplicity. Do not submit materials that are not requested.


I’m a 3L and see only two employers participating in Phase I of Fall OCI. Is this correct?

Yes. The Symplicity system permits students to bid on only those employers accepting applications from their class year or LL.M. program. Traditionally, very few employers participating in Phase I of OCI accept applications from 3Ls or LL.M. students as most employers in this phase are most focused on 2L hiring. Please be certain to participate in Phase II of the Fall OCI program as well as the Resume Referral and Direct Contact programs, as these programs feature more employers accepting applications from 3L and LL.M. students. More information about these programs will be available later this summer.

Fall 2008 On Campus Interview (OCI) Program - Phase I Information

FALL ON CAMPUS INTERVIEW (OCI) PROGRAM - PHASE I

Every fall, beginning in August, law firms, corporations and government agencies come on campus to interview 2L, 3L and LL.M. students for summer associate positions and permanent placement after graduation, respectively. This program is called the Fall On Campus Interview (OCI) program and is open to all 2L, 3L and LL.M. students at the University of Miami School of Law.

The 2008 Fall OCI program will take place in two phases. Each phase will feature different employers interviewing on campus. Phase I will consist solely of employers who are members of the NALP organization (http://www.blogger.com/www.nalpdirectory.com). Phase II will feature large and mid-sized firms as well as corporations, government agencies and public interest organizations.

Phase I of the Fall 2008 OCI program will take place from Monday, August 11, 2008 through Friday, August 15, 2008. To participate, you must complete the bidding process via the Symplicity system located at http://law-miami-csm.symplicity.com/students. All students have an account on Symplicity. If you did not receive your login information, please email dijones@law.miami.edu and provide your full name, graduation month/year, Cane I.D. and email address (this email address will be your username for the site). You will then receive your login information via email. Please allow up to two business days for a response.

Bidding for Phase I employers will take place from Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. EST and will conclude Monday, July 14, 2008 at 11:00 p.m. EST. You may now log onto Symplicity to view those employers participating in Phase I. Please keep in mind that you will only be able to view those employers accepting applications from your class year or LL.M. program. Likewise, you will only be able to submit bids to those employers accepting applications from your class year or LL.M. program.

**Be sure to review each employer’s information as some employers may have specific bidding instructions that must be followed**

**Attention 3L and LL.M. students: There are very few employers participating in Phase I of the Fall OCI program who are accepting applications from 3L or LL.M. students as firms in this phase are most focused on 2L hiring. Please be certain to participate in Phase II of the Fall OCI program as well as the Resume Referral and Direct Contact programs, as these programs feature more employers accepting applications from 3L and LL.M. students. Please see below for information on these programs.**

To help you through the bidding process, the CPC is providing you with detailed instructions on both the OCI program and the Symplicity system. The Fall 2008 On Campus Interview (OCI) Program Handbook is available online or in hard copy at the CPC. If you would like a copy mailed to you, please email Nirva Pierre-Louis your mailing address.

Please take the time to read the Handbook to acclimate yourself with the Fall OCI process and the Symplicity system. For information related to the OCI program, please read the General Information and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) sections. For specific instructions on how to view participating employers and bid using Symplicity, please read the Student Guide to Symplicity. Reading this information before bidding will answer most of the questions you have, will minimize any problems you may encounter with the system and will make the bidding process much easier for you. For more information on other opportunities available during the fall recruitment process, please view the entire Handbook online.

Please continue to check the Symplicity program and your email account for Fall OCI updates, including participating employers. For questions about the Fall OCI program, please email Nirva Pierre-Louis.

FALL ON CAMPUS INTERVIEW (OCI) PROGRAM - PHASE II

Phase II of the Fall 2008 OCI program will take place from Monday, September 8, 2008 through Friday, October 31, 2008. As Phase II is much longer than Phase I, bidding wil take place in three sessions. Bidding for those employers participating in Session I of Phase II will begin on Saturday, August 16, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. EST and conclude Sunday, August 24, 2008 at 11:00 p.m. EST. Information about Phase II will be available in August.

RESUME REFERRAL AND DIRECT CONTACT PROGRAMS

In conjunction with the Fall OCI program, the CPC will administer its Resume Referral and Direct Contact programs. These programs feature employers who would like to receive applications from University of Miami School of Law students but are unable to come on campus. More information about these programs will be available later this month.