Strategy for Scheduling Interviews/ Cambridge
Strategy for Scheduling Interviews/ Cambridge
I know I've read a thing or two about this in previous threads but I can't seem to find them now. Initially, I'm thinking we should schedule our top pick as early as possible. However, does it make instead to schedule the school we're almost certain will make an offer and then follow that one up with the first choice school? The strategy would be to secure a solid offer that we would accept if we get nothing else before going for the more desired and more sought after job? As I'm typing this I'm thinking it would be best to go straight for the prized school, but I would still love to hear others' thoughts on the matter. How have you handled it? Thanks!
I would go for your top picks first. There will be space for your "sure things" after you have your top picks filled in.
Our experience in London was that even our "sure things" waited until Sunday to make the offer. The people who were getting offers early were either phenomenal candidates or the offers were from desperate schools who always have trouble filling their positions (and we really didn't want to work at a school like that).
We aimed high with our interviews and came away with a great job that we really wanted. We didn't spend too much time on the sure things, because we didn't really want to work there. This might have backfired if we hadn't gotten the offer we took because we were told we were second choices for most of our other schools. I still think I would have turned down some of the sure things and shot for other jobs later in the season had we not got our dream school offer.
Just my two cents -- everyone has different priorities and needs with employment.
Our experience in London was that even our "sure things" waited until Sunday to make the offer. The people who were getting offers early were either phenomenal candidates or the offers were from desperate schools who always have trouble filling their positions (and we really didn't want to work at a school like that).
We aimed high with our interviews and came away with a great job that we really wanted. We didn't spend too much time on the sure things, because we didn't really want to work there. This might have backfired if we hadn't gotten the offer we took because we were told we were second choices for most of our other schools. I still think I would have turned down some of the sure things and shot for other jobs later in the season had we not got our dream school offer.
Just my two cents -- everyone has different priorities and needs with employment.
Re: Strategy for Scheduling Interviews/ Cambridge
[quote="emilyhurd"] Initially, I'm thinking we should schedule our top pick as early as possible. However, does it make instead to schedule the school we're almost certain will make an offer and then follow that one up with the first choice school? Thanks![/quote]
Has your top pick indicated that they wanted to interview you? Because if you're going to walk up at sign-up they may or may not interview you and if they do, you may not have much choice about the time.
Considering that you probably will not be offered a job at the first interview, I think you should try to schedule in the one you really want first. And a lot of schools don't like the "someone else wants me" game. They like to think you're waiting on them. Be careful to use it only when you mean it.
Has your top pick indicated that they wanted to interview you? Because if you're going to walk up at sign-up they may or may not interview you and if they do, you may not have much choice about the time.
Considering that you probably will not be offered a job at the first interview, I think you should try to schedule in the one you really want first. And a lot of schools don't like the "someone else wants me" game. They like to think you're waiting on them. Be careful to use it only when you mean it.
Reply
If you have an invitation you can skip the line and just walk up and have the largest choice of the available interview times. Schools generally keep a slot of interviews early for those with invites.
The answer really depends on your list.
1) "The Wish List", this is an interview schedule that is heavy on top tier schools. If you have a lot of top tier schools those lines are going to be long and you may very well take up a lot of time waiting in line with schools that may easily say "no thanks", thats a lot of wasted time, and could leave you in the position of having no interviews or only one or two that are long shots.
In this case you should start at the top (DS) of your list and work your way down, understanding that you may run out of time before you complete your list, or schools will have filled up their slots by the time you approach them.
2) "The Long List", this schedule maximizes the number of schools, essentially being easy schools or schools in hardship locations. As a result you have short wait times, and strong possibility of getting lots of interviews. The problem is you end up spending time interviewing for schools you dont want, and then have to face the issue o selecting a school you dont really want to be at. You also get tired of interviewing after a while.
In this case the best strategy is to start with the shortest line and keep moving to the shortest lines. Schedule your interviews towards the end of the fair and work your way back.Their is a recency effect, meaning that your most liekly to be remembered the later your interview is, and most likely to impress a recruiter the earlier your interview. This means you dont want to be "in the middle". Keep conversations short. Recruiters with nothing better to do and no one else to talk to will talk your ear off.
3) The "College List", you know when you were in high school and your guidance counselor told you you should have apply to a couple schools above your caliber and a couple safety schools your sure you can get in, and the majority of schools right at your level? well this is the same plan. You have a dream school or two, but you also want to have a backup offer in case nothing else works out.
In this scenario, you want to have advance invites for the safety schools. Save them for later, and go to your dream schools that should take a good chunk of your time. Then hit your middle of the road schools, and save the safety schools with invites to the end, since again there is that early block of interview times reserved for those with invitations. The reason is you may have few options regarding interview times with your top choice schools, and you want to have maximum availability.
The answer really depends on your list.
1) "The Wish List", this is an interview schedule that is heavy on top tier schools. If you have a lot of top tier schools those lines are going to be long and you may very well take up a lot of time waiting in line with schools that may easily say "no thanks", thats a lot of wasted time, and could leave you in the position of having no interviews or only one or two that are long shots.
In this case you should start at the top (DS) of your list and work your way down, understanding that you may run out of time before you complete your list, or schools will have filled up their slots by the time you approach them.
2) "The Long List", this schedule maximizes the number of schools, essentially being easy schools or schools in hardship locations. As a result you have short wait times, and strong possibility of getting lots of interviews. The problem is you end up spending time interviewing for schools you dont want, and then have to face the issue o selecting a school you dont really want to be at. You also get tired of interviewing after a while.
In this case the best strategy is to start with the shortest line and keep moving to the shortest lines. Schedule your interviews towards the end of the fair and work your way back.Their is a recency effect, meaning that your most liekly to be remembered the later your interview is, and most likely to impress a recruiter the earlier your interview. This means you dont want to be "in the middle". Keep conversations short. Recruiters with nothing better to do and no one else to talk to will talk your ear off.
3) The "College List", you know when you were in high school and your guidance counselor told you you should have apply to a couple schools above your caliber and a couple safety schools your sure you can get in, and the majority of schools right at your level? well this is the same plan. You have a dream school or two, but you also want to have a backup offer in case nothing else works out.
In this scenario, you want to have advance invites for the safety schools. Save them for later, and go to your dream schools that should take a good chunk of your time. Then hit your middle of the road schools, and save the safety schools with invites to the end, since again there is that early block of interview times reserved for those with invitations. The reason is you may have few options regarding interview times with your top choice schools, and you want to have maximum availability.