Honors Program Interviews

If you are selected to interview through the Honors Program this fall, then we want your interview experience to be a positive one. The information below explains how to schedule your interview, identifies components with restricted interview dates, and answers other important questions.  The links below will take you directly to the subject listed.

All Honors Program interviews will be conducted virtually this year.  When accepting a virtual interview, you must expressly agree not to record, maintain, use, share, or distribute any part of the interview, including materials provided to you during the course of the interview.  

• Notice of Selection
• Pre-Interview Submissions (Writing Samples, Resumes, etc.)
• Component Contact Information
• Interviews
  • Reasonable Accommodations
  • The Interview Period
  • Scheduling Your Interview
  • The Scheduling Process
    • Disclosing Conflict Dates
    • Components with Restricted Interview Dates
  • Getting Your Interview Schedule
  • Rescheduling due to Technical Problems during an Interview
  • Tips for Virtual Interviews

Notice of Selection:

• Online Status Update:  Starting on or about September 28th, the Department will update candidate status online (Avue) to show selection for an Honors Program interview. You may log in using the password and user ID you created for your application. The online status will also show which component(s) selected you in the "Selected By" column.  Due to space constraints, a code is used to represent each component.  If the interviewing component selects by sub-offices, that code will be displayed in addition to the overarching component code. There is a Component Key link on the Status screen that identifies component codes.  It is the candidate's responsibility to monitor his or her online status.  
  • If your status did not change to "Selected for Interview," then you were not selected for an interview.  If you are later selected, we will update your status and send you an email notification message. Regrets messages and online updates will be issued at a later date. 
• E-mail Notice:  The Department will send an email message to Honors Program candidates via Avue (using the e-mail address provided in the application) with specific instructions on (1) how to determine what materials to submit to the interviewing component prior to the interview; (2) how to schedule their interview using the Interview Scheduling Form.  We anticipate issuing this notice on or about September 28, 2023.
  • Initial e-mail notification messages from the Department are issued from mail@avuedigitalservices.com.  We strongly recommend that you add this address to your contacts to ensure that you receive messages issued on behalf of the Department through Avue (and to avoid your interview notice being routed to junk mail/spam folders). 
  • Copies of email messages issued via Avue also are be posted on the candidate's online account under the "Inbox" tab at the top of the screen.  We recommend you review it regularly.  
  • If your status updated to "Selected for Interview" and you did not receive a follow-up email with detailed instructions, check your spam/junk folder and your online account.  If you still cannot locate the instructions email, contact AskOARM@usdoj.gov. 
• Community Board:  OARM will post an update on the Avue application's Community Message Board when the online status is updated.  
• Follow-up Notice:  The Office of Recruitment and Management will send one follow-up email notification to candidates who have not submitted an Interview Scheduling Form approximately a week after the first notice is issued.  It is the candidate's responsibility to monitor his/her email account to ensure notifications are not routed to a "spam" or "junk' file.

Pre-Interview Submissions and Requirements: Most components require interview candidates to submit writing samples or other information prior to the scheduled interview. Click here for required pre-interview submissions. Do not submit a writing sample or other materials unless you are selected for an interview and the interviewing component requires it.

Component Contact Information and Directions:  Click here for component contact information.  Due to the number of interviews and each component's independent control over internal interviewer assignments, OARM is unable to provide the names of specific interviewers. We recommend that you note the interviewers' names during your interview.   

INTERVIEWS 

Reasonable Accommodations: If you require a reasonable accommodation for your interview, please send an e-mail message to Deana Willis listing your needs as soon as possible in advance of your interview so that appropriate arrangements can be made.  

The Interview Period:  Interviews will take place during regular business hours between October 16 and November 3, 2023 excluding weekends. Most interviews last one hour in duration although there are exceptions (e.g., some U.S. Attorneys' Offices, the Civil Division-Appellate Branch).  We include at least a 30 minute break between consecutive interviews. Candidates with multiple interviews (including interviews with more than one branch or section within the same component) may have consecutive interviews (with a 30 minute break in-between) or may be scheduled to interview on different dates. 

 Scheduling Your Interview: 

• Complete an Interview Scheduling Form after receiving notice from the OARM and checking online to identify the components that selected you for an interview.  
  • Before identifying your preferred dates, review the list of components with interview schedule restrictions below. 
  • Use only one Interview Scheduling Form for all your interviews.
  • Once your Interview Scheduling Form is complete, email it to OARM at DOJHonorsProgram@usdoj.gov not later than three days after receiving email selection notice using the Subject line:  Last Name, First Name – Interview Scheduling Form.  It is very important to use this standard format on the Subject line. Instructions are on the survey form.
  • If you need to make changes to your form, DO NOT attempt to update a previously submitted Form by submitting an amended one.  Instead, contact Liliana Daniel for assistance.  Do not contact the Department to confirm receipt of your Interview Scheduling Form.  We track interview scheduling and will follow up directly if we cannot account for a candidate.   

The Scheduling Process: The Department will make every effort to consider the preferred interview dates listed on your Interview Scheduling Form, but cannot guarantee your preferences because of variables affecting component availability, so it is critical that you list all dates when you are unavailable for interviews.  Please be patient during the scheduling process: it is complex and can take some time to complete.

Disclosing Conflict Dates: Be sure to list all dates that you are unavailable for  interviews on your Interview Scheduling Form. The Department will not schedule you for any listed dates or, if we inadvertently do so, will make appropriate corrections.  Some hiring offices have limited interview availability dates that we must accommodate. If you have personal concerns that may impact on your availability, please list them on your Interview Scheduling Form to alert the schedulers.  Once interviews are scheduled, we will not amend your schedule due to your omission or oversight. 

Components with Restricted Interview Dates:  Honors Program interviews will be scheduled from October 16 - November 3, 2023.  Not all components are available every day during the interview period.  The hiring components/offices listed below have interview  restrictions that you must consider when listing your preferred interview dates on your Interview Scheduling Form.  If the availability dates present an absolute conflict, contact Deana Willis before submitting your Interview Scheduling Form.

Getting Your Interview Schedule:  Your OARM scheduler will send your interview schedule to you via email, typically when your interview is scheduled.  These messages will come from individual schedulers' DOJ email accounts and will list each interviewing component and the date/time of that interview, as well as your scheduler's name and contact information.  All interview times are in Eastern time unless otherwise specified.  If you reside in a different time zone, please adjust as appropriate.

• We send your interview schedule to the email address you listed on your application.  We strongly recommend you list the same email address on your Interview Scheduling Form to avoid confusion.
• Please do not contact OARM to ask whether we received your Interview Scheduling Form.  We have a master list of interview candidates and we review it periodically to ensure we do not overlook anyone.  We personally contact any candidate on the master list for whom we do NOT have a Form.  
• All candidates should receive their interview schedule by October 19, 2023.  If you did not, send a second copy of your Interview Scheduling Form and a brief message advising that you are still awaiting scheduling by email message to DOJHonorsProgram@usdoj.gov, with the subject line:  Your Last Name, Your First Name – Interview Scheduling Follow-Up for immediate assistance. 
  • If you do not receive assistance within a business day, contact the Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management (OARM) immediately at AskOARM@usdoj.gov.   
• Individual components will contact their candidates separately to provide supplemental information (e.g., interview links, technical guidance, etc.) prior to the scheduled start time.  Some components may require you to download an app or schedule a communications check in advance.    Please check for component-specific instructions at Component Contacts, Pre-Interview Submissions, and Interview Locations.

Rescheduling due to Technical Problems during an Interview:  If your interview is disrupted by technical problems, reach out to the individual your component identified as it's contact in its supplemental information or, if none, via this component contact link to see whether the problem can be timely resolved so that the interview may continue.  If the problem persists, the Department will work with you to reschedule at a time of mutual convenience.  

Tips for Virtual Interviews:  There is a great deal of information available about how to best present yourself in the virtual environment.  In addition to reaching out to your law school career services office for guidance, we offer a few suggestions for your consideration:

• If possible, avoid using a hand-held device when participating in your interview.  The virtual platforms work best with a laptop or personal computer.
• It is permissible to blur your background.
• Dress as you would for an in-person interview. 
• Be mindful of the background.  
• Consider the camera angle and lighting.
• Mitigate external noise factors as best you can.