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

[jess]

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[snowpeach06]

Congrats to everyone out of the Vale now!

Also, DC on a $45k salary will be very hard, especially considering you have a pet, but it's still doable. There are a lot of "up and coming" neighborhoods that are affordable here and really getting built up (like NoMa). There's also decent housing in VA/MD that's on a metro line and more affordable.

I've never even heard of NoMa. What line is it on?

There is also a chance that my salary will be bumped to $60kish once the org. gets funded, but, I don't want to count on that when looking for housing. I'm considering maybe trying to negotiate up a another $5k or so, even though I probably won't get it. Any amount could help.

[msridiculous447]

NoMa is on the red line. Very close to Union Station.

[Anonymous User]

Congrats to everyone out of the Vale now!

Also, DC on a $45k salary will be very hard, especially considering you have a pet, but it's still doable. There are a lot of "up and coming" neighborhoods that are affordable here and really getting built up (like NoMa). There's also decent housing in VA/MD that's on a metro line and more affordable.

I've never even heard of NoMa. What line is it on?

There is also a chance that my salary will be bumped to $60kish once the org. gets funded, but, I don't want to count on that when looking for housing. I'm considering maybe trying to negotiate up a another $5k or so, even though I probably won't get it. Any amount could help.

Could also do what it seems like most other professionals in DC do, commute from Virginia or Maryland. All the atty I worked w/ during my summer internship there commuted, some from even as far as Baltimore.

[jess]

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[lukertin]

Could also do what it seems like most other professionals in DC do, commute from Virginia or Maryland. All the atty I worked w/ during my summer internship there commuted, some from even as far as Baltimore.

Don't do this unless you want to hate your life.

To find an acceptable place, looks like I'll have to spend like 50% of my budget on housing - and that might just be financially irresponsible.

Many of the larger property managers around here have strict income-rent tables and will not lease to you unless you qualify under their income requirements (50% is an auto-ding). Definitely something you'll want to be aware of, people looking for roommates probably won't give as much of a shit.

[snowpeach06]

Could also do what it seems like most other professionals in DC do, commute from Virginia or Maryland. All the atty I worked w/ during my summer internship there commuted, some from even as far as Baltimore.

Kind of seems like Maryland/VA is every bit as expensive as D.C.

NoMa is on the red line. Very close to Union Station.

Yeah, this. I work there now, and it's a decent area. The midrises are probably pretty pricey, but my friend lives in a row house there and pays really cheap rent and can walk to Harris Teeter, CVS, Starbucks, Petco, Roti (mmmm), Potbelly, etc. Plus the NoMa stop is right there. I'm not sure what the area is like late at night, but I have walked around the neighborhood around 9pm or so and felt okay. You just have to be aware of your surroundings.

A lot of GULC students also found affordable housing in row houses around the L and 5th street areas. I'm not sure what that area is called, but it's near NoMa and Chinatown.

A lot of people also live in Tenleytown area. It's okay up there, on the red line, more affordable, pretty safe.

I live in Capitol Hill right next to the Supreme Court/Capitol building in a 1br, and it's $1200/month. It took me days of scouring CL for hours every day to find it, but there are definitely pet-friendly, affordable apartments that pop up sometimes in more central locations.

Cool. I'll look into NoMa. I actually saw a lot of postings for it. I lived in Capitol Hill this summer across from the house side, and I think I was paying $1300. But, I really liked the area. It's a bit more residential but is convenient too. Hopefully I'll get lucky and find a roommate scenario in Capitol Hill that'll be just a little bit out of my budget. haha. P.S - what are you doing in D.C? It's a firm, right?

Many of the larger property managers around here have strict income-rent tables and will not lease to you unless you qualify under their income requirements (50% is an auto-ding). Definitely something you'll want to be aware of, people looking for roommates probably won't give as much of a shit.

Well, that sucks but good to know. Thanks!

[kalvano]

Congratulation, Snowpeach. That's really cool. D.C. is an awesome place, and you'll find something that works out for housing. Just watch out for homeless people trying to pee on you on the train.

[lukertin]

Kind of seems like Maryland/VA is every bit as expensive as D.C.

Well I've seen 800 sqft 1br in VA go for like $1000-1200/month, similar apartments in DC probably go for like, $2k. Living in VA is definitely cheaper than living in DC but with the added transportation expense getting to and from work you'll probably break even (unless you get that stuff subsidized).

[BarbellDreams]

Well, I'm out of the Vale, I was offered that job on the spot at my interview yesterday. I'm still not entirety sure what I'll be doing, but hopefully it'll be interesting and involve some international travel. Now I just have the awkward task of quitting a fellowship I'm doing early, and the really annoying task of finding housing in DC that fits with my pitiful budget (45k a year, at least initially) and allows my cat. I'm not sure why I'm more scared and annoyed than excited right now.

Congrats! Been rooting for you since 1L. You were always that optimistic poster who told everyone to stop freaking out and everything will be fine. Glad it worked out. DC on 45K will be rough but manageable. I highly suggest you get a roommate. Also, do NOT commute from Baltimore, seriously, just don't.

[snowpeach06]

Kind of seems like Maryland/VA is every bit as expensive as D.C.

Well I've seen 800 sqft 1br in VA go for like $1000-1200/month, similar apartments in DC probably go for like, $2k. Living in VA is definitely cheaper than living in DC but with the added transportation expense getting to and from work you'll probably break even (unless you get that stuff subsidized).

Actually, I do get a transportation stipend. I'm not sure how much for, but hopefully that saves me a thousand or so in expenses.

Well, I'm out of the Vale, I was offered that job on the spot at my interview yesterday. I'm still not entirety sure what I'll be doing, but hopefully it'll be interesting and involve some international travel. Now I just have the awkward task of quitting a fellowship I'm doing early, and the really annoying task of finding housing in DC that fits with my pitiful budget (45k a year, at least initially) and allows my cat. I'm not sure why I'm more scared and annoyed than excited right now.

Congrats! Been rooting for you since 1L. You were always that optimistic poster who told everyone to stop freaking out and everything will be fine. Glad it worked out. DC on 45K will be rough but manageable. I highly suggest you get a roommate. Also, do NOT commute from Baltimore, seriously, just don't.

Thanks! I'm going to be sure to come back to this thread with some (hopefully) super good success stories to get everyone to realize they will fine - do my part to counteract the doom and gloom that is so prevalent on here. I hope some of the rest of you do too! But yeah - no chance in hell I'd commute from Baltimore. Just no way. On the bright side, I have no debt, so hopefully $45k will go further for me than others. I also got a little bit of money when my gradma recently passed that can help me out if i get into too tight a spot (but I don't want to rely on that money).

[iceman219]

So that 4E poster has a job paying $100k and is not satisfied with that because he wants $160k? I don't get it.

For an evening student who still has a $100k job, I do question why he initially undertook law school. Was it to boost his career within his track (some people, especially in RE development, view a JD as equal/better than an MBA)? Or was it to leap frog away from his current career track?

I ask this as a recently-graduated person who quit a high 5 figure job to go FT into law school simply because I viewed my old career track as a dead end. If 4E is looking to leap frog out of his 100k job into something else, unless he is willing to consider 'lesser' opportunities, one 'beneath' him, why did he ever start law school? If a career is truly a dead end, in the sense of you loath every morning going into work, enough to start law school, why keep doing the hated career sheerly for the $ and lifestyle? Doesn't make sense to me

[NYstate]

Kind of seems like Maryland/VA is every bit as expensive as D.C.

Well I've seen 800 sqft 1br in VA go for like $1000-1200/month, similar apartments in DC probably go for like, $2k. Living in VA is definitely cheaper than living in DC but with the added transportation expense getting to and from work you'll probably break even (unless you get that stuff subsidized).

Actually, I do get a transportation stipend. I'm not sure how much for, but hopefully that saves me a thousand or so in expenses.

Well, I'm out of the Vale, I was offered that job on the spot at my interview yesterday. I'm still not entirety sure what I'll be doing, but hopefully it'll be interesting and involve some international travel. Now I just have the awkward task of quitting a fellowship I'm doing early, and the really annoying task of finding housing in DC that fits with my pitiful budget (45k a year, at least initially) and allows my cat. I'm not sure why I'm more scared and annoyed than excited right now.

Congrats! Been rooting for you since 1L. You were always that optimistic poster who told everyone to stop freaking out and everything will be fine. Glad it worked out. DC on 45K will be rough but manageable. I highly suggest you get a roommate. Also, do NOT commute from Baltimore, seriously, just don't.

Thanks! I'm going to be sure to come back to this thread with some (hopefully) super good success stories to get everyone to realize they will fine - do my part to counteract the doom and gloom that is so prevalent on here. I hope some of the rest of you do too! But yeah - no chance in hell I'd commute from Baltimore. Just no way. On the bright side, I have no debt, so hopefully $45k will go further for me than others. I also got a little bit of money when my gradma recently passed that can help me out if i get into too tight a spot (but I don't want to rely on that money).

Congrats. They sounded so interested. I'm glad it worked out.

Do you mind saying how you found this job and what other steps you took in your search ( just briefly, you might have done good ideas for others.)

So that 4E poster has a job paying $100k and is not satisfied with that because he wants $160k? I don't get it.

For an evening student who still has a $100k job, I do question why he initially undertook law school. Was it to boost his career within his track (some people, especially in RE development, view a JD as equal/better than an MBA)? Or was it to leap frog away from his current career track?

I ask this as someone who quit a high 5 figure job to go FT into law school simply because I viewed my old career track as a dead end. If 4E is looking to leap frog out of his 100k job into something else, unless he is willing to consider 'lesser' opportunities, one 'beneath' him, why did he ever start law school? If a career is truly a dead end, in the sense of you loath every morning going into work, enough to start law school, why keep doing the hated career sheerly for the $ and lifestyle? Doesn't make sense to me

I disagree with you guys here. He got no offered and screwed over by his firm the same as everyone else. And, he has been working full time and going to school at night which requires a great deal of sacrifice and dedication.

He should get support too. He wanted to go to law school and it bit him in the ass hard. He is very lucky he has another job to fall back on. That doesn't mean he shouldn't get advice and support the same as anyone else.

Getting no offered sucks hard and puts a huge bump in the road for everyone.

( I realize this isn't the no offer thread, but the guy is in the Vale like others in this thread.)

[rad lulz]

Getting no offered sucks no denying it

And I know that feel well and can offer support on that front

I just can't muster up a lot of support on the job front

When I see friends getting rejected from $10/hr jobs

[snowpeach06]

Congrats. They sounded so interested. I'm glad it worked out.

Do you mind saying how you found this job and what other steps you took in your search ( just briefly, you might have done good ideas for others.)

Sure. Actually for anyone looking to do policy type stuff, I strongly suggest you check out the Tom Mantos Jobs list. You have to pay like $4/month or something, but, it's well worth it because it gets lots of postings that aren't posted elsewhere. I think it originated as a posting site for people on the hill (when I first found out about it) and grew from there. Aside from tailor my cover letters and resumes, that is the only real "step" I took. Ohh, and I made a non-legal writing sample that employers seem to like. So maybe anyone else going for policy jobs should consider writing a more policy oriented writing sample.

[NYstate]

Getting no offered sucks no denying it

And I know that feel well and can offer support on that front

I just can't muster up a lot of support on the job front

When I see friends getting rejected from $10/hr jobs

Yea. I get it. There is no comparison in the actual life situation here.

[Void]

Graduated jobless in May; just accepted an offer. I mostly lurked here, but wanted to say thanks to all Valefolk who shared their anxiety, tips & tricks, and general resolve. Don't give up!

[lifesucks]

officially joining this thread... and officially hate this summer

[Anonymous User]

Rising 3l here. I know I should e-mail, mass mail, apply and all sorts of things... but I have absolutely no energy. Struck out last year, mass mailed hundreds of firms, got my summer job in April, and now I am just really tired, constantly. Hate how this whole law school thing is turning out.

[20160810]

Given what DC costs it is astonishing to me that there are bad neighborhoods in the city, let alone really bad ones.

[lifesucks]

Rising 3l here. I know I should e-mail, mass mail, apply and all sorts of things... but I have absolutely no energy. Struck out last year, mass mailed hundreds of firms, got my summer job in April, and now I am just really tired, constantly. Hate how this whole law school thing is turning out.

Agreed. Should have never quit my job for law school. And I'm in the top quarter of my class at a T14. So burnt out.

[BarbellDreams]

Given what DC costs it is astonishing to me that there are bad neighborhoods in the city, let alone really bad ones.

My friend moved to DC for TFA. She originally said he budget for a 2BR with a roommate was $1500. When the real estate agent showed them the type of neighborhoods they would have to live at for that price range they quickly agreed to up the price range to $2000.

[20160810]

Given what DC costs it is astonishing to me that there are bad neighborhoods in the city, let alone really bad ones.

My friend moved to DC for TFA. She originally said he budget for a 2BR with a roommate was $1500. When the real estate agent showed them the type of neighborhoods they would have to live at for that price range they quickly agreed to up the price range to $2000.

I pay $950 for a palace. Flyover country ftw.

[hiima3L]

Given what DC costs it is astonishing to me that there are bad neighborhoods in the city, let alone really bad ones.

DC was in really bad shape until the past 15-20 years. The crappy areas are not expensive, and the city is insanely gentrified. The H street divide is unreal.

[Anonymous User]

Speaking of DC, finally got an offer today for a fed gov position. The offer was disappointingly low at 55k. I'll have to accept it though.