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January 30, 2008
Being Active in your Job Search
Although it might be easier if it were true, the fact of the matter is that the perfect job for you rarely, if ever, falls directly into your lap. Instead, a thorough job search requires you to be involved, active, and informed at each step in the process. And with the Spring Interview Program beginning now (the Phase I bid deadline closed yesterday), students still seeking summer and permanent employment should be well into the Spring job search process. (The Phase II bid deadline will close at 1PM on February 5th.)
Keep in mind, however, that in order to be thorough and complete, your Spring job search must extend beyond the Spring Interview Program. Relying only on the Spring Interview Program limits your options because there are a variety of additional employers who simply do not have the time, resources, or need to formally participate in on-campus recruiting. That does not, however, mean that those employers are not hiring. So what else should you be doing? The CSO recommends the following:
1) Research the types of opportunities available and make a decision about what type of opportunity you are most interested in. Are you interested in law firm work, public interest and government work, in-house positions, etc.? Think about the issues and classes that have interested you most and talk with attorneys who currently practice in these areas. Feel free to meet with a counselor in the CSO to talk about different types of legal jobs and to consult the practice-area specific resources available in the CSO.
2) Research specific organizations. Use the Martindale-Hubbell Directory, use the NALP Directory, use the Vault Guides (available in paper form here in the CSO), and use PSLawnet. (There are also a variety of other website links available on the CSO Course on Blackboard.) Consult the employer files here in the CSO and our lists of places where past students have worked. Talk with professors who are experts in the areas of law that interest you to find out what they know about organizations that work in that area of the law.
3) Make sure your research is organized, deliberate, and useful to you. Keep a written list of the organizations that interest you, along with contact information, names of alumni who currently work there, website links, and a brief description of why you are interested in the organization.
4) Consult the organization’s website to see if there is application information available. If so, follow the application instructions. If not, contact the organization directly. You can call and ask whether the organization takes law students as interns for the summer (or whether the organization is currently doing permanent hiring) and, if so, how you should apply. You may also choose to compose a formal cover letter to send directly to the employer with your resume inquiring whether any summer or permanent positions are available. (If you choose to mail or email a letter and resume, be sure to follow-up about two weeks after sending the materials!)
5) If you are conducting an out-of-state job search, consider joining the local bar association to begin obtaining networking contacts. Think about planning trip to your destination city, perhaps during Spring Break, and let networking contacts and potential employers know now that you will be in town and would appreciate the opportunity to meet with them.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that, whether you are a 1L or 2L seeking summer employment or a 3L seeking permanent employment, now is the time to get your materials out there both within the Spring Interview Program and beyond. If you’re unsure about your career search timeline or what next steps to take, come visit a counselor in the CSO to talk about the unique elements of your job search.
Posted by kcc17 at January 30, 2008 04:56 PM