1L summer job application apathy/encouragement thread Forum

[Grizz]

Jesus Fucking Christ...

I just sent an e-mail to a partner at a law firm seeking an informational interview. I forgot to attach my resume, didn't space between two words, and used the wrong word in another part of the e-mail. This is why you shouldn't send important e-mails late at night.

Should I send a follow up e-mail with the resume, or resign myself to being pwned?

Doesn't hurt to send the follow-up.

Partner replied to my e-mail this morning and let me have it. Not for the mistakes, but for the very notion of trying to network. He more or less said "Nothing but grades and extracurriculars matter. You're a tool, but I'll be happy to meet with you."

Srs? Whoa.

[BarbellDreams]

Ended up getting the interview with the judge who's female clerk I called "Mr.". Stunned. Maybe its some sort of formality and they already know they aren't taking me but felt bad because they already offered the interview.

[Stanford4Me]

Partner replied to my e-mail this morning and let me have it. Not for the mistakes, but for the very notion of trying to network. He more or less said "Nothing but grades and extracurriculars matter. You're a tool, but I'll be happy to meet with you."

Sheesh. I feel like I would decide not to do the interview, but then I'm sure he'd be pissed because he's offered it to you (or whatever that response could be categorized as).

[OGR3]

Partner replied to my e-mail this morning and let me have it. Not for the mistakes, but for the very notion of trying to network. He more or less said "Nothing but grades and extracurriculars matter. You're a tool, but I'll be happy to meet with you."

Sheesh. I feel like I would decide not to do the interview, but then I'm sure he'd be pissed because he's offered it to you (or whatever that response could be categorized as).

It sounds like the partner would be pissed either way.

[BarbellDreams]

Partner replied to my e-mail this morning and let me have it. Not for the mistakes, but for the very notion of trying to network. He more or less said "Nothing but grades and extracurriculars matter. You're a tool, but I'll be happy to meet with you."

Sheesh. I feel like I would decide not to do the interview, but then I'm sure he'd be pissed because he's offered it to you (or whatever that response could be categorized as).

Really wish I could read the actual email. I wonder just how bad it was.

[Unitas]

Jesus Fucking Christ...

I just sent an e-mail to a partner at a law firm seeking an informational interview. I forgot to attach my resume, didn't space between two words, and used the wrong word in another part of the e-mail. This is why you shouldn't send important e-mails late at night.

Should I send a follow up e-mail with the resume, or resign myself to being pwned?

Doesn't hurt to send the follow-up.

Partner replied to my e-mail this morning and let me have it. Not for the mistakes, but for the very notion of trying to network. He more or less said "Nothing but grades and extracurriculars matter. You're a tool, but I'll be happy to meet with you."

Srs? Whoa.

I disagree with most posters assertion that this is bad of the partner. I actually think it was quite nice.

1. He appears to have been honest with you, i.e. he said you can't network your way in here and as most of us know grades matter greatly. Most people aren't that honest and will string you along knowing you have no shot. I'm not saying you don't have a shot I am saying he was pointing out how it works.

2. He responded promptly. The partner's time is likely valuable and you sent him a bad e-mail late at night and he still responded to you really quickly without commenting on your faults. I find that pretty commendable.

3. He also said he would be happy to meet with you using his valuable time to help you going forward even if it won't lead to a job there.

Maybe the actual text would change my interpretation of it, but your synopsis, which is likely somewhat inflammatory, doesn't seem rude to me.

[BarbellDreams]

So, common questions to be ready from from an appellate court judge?

[Dr. Review]

So, common questions to be ready from from an appellate court judge?

Just did an interview with a federal magistrate judge over the phone. Questions included:

Who is your favorite SCOTUS judge? Why?
Which of his/her opinions did you like the most? Why?
How do you see the originalist interpretation of the Constitution developing over the 21st century?

[OGR3]

So, common questions to be ready from from an appellate court judge?

Just did an interview with a federal magistrate judge over the phone. Questions included:

Who is your favorite SCOTUS judge? Why?
Which of his/her opinions did you like the most? Why?
How do you see the originalist interpretation of the Constitution developing over the 21st century?

Who is your favorite 14th century legal philosopher? Why?
Who was your favorite character on Friends? Why?
What is you favorite type of jam? Why?

[TTH]

Partner replied to my e-mail this morning and let me have it. Not for the mistakes, but for the very notion of trying to network. He more or less said "Nothing but grades and extracurriculars matter. You're a tool, but I'll be happy to meet with you."

Srs? Whoa.

I disagree with most posters assertion that this is bad of the partner. I actually think it was quite nice.

1. He appears to have been honest with you, i.e. he said you can't network your way in here and as most of us know grades matter greatly. Most people aren't that honest and will string you along knowing you have no shot. I'm not saying you don't have a shot I am saying he was pointing out how it works.

2. He responded promptly. The partner's time is likely valuable and you sent him a bad e-mail late at night and he still responded to you really quickly without commenting on your faults. I find that pretty commendable.

3. He also said he would be happy to meet with you using his valuable time to help you going forward even if it won't lead to a job there.

Maybe the actual text would change my interpretation of it, but your synopsis, which is likely somewhat inflammatory, doesn't seem rude to me.

I don't disagree with that you're saying, necessarily. The tone of his e-mail was pretty rough, but I'm still going to follow up with it. I wasn't really calling him rude so much as expressing my surprise that he was so blunt. Most attorneys, like you alluded, seem to play it pretty soft with 1Ls. I wasn't really expecting the response I got, but maybe I'll earn some respect by being undaunted.

[fatduck]

So, common questions to be ready from from an appellate court judge?

Just did an interview with a federal magistrate judge over the phone. Questions included:

Who is your favorite SCOTUS judge? Why?
Which of his/her opinions did you like the most? Why?
How do you see the originalist interpretation of the Constitution developing over the 21st century?

Who is your favorite 14th century legal philosopher? Why?
Who was your favorite character on Friends? Why?
What is you favorite type of jam? Why?

1.) William of Ockham. Occam's Razor, obviously.

2.) Trick question. None of them.

3.) Space Jam. No explanation necessary.

[TTH]

So, common questions to be ready from from an appellate court judge?

Just did an interview with a federal magistrate judge over the phone. Questions included:

Who is your favorite SCOTUS judge? Why?
Which of his/her opinions did you like the most? Why?
How do you see the originalist interpretation of the Constitution developing over the 21st century?

Who is your favorite 14th century legal philosopher? Why?
Who was your favorite character on Friends? Why?
What is you favorite type of jam? Why?

1.) William of Ockham. Occam's Razor, obviously.

2.) Trick question. None of them.

3.) Space Jam. No explanation necessary.

Dinged. Pearl Jam is clearly TCR for number three.

[Borhas]

I still can't believe I was stupid enough to put "Mr." to a clerk that is female. Its been eating away at me all day. This wasn't a cover letter or anything, this was an email response to her asking when I am available to interview. I am thinking she either needs to overlook the mistake or just laugh about it for me to have ANY shot at still getting this interview. The internship has to do with research and writing entirely and if I can't keep genders straight they should only assume that I will be utterly worthless at doing everything else.

I did something like that to the number one place I wanted to work at. I put in a ton of leg work "networking" with that office... went to informational interview, met the hiring director, shadowed an attorney, gave follow up calls, me current interns etc... and then when I actually applied I had written the wrong persons name in the cover letter (addressed to someone working in a completely different office).

Luckily it turned out that their online application system was down and they never went even saw that copy... so I just sent another one

will hear back from them today hopefully...

[Grizz]

Dinged. Pearl Jam is clearly TCR for number three.

[Borhas]

[Kretzy]

[TTH]

[JazzOne]

Def Jam?

[OGR3]

I'm sorry, but the credited response is:



Thank you for playing. Better luck next time.

[Geist13]

T-20, top 10%/5%

Applied to 50 Fed. Judges, one interview, hasn't happened yet.

30 Firms, on one "waitlist", nothing else.

Blanketed some local public interest,

Where should I spend tomorrow applying?

Sorry for anon, my whole section knows who I am.

If I remember correctly, a bunch of federal positions listed in the government honors handbook had application deadlines of 3/15. Then again so did my USAO and they hired me almost a month ago. If you don't know what the government honors handbook is, email your CSO, ask for the link and your school's username/password.

[Anonymous User]

T-20, top 10%/5%

Applied to 50 Fed. Judges, one interview, hasn't happened yet.

30 Firms, on one "waitlist", nothing else.

Blanketed some local public interest,

Where should I spend tomorrow applying?

Sorry for anon, my whole section knows who I am.

If I remember correctly, a bunch of federal positions listed in the government honors handbook had application deadlines of 3/15. Then again so did my USAO and they hired me almost a month ago. If you don't know what the government honors handbook is, email your CSO, ask for the link and your school's username/password.

Federal judges are still taking applications and considering applicants in some areas. I have gotten three phone calls either offering me positions or interviews with various federal judges in the last two weeks. I applied near Dec. 1st, so it may just be that some are just now looking at applicants. I didn't do any updates at all, such as grades..

[snowpeach06]

Today I got one rejection that just straight up told me I was unqualified, even though the only requirement listed was that you be a law student. lol.

Then 10 minutes later I got an interview and the lady just said "come in on this day at this time." I technically have class. Do I just skip class or tell her I can't make it? Prob. skip class, even though I'm not all that interested in this position. I do wish I could land one of the jobs I actually want.

[Dr. Review]

Today I got one rejection that just straight up told me I was unqualified, even though the only requirement listed was that you be a law student. lol.

Then 10 minutes later I got an interview and the lady just said "come in on this day at this time." I technically have class. Do I just skip class or tell her I can't make it? Prob. skip class, even though I'm not all that interested in this position. I do wish I could land one of the jobs I actually want.

Skip class and don't go to the interview.

[OGR3]

Today I got one rejection that just straight up told me I was unqualified, even though the only requirement listed was that you be a law student. lol.

Then 10 minutes later I got an interview and the lady just said "come in on this day at this time." I technically have class. Do I just skip class or tell her I can't make it? Prob. skip class, even though I'm not all that interested in this position. I do wish I could land one of the jobs I actually want.

Interviews are always more important than class. A job that isn't high on your list is better than no job at all. I'd tell her, since you're in school to get a job, not for the "intellectual stimulation".

Skip class and don't go to the interview.

Though this is probably what I would do...

[JazzOne]

Today I got one rejection that just straight up told me I was unqualified, even though the only requirement listed was that you be a law student. lol.

Then 10 minutes later I got an interview and the lady just said "come in on this day at this time." I technically have class. Do I just skip class or tell her I can't make it? Prob. skip class, even though I'm not all that interested in this position. I do wish I could land one of the jobs I actually want.

Paid job? Go to interview.