The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls) Forum

[los blancos]

I'm considering giving up and getting a refund on bar bri before its too late. I'm really going to need the 3,000 to pay for rent while I look for another job.

I'm just going to find one that isn't legal related. Life is horrible.

Dude, at the VERY least, make sure you're not paying sticker for that shit. There was an exchange a few pages back about this.

[Anonymous User]

^ I mean I've moved way beyond that Poli Sci degree tho. I do have a JD (or will get one soon) and all the experience I racked up. I'm sure I can find a 50k+ job somewhere around here. Doesn't matter what it is really. Saw a job paying 55k to be a parking lot manager..lol

Here's the thing, dude: you are not qualified to be a parking lot manager. Like, for real, you're not. You don't have the experience in it, presumably, and just having degrees doesn't make you qualified for all jobs that don't need degrees.

If your UG is poly sci, you might want to just take the bar while you keep looking, because hanging a shingle while looking for non-law jobs is better than unemployment. Alternatively, apply for policy jobs, because your JD will help for some, as will your poly sci degree, but you won't need to be barred. But if it were me, I'd still be planning on taking the bar, because it gives you more potential jobs to apply to if you don't find something by August.

[rad lulz]

,

[Anonymous User]

^ I mean I've moved way beyond that Poli Sci degree tho. I do have a JD (or will get one soon) and all the experience I racked up. I'm sure I can find a 50k+ job somewhere around here. Doesn't matter what it is really. Saw a job paying 55k to be a parking lot manager..lol

Once you are done with the bar there are also other ways to get legal work. Dress the part and go to solo/small law firms in person and ask to speak with the attorney. Wait 20 minutes if you have to. Once you able to meet with them, explain that you are waiting on bar result and are willing to do contract work for $15 to $20 an hour (pick a price). Anything from research, writing motions or memos, briefs, or organizing files. Attorneys are notoriously busy and take on too much. Unfortunately, most solos and small firms are even more scared about hiring someone full-time. Hiring someone full time is quite a commitment. Offering to do contract work makes it easy for them: if they only have 10 hours for you this week, they only pay for 10 hours.

While many places will likely say no thanks, my guess is that there will be some that might say yes. There are like 500 small firms/solos within 15 mins of my house. I cannot believe that if I hit up each one of these places that none of them will have any extra work they wouldn't mind unloading on me.

Don't underestimate the power of talking with someone in person. An email is easy to forget/ignore. If you are sitting in that attorney's office, you just put a face to the resume.

[TTH]

Let me ask you bros a question. Sorry for the tl;dr

Back in February, I interviewed with a mid-size firm in West Virginia where I have some connections. During the interview, the managing partner told me, "Hey, we don't really have a need here for another associate, but we just opened an office in Ohio. We don't know exactly what we're doing there yet, but I think we're going to need somebody there. When do you graduate? May? Oh, okay, so check in with me in May."

Also, the MP more or less said that if I came on with them, they'd like for me to start during the summer.

At the time, I figure it was a blow off and that if/when I checked in, he'd either kick the can further down the road or say flat out that they aren't going to hire at the Ohio office. For what it's worth, the managing partner is my contact at the firm and I think he genuinely likes me and that they liked my credentials, but it's a matter of their need.

Flash-forward to present. I'm still working at my 2L firm that no offered me b/c of economics. They have generally said that I can stay on through the summer, but we haven't nailed down the specifics yet. I think they are going to be talking about that this week and letting me know. If they allow me to stay on for the summer, then I subsequently quit, I don't think it will burn bridges.

Okay, Here Is My Question
I want to e-mail the MP at the West Virginia firm to check in about their Ohio office now. My reasoning is that if I want to start over the summer, it makes sense to check in now before I tell someone else I'll work for them over the summer.

Is this okay or should I wait for May like I told the guy I would? He's pretty laid back, and I figure they aren't going to pass on offering me because I e-mailed him early, right?

[Anonymous User]

To be honest, I don't know if I can take it anymore. All the borrowing. Got to borrow more to survive while studying for the bar. No job prospects. Not going to lie, I've been looking at a lot of rooftops lately...I just don't know how I'm going to survive this disaster :\.

[Anonymous User]

Is this okay or should I wait for May like I told the guy I would? He's pretty laid back, and I figure they aren't going to pass on offering me because I e-mailed him early, right?

I think it's close enough to May to ask him now. Are you not taking the bar this summer? The late application deadline for Ohio is May 10th, so if you are going to end up licensed in Ohio, you probably need to know pretty soon.

You could also try to leave the door open to starting in August post-bar, if that suits their needs better, which allows you to stay at your 2L firm over the summer if you need to.

[rad lulz]

Let me ask you bros a question. Sorry for the tl;dr

Back in February, I interviewed with a mid-size firm in West Virginia where I have some connections. During the interview, the managing partner told me, "Hey, we don't really have a need here for another associate, but we just opened an office in Ohio. We don't know exactly what we're doing there yet, but I think we're going to need somebody there. When do you graduate? May? Oh, okay, so check in with me in May."

Also, the MP more or less said that if I came on with them, they'd like for me to start during the summer.

At the time, I figure it was a blow off and that if/when I checked in, he'd either kick the can further down the road or say flat out that they aren't going to hire at the Ohio office. For what it's worth, the managing partner is my contact at the firm and I think he genuinely likes me and that they liked my credentials, but it's a matter of their need.

Flash-forward to present. I'm still working at my 2L firm that no offered me b/c of economics. They have generally said that I can stay on through the summer, but we haven't nailed down the specifics yet. I think they are going to be talking about that this week and letting me know. If they allow me to stay on for the summer, then I subsequently quit, I don't think it will burn bridges.

Okay, Here Is My Question
I want to e-mail the MP at the West Virginia firm to check in about their Ohio office now. My reasoning is that if I want to start over the summer, it makes sense to check in now before I tell someone else I'll work for them over the summer.

Is this okay or should I wait for May like I told the guy I would? He's pretty laid back, and I figure they aren't going to pass on offering me because I e-mailed him early, right?

Contact now. This isn't a weird situation so I don't think he will be pissed

Also I'm pissed at your summer firm for continually kickin the can down the road. There isn't much road left.

[Anonymous User]

To be honest, I don't know if I can take it anymore. All the borrowing. Got to borrow more to survive while studying for the bar. No job prospects. Not going to lie, I've been looking at a lot of rooftops lately...I just don't know how I'm going to survive this disaster :\.

It sounds trite but shit dude, it's only money. You haven't even graduated or taken the bar yet; it's too soon to call time of death on your career and your future. Do you have a place you can live? Parents, siblings, friends? You will have a six month grace period on repayments to try and figure your shit out, so at least give yourself that time. Focus on applications and passing the bar, like everything past that 6 months doesn't even exist right now.

[rad lulz]

To be honest, I don't know if I can take it anymore. All the borrowing. Got to borrow more to survive while studying for the bar. No job prospects. Not going to lie, I've been looking at a lot of rooftops lately...I just don't know how I'm going to survive this disaster :\.

Quit looking at rooftops man. Feel free to PM if you just want someone to talk to. No judgments bro.

[TTH]

Let me ask you bros a question. Sorry for the tl;dr

Back in February, I interviewed with a mid-size firm in West Virginia where I have some connections. During the interview, the managing partner told me, "Hey, we don't really have a need here for another associate, but we just opened an office in Ohio. We don't know exactly what we're doing there yet, but I think we're going to need somebody there. When do you graduate? May? Oh, okay, so check in with me in May."

Also, the MP more or less said that if I came on with them, they'd like for me to start during the summer.

At the time, I figure it was a blow off and that if/when I checked in, he'd either kick the can further down the road or say flat out that they aren't going to hire at the Ohio office. For what it's worth, the managing partner is my contact at the firm and I think he genuinely likes me and that they liked my credentials, but it's a matter of their need.

Flash-forward to present. I'm still working at my 2L firm that no offered me b/c of economics. They have generally said that I can stay on through the summer, but we haven't nailed down the specifics yet. I think they are going to be talking about that this week and letting me know. If they allow me to stay on for the summer, then I subsequently quit, I don't think it will burn bridges.

Okay, Here Is My Question
I want to e-mail the MP at the West Virginia firm to check in about their Ohio office now. My reasoning is that if I want to start over the summer, it makes sense to check in now before I tell someone else I'll work for them over the summer.

Is this okay or should I wait for May like I told the guy I would? He's pretty laid back, and I figure they aren't going to pass on offering me because I e-mailed him early, right?

Contact now. This isn't a weird situation so I don't think he will be pissed

Also I'm pissed at your summer firm for continually kickin the can down the road. There isn't much road left.

TBF, I may have accidentally mischaracterized their position. They said they don't have room for me, but that I was welcome to continue working there during school, and that if anything changed, they'd love to have me. I considered myself as having gotten flatly no-offered in August and this is just a part-time job that could turn into something else by virtue of a miracle.

[rad lulz]

TBF, I may have accidentally mischaracterized their position. They said they don't have room for me, but that I was welcome to continue working there during school, and that if anything changed, they'd love to have me. I considered myself as having gotten flatly no-offered in August and this is just a part-time job that could turn into something else by virtue of a miracle.

Just the whole "we really love the work you're doing but we don't feel like you're worth it" thing really pisses me off

[TTH]

TBF, I may have accidentally mischaracterized their position. They said they don't have room for me, but that I was welcome to continue working there during school, and that if anything changed, they'd love to have me. I considered myself as having gotten flatly no-offered in August and this is just a part-time job that could turn into something else by virtue of a miracle.

Just the whole "we really love the work you're doing but we don't feel like you're worth it" thing really pisses me off

Well, yeah. That's true. At my job, I have more projects than I have time to work on, which causes all kinds of trouble for me, but they say they don't have the work to hire me. Granted, a lot of the stuff I get is non-billable or stuff they would not do if they didn't have a law student to do it, but still.

[rad lulz]

TBF, I may have accidentally mischaracterized their position. They said they don't have room for me, but that I was welcome to continue working there during school, and that if anything changed, they'd love to have me. I considered myself as having gotten flatly no-offered in August and this is just a part-time job that could turn into something else by virtue of a miracle.

Just the whole "we really love the work you're doing but we don't feel like you're worth it" thing really pisses me off

Well, yeah. That's true. At my job, I have more projects than I have time to work on, which causes all kinds of trouble for me, but they say they don't have the work to hire me. Granted, a lot of the stuff I get is non-billable or stuff they would not do if they didn't have a law student to do it, but still.

Really hope the thing works out w the other firm because your obviously a smart bro who does good work and it's time someone recognized

[TTH]

Thanks bud.

[TTH]

Update: Got to work this afternoon and they told me that once the 1L diversity program SA starts, I'll be going from having a set number of hours per week to working on projects on an as needed basis. HAHAIMFUCKED

[rad lulz]

Update: Got to work this afternoon and they told me that once the 1L diversity program SA starts, I'll be going from having a set number of hours per week to working on projects on an as needed basis. HAHAIMFUCKED

Contact the WV bros ASAP

This firm you're at now

Is treating you bad bro

[TTH]

Update: Got to work this afternoon and they told me that once the 1L diversity program SA starts, I'll be going from having a set number of hours per week to working on projects on an as needed basis. HAHAIMFUCKED

Contact the WV bros ASAP

This firm you're at now

Is treating you bad bro

Already emailed. Sort of freaking out now. I thought that at the very least I had a plan to cover my contribution to household living expenses between graduation and the bar. Guess I'll need to start looking at bar loans/mailbombing every possible opening on God's green earth.

[deebs]

I want to buy TTH a beer with all the shit he's been through.

In other news, I found a posting for a new 5 person firm. Then I check the attorney list and OMG!!!?!?!?, a guy I worked with at my internship left and joined this firm. Now, I'm thinking today is my day, finally a break, maybe an interview. But then I realized that I'm just destined for failure, as his response to my email is that he's leaving the firm, and using his name will probably hurt rather than help.

Does anyone know if those research librarian positions qualify for PSLF? Or what if I just make my own non profit? I'm pretty sure it would be easy to get funding for some sort of inner city sports program for elementary school kids.

[deebs]

Law Review without grades is massive fucking flame. There's something about graduation being immediately impending that's made this so much worse.

100% agree. LR probably hurts you if you don't have the grades. "This dude was motivated enough to write on, but he could only pull top 25% grades? Must be a lazy fuck. Ding."

That was exactly me during OCI, same stats and everything. I even got "so you just told me you want to do transactional work, why did you bother writing on to law review then." My response of "well, I guess write on is just something everyone does, and it just so happens I can write better than the people at my school" did not get me a callback.

[rad lulz]

I want to buy TTH a beer with all the shit he's been through.

In other news, I found a posting for a new 5 person firm. Then I check the attorney list and OMG!!!?!?!?, a guy I worked with at my internship left and joined this firm. Now, I'm thinking today is my day, finally a break, maybe an interview. But then I realized that I'm just destined for failure, as his response to my email is that he's leaving the firm, and using his name will probably hurt rather than help.

Does anyone know if those research librarian positions qualify for PSLF? Or what if I just make my own non profit? I'm pretty sure it would be easy to get funding for some sort of inner city sports program for elementary school kids.

Plan on taking the bar before you bail completely bro

Also TTH if you're ever near me, I'll buy you a beer too

Same goes for any regular Vale poaster really

[deebs]

Plan on taking the bar before you bail completely bro

Also TTH if you're ever near me, I'll buy you a beer too

Same goes for any regular Vale poaster really

Yeah, I was one of the first anon posters to start freaking out a few pages ago. I'm already signed up for kaplan online, illinois bar, and my parents basement. Time will tell, time will tell. Rumor is that WUSTL is giving out nearly free llm's to unemployed students again, but I don't think I can stomach any more law school. Although, I'm still thinking about going all in and trying to do the NYU LLM. More debt just means I can make more money and still qualify for IBR down the road. But considering I can make 180,000 a year and qualify for IBR still, I'm not too worried about going on IBR and getting kicked off and recapitalized any time soon.

[rad lulz]

Plan on taking the bar before you bail completely bro

Also TTH if you're ever near me, I'll buy you a beer too

Same goes for any regular Vale poaster really

Yeah, I was one of the first anon posters to start freaking out a few pages ago. I'm already signed up for kaplan online, illinois bar, and my parents basement. Time will tell, time will tell. Rumor is that WUSTL is giving out nearly free llm's to unemployed students again, but I don't think I can stomach any more law school. Although, I'm still thinking about going all in and trying to do the NYU LLM. More debt just means I can make more money and still qualify for IBR down the road. But considering I can make 180,000 a year and qualify for IBR still, I'm not too worried about going on IBR and getting kicked off and recapitalized any time soon.

You get decent tax grades?

From what I'm hearing NYU LLM ain't even a good bet any more if you want big law

May be different got big 4 doe

Also yeah "free WUSTL LLM" does not sound promising in the least

[deebs]

You get decent tax grades?

From what I'm hearing NYU LLM ain't even a good bet any more if you want big law

May be different got big 4 doe

Also yeah "free WUSTL LLM" does not sound promising in the least

Yeah, A's and A-'s in tax classes so far, IRS experience, RA for tax professor. The thing that really grinds my gears is that the Dean gave a talk and mentioned that a lot of the jd-preferred placements were at consulting or accounting firms, which is a flat out lie based off what data I try to sieve out of the CSO. I did interview with a Big 4 over thanksgiving break, received a ""happy holidays e-mail and look forward to seeing you in 2013," but I've been ignored by the recruiter every time I try to call or e-mail.

[rad lulz]

You get decent tax grades?

From what I'm hearing NYU LLM ain't even a good bet any more if you want big law

May be different got big 4 doe

Also yeah "free WUSTL LLM" does not sound promising in the least

Yeah, A's and A-'s in tax classes so far, IRS experience, RA for tax professor. The thing that really grinds my gears is that the Dean gave a talk and mentioned that a lot of the jd-preferred placements were at consulting or accounting firms, which is a flat out lie based off what data I try to sieve out of the CSO. I did interview with a Big 4 over thanksgiving break, received a ""happy holidays e-mail and look forward to seeing you in 2013," but I've been ignored by the recruiter every time I try to call or e-mail.

Yeah I couldn't even get interviews at big 4, though your experience is better

May have better luck in something like transfer pricing

The tax groups seemed to want a UG accounting/finance background