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May 16, 2007
You've Graduated & You're Still Looking for a Job? Don't Panic!
If you are graduating from law school this Sunday but still have not secured a permanent job, do not panic! You will find a job. Your legal (or post-law school) career is just starting, and when you look back to this time years from now you will hardly be able to remember why you were worried.
Many employers do not hire until law graduates have sat for or even passed the bar. These employers can include smaller firms and government and public interest employers. However, you want to keep applying for jobs so that your resume is in the mix when employers are ready to hire. If you are interested in small firms -- which is where the majority of practicing lawyers work -- you should also be open to the possibility of working as a law clerk until bar results come in; some firms will bring graduates in as law clerks and at a reduced pay rate so that everyone can test the waters, and they hire them for associate positions once they are licensed. Also, you should consider broadening your horizons as far as areas of practice and work settings.
Also, keep in mind that studying for the bar exam is a full-time endeavor for most people. You don't need to abandon your job search altogether, but spend the vast majority of your time preparing for the bar so you only need to take it once!
Posted by smp20 at May 16, 2007 10:18 AM