Invitation to Journal vs. nothing on resume Forum

[Anonymous User]

My school requires students to take a course of they're invited onto one of the secondary law journals. However, I've already accepted an externship (for class credit) with a DA's office in the fall and will be putting in close to 20hrs a week there while taking 14 additional credits and it would be basically impossible for me to take one of the required secondary journal courses due to class conflicts and time commitments. Basically, there's no way I would actually accept an invite onto one of the secondary law journals. I've been contemplating doing write-on for the sake of being able to put "invited to XXX law journal" on my resume. Yesterday, I spoke to one of the senior prosecutors I'm working for this summer who basically told me law journal wasn't very important for a future in prosecution and that experience was much more important. He said journals might be important for federal prosecutorial jobs, but ultimately he said it wouldn't be a deal breaker.

I guess what I'm asking is am I shooting myself in the foot by not writing on in order to be able to have "invited to XXX law journal" on my resume?

[seatown12]

no

[Upton Sinclair]

I guess what I'm asking is am I shooting myself in the foot by not writing on in order to be able to have "invited to XXX law journal" on my resume?

If you put this on your resume, I will laugh at you.

[vamedic03]

I guess what I'm asking is am I shooting myself in the foot by not writing on in order to be able to have "invited to XXX law journal" on my resume?

If you put this on your resume, I will laugh at you.

Are you a law student?

ETA - OP - you should probably not do that.

[Anonymous User]

I guess what I'm asking is am I shooting myself in the foot by not writing on in order to be able to have "invited to XXX law journal" on my resume?

If you put this on your resume, I will laugh at you.

Are you a law student?

ETA - OP - you should probably not do that.

OP here, probably not write on?

[Renzo]

I guess what I'm asking is am I shooting myself in the foot by not writing on in order to be able to have "invited to XXX law journal" on my resume?

If you put this on your resume, I will laugh at you.

Are you a law student?

ETA - OP - you should probably not do that.

I would paraphrase and put the following on your resume: "ask me about my lack of motivation and disinterest in balancing multiple commitments." That way the person reading your resume will be clear about what "invited to XXX law journal" means.

[Gideon Strumpet]

If your resume is literally a blank page unless you put this on it; sure, go for it.

[Rock Chalk]

.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks guys. It sounded strange to me too, but OCS had told me that it was worth mentioning that you were invited on your resume. Then again, OCS generally gives questionable advice at best. Makes me feel better about deciding not to do write on.

[3ThrowAway99]

If you're sure you're not going to do Journal or Law Review even if you get invited through write-on then I wouldn't bother with the write-on. The write-on is a pain in the ass, and although a journal would be nice to put on the resume (even if only for OCI, which I think is why you are considering this), because you can offer a good reason for not doing it shouldn't be a big deal to not have it on there. If asked during interviews you can mention your DA work as being a priority-- I think that is perfectly reasonable. And personally, I think it's smart not to take on a crapload of stuff during 2L.

*At my school Journal is the secondary publication, so I assume at your law school Law Review is 1st and Journal secondary, but either way, the above stands as my suggestion if you care for it.

[3ThrowAway99]

Thanks guys. It sounded strange to me too, but OCS had told me that it was worth mentioning that you were invited on your resume. Then again, OCS generally gives questionable advice at best. Makes me feel better about deciding not to do write on.

I think putting it on there is fine, and technically most people don't have to write 'invited' on there for OCI IMO (they can just put the journal). At my school we were simply told to update our resumes to include the journal (or law review) we are on. In your case though I think putting 'invited' would be appropriate if you did try-out and make it, being that you don't plan to do the work for it next year.