Still Seeking Post-Graduate Employment? 8 Steps for Success

Try not to panic if you have not secured post-graduate employment. As a new law graduate, you may naturally be in a limbo period until you receive your bar results in November. Some employers will wait to see if you have passed the bar exam before hiring you. This is okay! Spend your summer studying and passing the bar exam. When your life gets back to normal in August, then you can resume your job search, networking and conducting informational interviews with anyone you think may be helpful. These things will help when your bar results are available and you are a viable candidate for an attorney position.

In the meantime, there is still some time before graduation. If you want to search for jobs prior to graduation day, then perhaps the following tips can help to ease your concerns:

1. Check the JobNet on the CSO's Symplicity site. April-June is the busy season for many small firms and government agencies. Email the CSO if you have forgotten your password.

2. Join the CSO Job Posting Listserv! Each week, CSO Career Advisor, Becky Flanagan, sends out an email to the Class of 2010 featuring the latest post-graduate job openings. The listserv will continue to be sent after graduation. To join, email Becky today!

3. Participate in the CSO's Resume Clinic. As you prepare to graduate from law school, let the Career Services Office help you polish your resume.  Chances are you have added new work experiences and accomplishments to your resume during your time in law school.  Let us help by proofreading your resume for content, format, style and clarity. All members of the class of 2010 are invited to submit their updated resumes for a final review to the Resume Clinic by the last day of classes (April 28th).

 To access the Resume Clinic:

• Log on to RPC/Symplicity.
• Click on the "OCI" tab.
• Select "Resume Clinic" from the session drop-down menu .
• Click "Review" (at left), for more information and to select your  resume. 
• Click "Apply" to send your resume to the CSO for review.

We will review your resume and send you our feedback. Our goal is to review all resumes for the class of 2010, as soon as possible, and by the bar exam date (July 28, 2010) at the very latest.

4. Consider applying for federal government work. It is reported that 30 – 50% of federal employees will be eligible to retire in the next few years. This is bound to result in a hiring boom. Check out www.usajobs.gov. Making the Difference, a website devoted to promoting careers in public service, also highlights a variety of positions available to law graduates within the federal government.

5. Consider contacting government and public interest agencies that interest you. All state agencies are listed on state and local government websites. Public interest positions can are also posted on pslawnet.org. For a more complete list of government and public interest resources email the CSO.

6. Consider initiating contact with legal employers.Use on-line legal directories to search for employers according to specifications such as practice area, location and firm size and then follow-up with them about possible employment opportunities. CAUTION: The CSO does not recommend that you send blind mailings to hundreds of employers. Try to focus your search on a small group of employers who may be seeking new associates, but do not have the time to recruit. This is a great tool for contacting small and medium size law firms.

7. Check job posting sites for legal work opportunities, such as www.lawyersweekly.com, www.craigslist.org, and www.indeed.com. Email the CSO for a more comprehensive list of legal job posting sites.

8. Continue to network. Nearly 85% of all Americans get their jobs through someone they know. Inform everyone you know that you are graduating from law school and will need to find a job soon. You never know if someone you know has heard of a job opening that would be perfect for you!

Do not get discouraged. There are more legal jobs out there than you realize. For more job search suggestions, contact the CSO, 617-422-7229 or cso@nesl.edu.

Should You Enroll in an LLM Program?

For students contemplating pursuing an LLM degree directly after graduating from law school, there are a number of factors to consider.  

Do you already have a strong background and genuine interest in this particular area of law? 
Do employers within the particular field value the degree?
Is your main reason for enrolling in an LLM program to delay your job search?

While an LLM degree program can be a great way to specialize in a specific area of law, it is not always a strong substitute for practical experience and may not necessarily make the candidate more employable after graduation. Students should also not expect an LLM to make up for weak grades they received while in law school. This issue was recently covered by the TaxProf Blog in response to a recent question featured in the Advice for the Lawlorn column:

Here we distinguish between two different types of prospective Tax LLM students: (1) prospective Tax LLM students who have a genuine interest in and aptitude for tax and want to develop additional tax expertise to improve their chances of being hired for a tax position to which they aspire; and (2) prospective Tax LLM students who do not have a particular interest in and aptitude for tax, but assume that a Tax LLM degree from a prestigious Tax LLM program will rehabilitate less-than-stellar JD credentials and improve their chance of obtaining a job at an elite, big firm. Based on our experience, the former type of prospective Tax LLM students should apply to Tax LLM programs, but the latter type should not. Tax LLM classes are rigorous and demanding. For many employers, both JD grades and Tax LLM grades are extremely important. A prospective Tax LLM student who is not genuinely interested in tax is not likely to do well in Tax LLM classes. In addition, the potential resume boost from successful completion of a Tax LLM degree is greatest when applying for tax-specific positions.

 Once a student has decided that pursuing an LLM is the best choice for their situation, factors in deciding on a program should include whether the program offers career services and specific recruitment programs for LLM students.

For further reading on LLM degree programs:

Advising JD Students on LLM Programs (NALP Bulletin)
Post-JD Programs by Category (American Bar Association)
Pursuing a Tax LLM Degree: Why and When? (U of Cincinnati Public Law Research Paper No. 10-11; Loyola-LA Legal Studies Paper No. 2010-9)

The Waiting Game: When & How to Follow Up on a Job Application

You found a job posting for the job of your dreams. You sent off your application ten days ago, and still haven't heard anything from the employer. Now what?

 As a general rule, large firms participating in on-campus recruitment ask candidates not to contact them during the application process because of the high volume of applications they receive. For all other job applications, always check the original job posting to see the employer's preferred method of communication before making contact. Some job postings clearly state "No phone calls or emails." If that is the case, then you are going to have to sit tight and wait until you hear from them. Other job postings may say, "No phone calls, email OK." Other employers may be open to having candidates call the office and will have the contact name and telephone number listed.

 When to Follow Up: If the posting does not say otherwise, it is fine to call or email the hiring contact two to three weeks after sending your application.

What to Say: When following up on a job application it is important to convey your continued interest in the position while not sounding too pushy. Begin the phone call by stating your name and the job you applied for, then let them know that you are still very interested in the position and ask them where they are in the hiring process. If the hiring contact tells you they will get back to you in two weeks and you do not hear from them after those two weeks, wait a few more days before following up with them for a second time.

Following Up After the Interview
At the end of an interview, always ask the interviewer when they expect to make their decision. Send a thank you note to the interviewer immediately after your interview to reiterate your interest in the position.  If you do not hear back from the employer after the stated deadline, give them a few more days before calling to check on your status and follow the same rules for calling as above.  

Unfortunately, not every employer will get back to you in a timely fashion and some may never get back to you at all. The best you can do as a job applicant is to let them know you are still very interested in the position and then wait patiently.

Frequently Asked Questions About the First Year Job Search

The following post is an updated version of our original posting on first year FAQs from 2008.

During our counseling appointments with first year students there are a few questions that inevitably come up. How do most students find jobs? When do most students find jobs? How important is it that I work this summer? Below are answers to those questions.

When do I need to start looking for summer employment?
Students should schedule an appointment with a career counselor as soon as possible to review their resume and go over their individual job search strategy and time line. In general, government and public interest internship deadlines usually fall in January, February and mid-March, at the latest. Mid-sized and small firms usually hire on an as-needed basis and many small law firms do not begin to think about their summer needs until much later in the spring semester.

When do most students find their jobs? When should I start panicking?
There is no single time of year when most 1Ls find their jobs. Some students know where they will be working by February while others won't find something until April. Small firms will continue to look for summer law clerks throughout the late spring. So, even if you have not found a job by the end of April, know that there are still employers out there looking for summer help.

What if I want to do a study abroad program instead?
If you decide to participate in a study abroad program, plan on finding a volunteer or internship opportunity for when you return. Many of the study abroad programs end in the early summer, so you still have the rest of the summer to gain legal experience.

I just received my grade from Torts. Should I list my current GPA on my resume?
No. It is misleading to list your GPA from only one grade. Once you have received all of your grades at the end of the academic year, list your GPA on your resume if it is a 3.0 or above. If an employer wants to see your current grades, let them know that you have just one grade so far and give them a copy of your unofficial transcript.

Is it true that the job you get for your second year summer determines what you will be doing after graduation?
Not necessarily. Large firms usually give their summer associates offers for post-graduate positions at the end of the second year summer, however those firms only make up 10% of the legal employers out there.

Will I limit my career options if I work in a practice area I am not sure I want practice after graduation?
No. All legal experience is valuable and many the of skills you gain in one practice area are skills that can be applied in another (i.e. research & writing, interpersonal skills, etc.)

I have been offered a job for the summer but it is unpaid. How do I find funding?
There are a number of resources for students seeking funding for an unpaid summer internship. Eligible students may be able to receive Federal Work Study for work with a non-profit or for-profit organization. Students working for a public interest organization during the summer should also visit the Summer Funding Resources page on PSLawNet for a comprehensive list of grants available.

Can I receive credit for an unpaid summer internship?
No. Credit is available only for work placements done through the school's clinical program during the academic year.

How do most students find their jobs?
To find a summer job, you will need to do more than just apply to jobs that are posted. According to the 2009 Summer Employment Survey, 31% of the 255 students who responded found their job through the CSO Job Postings while 35% found their jobs through networking, self-initiated contact, or through a referral by a friend, family member or colleague.

Remember, that the first step to the first year job search is meeting with a counselor in the Career Services Office. If you have not already done so, call 617-422-7229 to schedule an appointment with a counselor.

Using the USAJobs Website

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has redesigned the federal job posting website, USAJobs.gov, in the hopes of making the site more user-friendly. Changes to the site include more flexibility in refining job search results and updates on the status of a candidate's application. There is also a new search page for student job seekers.

Graduates and students interested in post-graduate employment with the US government should always use USAJobs to find opportunities. To find law related positions, begin with an advanced search and search by series number. The GS-09 series includes all general legal positions including General Attorney (GS-0905), Employee Benefits Law (GS-0958), and Tax Law Specialist (GS-0987). However, candidates should not limit themselves to the general legal series listings when searching for attorney and JD-preferred positions. The GS-12 series includes attorney work in the copyright, patent, and trademark field; and the GS-18 series lists positions in investigation such as FBI Special Agents (GS-1811). A complete list of federal occupation groups by number is available in the USAJobs Info Center.

For a tutorial on how to search and apply for positions on USAJobs visit the site's Info Center and click on "Using USAJobs".

For further reading:
OPM relaunches revamped USAJobs.gov Government Executive
USAJobs.gov Tips Making the Difference
2009-2010 Federal Legal Opportunities Guide

Politics and Your Resume

In a recent letter to the Ethicist in the New York Times, a hiring attorney asked if it was ethical to reject law student internship applications based solely on their membership to the Federalist Society. While the columnist responded that it is not ethical to reject a job candidate based solely on their politics, the attorney ultimately decided to remove the Federalist Society members from the pool of equally qualified job seekers. Organizations such as the Federalist Society, the National Lawyer's Guild, or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) can cause extreme reactions in people. Hiring organizations may also judge a job seeker if they worked for a particular candidate on a political campaign. While one hopes that most employers would not reject a candidate based solely on politics, job seekers should always remember that there is that possibility when listing a political affiliation or membership to a potentially divisive organization on their resume.

The decision to include or omit certain political activities from a resume is ultimately up to the job seeker and there are valid arguments to each side. Many candidates decide to keep their political affiliations on their resume because they either prefer to work for an organization that supports their beliefs or would rather work for an employer that would not judge employees based on politics. Others decide to remove any hint of politics from their application because they would prefer politics not distract the employer from their other experience and skills. When deciding how to proceed, all candidates should ask themselves one question: Would I be comfortable discussing this activity during an interview? If you decide to include memberships to controversial organizations on your resume, be prepared for the possibility of having your beliefs challenged during an interview. If you are not comfortable discussing politics during a job interview, you may want to remove any political activities from your resume.

For further reading:
"How Public Should Your Politics Be?" Student Lawyer. February 2009, Vol. 37, No. 6
"The Ethicist: Taking on Unlikables." New York Times. 4 December. 2009
"Hiring Lawyer Rejects Federalist Society Members - and Columnist's Advice." ABA Journal. 7 December. 2009

New PSLawNet Blog

PSLawNet, the on-line resource for public service legal careers, has a new blog for public interest-minded law students and attorneys. Blog topics will include legal news concerning the public interest job market, guest columns, and updates on resources for job seekers. Current blog posts include:

- Dealing with the Debt Burden as a Public Interest Law Student
- How to Prep for "Stress Interviews"
- 5 New Year's Resolutions for your 2010 Summer Job Search

Subscribe to the PSLawNet Blog RSS feed to stay up to date on the latest developments within the public interest community and to gain useful job search advice for a career in public service.