The Spring Interview Program (SIP) is a program run jointly by the Office of Public Interest Advising (OPIA) and the Office of Career Services (OCS). It consists of virtual interviews and resume collections and provides students with another opportunity to interview with employers hiring for summer and postgraduate positions. Both public and private sector employers will be participating in the SIP program. This page focuses specifically on the process for the public sector program, and will walk you through the steps you should take before you reach the application/bidding stage and how to submit your bids once you get there. Because the process differs for private firms, please review OCS’s guidance for private sector recruitment.
Because this guide contains a great deal of information, you should not feel the need to absorb everything in one sitting, but you should reference the information as you progress through the stages of the program.
So that we can effectively manage this recruitment program, all participating students are required to adhere to the deadlines, policies, and procedures detailed in this guide. Learn more about public interest student recruiting policies.
Bidding begins for virtual interview and resume collection employers
January 17, 2024 at noon EST
Bidding ends for virtual interview employers
January 26, 2024 at noon EST
public sector virtual interview employer interview selections made available in Symplicity CSM
January 29, 2024 at noon EST
Deadline to accept or decline an interview
February 2, 2024 at noon EST
Bidding ends for resume collection employers
February 2-12, 2024
Public Sector SIP interview dates
Step 1: Accessing Symplicity CSM
Upload your applications for the program through Symplicity CSM. Symplicity CSM accounts exist for every Harvard Law student. Please use the following information to access your account:
Username – Your HLS email address (e.g. jsmith@jd26.law.harvard.edu)
Password – Your HUID Note: Your password was originally set as your HUID, but is customizable once you login. You can use the “Forgot Password” link on Symplicity CSM homepage to recover your password.
Please contact OCS if you have questions about your Symplicity CSM account.
Step 2: Review and Research Participating Employers
For a snapshot of the public interest employers recruiting through the program, please review the employer list. Beginning on Tuesday, January 10, at noon, you can review the participating employers and the positions they are recruiting for in Symplicity CSM. Carefully review the employer information in Symplicity CSM, as it includes detailed information about the positions, required materials and qualifications.
Navigating the Employer List in Symplicity CSM
Click the menu button in the top left corner.
Click the Recruiting Programs tab in the left margin, followed by Scheduling.
Review the blue box that contains important information and links.
To review public sector employers, from the Session dropdown menu below the instructions section, select either “SIP 2023 Virtual Interviews – Public Sector” or “SIP 2023 Resume Collection – Public Sector.”
Click the More Filters button if you would like to refine your search by keyword (e.g., employer name or location) and interview date.
Click the Review button next to an employer name to see more details, including the mission of the organization and position details for which the organization is recruiting.
Step 3: Prepare Your Application Materials
Virtual Spring Interview Program employers are permitted to request a variety of application documents, including resume, cover letter, writing sample and references. You should use the time leading up to the start of and during the bidding period to prepare the documents you will need to submit. Review OPIA’s guidance on public interest resumes and cover letters.
Uploading Your Documents To Symplicity CSM
Before uploading your application materials, review all documents for errors and accuracy.
In Symplicity CSM, select the [Documents] tab from the left navigation.
Select the [Add New] button.
Create a label for your documents. For Resume, include “SIP” in your document label. Note: If uploading multiple versions for different employers, this is where you should differentiate among documents. Employers will not see this label. Do not use the same label name as a current or previously deleted document. Doing so has resulted in errors in the past. Always use a unique label name (e.g., JSmith_Resume_8_1_2024.)
Select the appropriate “Document Type” (resume, cover letter, etc.)
Under [File], click [Browse] to select a document to upload.
Click [Submit]. The upload process converts Word documents into PDF format. The conversion may take a few minutes to complete depending on student traffic.
The conversion is complete when “Ready” appears in the “Status” column. Be sure to review the PDF version to confirm that your application document was properly converted. The PDF version, not the Microsoft Word document, will be sent to employers in advance of their interview date. The Microsoft Word version is available in the system for your records.
If you are uploading multiple versions of a document, you will find a button labeled [Make Default] in the “Options” column. Your “Default” document is the version that will automatically attach to all bids unless you indicate otherwise. Set your “Default” document to the version that will accompany the majority of your bids. Alternate version(s) can be attached to bids manually during the bidding process.
Uploading Your HLS Transcript
Some employers expect you to send your unofficial HLS transcript after interview selections have been made; official transcripts are not necessary in most cases. If you bid/apply through the Resume Collection program, employers may also request you submit your unofficial HLS transcript.
Secure a copy of your unofficial law school transcript from Helios in advance of bidding. Please contact the Registrar’s Office if you experience difficulty.
In Symplicity CSM, select the [Documents] tab from the left navigation.
Select the [Add New] button.
In red font, you will notice text that indicates you should “click here” to upload an unofficial transcript. When you do so, the screen will refresh and “Unofficial Transcript” will be checked. Note: In contrast to resumes, Symplicity CSM allows only one transcript to be uploaded at a time.
Create a label for your document. Employers will not see this label. Do not use the same label name as a current or previously deleted document. Doing so has resulted in errors in the past. Always use a unique label name (e.g., JSmith_Transcript_8_1_2021.)
Under [File], click [Browse] to select a document to upload.
Click the [Submit] button. The upload may take a few minutes to complete depending on student traffic.
The conversion is complete when “Ready” appears in the “Status” column. Be sure to review the document to be sure that the upload executed properly.
Step 4: Bidding for Virtual Interviews: January 10, 12 p.m. EST through January 17, 12 p.m. EST
Bidding is the act of applying through Symplicity CSM. Remember that you cannot submit bids for any of the sessions until ALL your application materials are uploaded to Symplicity CSM.
It is important to research employers in advance of bidding to determine which organizations are of interest to you.
Bidding for Virtual Interviews
Navigate to the SIP section
From CSM, select the Recruiting Programs tab using the left navigation. Then select Scheduling.
Pick the Appropriate Session
Select the “SIP 2024 Virtual OCI – Public Sector” session from the [Session] dropdown menu below the instructions section.
Review Employer Notes
Click the [Review] button next to an employer on which you plan to bid. Review the notes provided by employers, paying special attention to employers that require specific backgrounds or experience in order to qualify for an interview.
Rank Your Bid Please note: Bid “ranking” is a requirement within Symplicity CSM, but ranking is not a factor for public sector SIP employers. Employers will not see your ranking. From the [Bid] dropdown menu under the “Bid Details” section in the right margin, select your rank for this bid. From the [Bid] dropdown menu under the “Bid Details” section in the right margin, rank according to your preference (1 being the highest). You can tell if you have used a bid already because it will be noted with an asterisk in the dropdown menu.
Select Application Documents
Your default application documents will automatically be selected during the bidding process. Most employers require additional documents (cover letter, writing sample, etc.), and to successfully submit your bid, you must upload and select all required documents. To submit an additional document, select your choice from the dropdown menus in the right margin under the “Bid Details” section. While you may see that an unofficial transcript must be uploaded in advance, your transcript will not be sent along until after the employer has made its interview selections. Note that employers will review application materials (excluding transcripts) before selecting candidates for interviews.
Finalize Your Bid
Click the [Apply] button in the right margin under the “Bid Details” section to submit your bid. Note: You can change your bids and bid rankings as often as you like until the close of bidding for virtual interviews on January 19, 12 p.m., EST, at which time your bids will become final and your application packet will be forwarded to the employer. No preference is given to bids submitted earlier in the bidding period, but you are encouraged to bid as early as possible to avoid any last-minute issues that may prevent you from finalizing your bid list.
Repeat
Repeat actions 2-6 for as many bids as you plan to submit.
Save Your Bids
Be sure to save a record of your bids when complete.
Step 5: Bidding for Resume Collection: January 10 at 12 p.m. EST through February 2 at 12 p.m. EST
Some employers will not participate in the virtual interview program, but will participate in resume collection instead. When you submit a bid to an employer participating in resume collection, that employer will receive your resume and any other application documents they have requested (including transcript). Employers will then follow up with students they would like to interview, managing their own interview timelines and platforms outside of SIP.
Remember that you cannot submit bids to employers participating in resume collection until all of your application materials are uploaded to Symplicity CSM.
How to Bid for Resume Collection Employers
Follow actions 1-8 described above in Step 4, with two adjustments:
Pick the Appropriate Session
Select the “SIP 2024 Resume Collection – Public Sector” session from the [Session] dropdown menu below the instructions menu.
Unlike the virtual interview program, resume collection employers will receive your transcript (if requested) at the end of the bidding period. Note: You can change your bids and bid rankings as often as you like until the close of bidding for resume collection on February 2 at 12 p.m. EST, at which time your bids will become final and your application packet will be forwarded to the employer.
Step 6: View Your Interview Schedule and Make Your Selections: January 26, 12 p.m. EST through January 29, 12 p.m. EST
HLS policy prohibits students from interviewing during scheduled class times.
Viewing Your Interview Schedule and Making Your Selections
In Symplicity CSM, select the Recruiting Program tab in the left margin, followed by Scheduling.
Choose “SIP 2024 Virtual Interviews – Public Sector” from the Session dropdown menu. If you have been selected for an interview, click the Accept Preselect button in the Invitations column and select a time to sign up for an interview. The interview will then appear in the Scheduled Interviews tab.
Once you have selected an interview time, you can view your interview details by clicking on the Scheduled Interviews tab and selecting the interview date link for each interview.
If you have not been selected for an interview, the Invitations column will note “Not Invited.”
Important Notes About Your Schedule
If you did not receive interviews with employers on which you bid, it is because of one of the following:
You were not selected for an interview by the employer.
The employer cancelled its interview schedule due to low student interest. In this case, a notification will be sent informing you that the employer has transitioned to resume collection and the employer will be contacting you separately to coordinate an interview outside of the SIP program.
This will be your only time to accept or decline an interview. For private sector employers, there will be an Add/Drop period that will allow you to add or drop interviews. For public sector employers, there is no Add/Drop period. For additional guidance on the Add/Drop period for private sector employers, please review OCS’s guidance.
Acceptable Reasons for Canceling An Interview After Already Making Selections
There is a valid illness or emergency.
You have accepted an offer of employment, in which case all remaining interviews will be canceled.
These are the acceptable circumstances behind cancelling an interview. If your reason does not meet this criteria, you must proceed with the interview. If you need to cancel an interview after February 1, please email Micah Nemiroff with the request and reason behind the cancellation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Does my bid ranking matter?
No. Bid ranking, while a requirement in Symplicity CSM, has no impact on your ability to secure an interview with public sector employers. Employers will not see your rankings. Bid ranking is a factor when submitting your bids for private sector employers. Please review OCS’s information for bidding for private sector firms.
To whom do I direct application materials?
The name of the contact will be listed in Symplicity in the “Additional Requests/Information” section for each position.
Do I also need to apply directly to the organizations on which I bid?
In some instances, additional application requirements are outlined in the additional details section for an employer. Please follow any additional application guidance that is provided in Symplicity.
Does it matter when I bid during the bid period?
No. You may bid at any point during the bidding period. When you bid does not impact your ability to secure an interview. You can also update your bid materials at any time during the bid period.
How will the interviews be conducted?
In most cases, the interviews will be conducted using the virtual recruitment platform Flo Recruit, or, in some cases, an employer’s preferred platform (e.g., Zoom, WebEx, etc.). More information will be provided closer to the dates of the interview program.
I am a 1L and I must submit a transcript as part of my application, but I don’t have grades from my fall term yet. What should I do?
In some cases, employers will require transcripts. You can upload an unofficial transcript now, and mention briefly in your cover letter that you will provide an updated transcript when grades are available. Employers will also be notified separately that 1L grades will not be released until later in the month.
I am not a U.S. citizen and am interested in many of the public interest opportunities available through SIP. How will I know if I am eligible for these positions?
In some cases, eligibility information is included in each organization’s registration in Symplicity. Review that information carefully. If no information is in the additional notes section regarding citizenship requirements, it means the information is unknown or has not been provided. OPIA strongly encourages you to research citizenship requirements on employers’ websites and, when necessary, reach out to employers directly to clarify eligibility.