Job Interviewing, meets Speed Dating, meets Marathon Running
“Tell me about yourself.”
Then, repeat your answer a dozen more times, each to a new set of fresh faces, all while pretending to still be excited on the 13th time, as if you didn’t just say the same thing 12 times already.
This is the question that students participating in the Toronto 2L recruit answered this past October 10th and 11th during the Toronto recruit’s On Campus Interview (OCI) process. OCIs are a key component of the recruitment process for law students – law firms and government bodies overseen by the Law Society of Ontario, hold screening interviews, lasting exactly 17 minutes each. For employers, OCIs provide a streamlined way to meet and assess a large pool of talented candidates from law schools across Canada. Successful candidates are then invited for in-firm interviews.
The firms participating in this year’s OCI process spanned a broad spectrum of legal practice areas, offering students a wide range of opportunities. The types of questions asked during the OCI process also varied widely. Many interviews included standard questions like, “How do you work in teams?” and “Tell me about yourself,” which allowed candidates to showcase their interpersonal skills and personal background. Some firms took a more unconventional approach, asking more creative questions such as, “If you could have any superpower, what would it be?”
As a student who interviewed exclusively with private firms, most of my interviews felt like casual conversations. While most of the initial questions felt repetitive throughout the day, I enjoyed how each conversation eventually transitioned into a more relaxed, natural flow.
I appreciated how genuinely interested the firms were in getting to know me as an individual. Many asked about items I had listed in the “interests” section of my resume, giving me the fun opportunity to discuss my favorite pastimes and hobbies. My most frequent talking point was “musical theatre commentary.” Somehow, the musical Fame came up three separate times during different interviews—completely unprompted by me, I might add! These conversations allowed me to connect with interviewers on a more personal level, making the process feel less formal and more engaging.
Interviewing also brought me a surprising rush of adrenaline that kept me going throughout the two days. It wasn’t nearly as scary as I had imagined. One of the things I truly enjoyed from the process was the opportunity to meet so many new people and engage in meaningful conversations. Each interaction felt like a unique exchange of ideas and stories; it was refreshing to connect with employers who brought their own experiences (and musical theatre preferences) to the zoom room.
The OCI process, while important, also comes with its own set of quirky, amusing features. One of my favorites: firms will send “intention to call” emails if they’re interested in bringing you in for interviews. But sometimes, they’ll go a step further and send “intentions to send intentions to call” emails. Yes, that’s a real thing. Apologies if you had to read that sentence more than once.
Above all, being present, authentic, and enjoying the process was key to fully appreciating my OCI experience. It’s easy to get caught up in the end result—focused on securing a position at a dream firm—but savoring the journey makes the whole experience much more rewarding.