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

[rad lulz]

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

Small firm?

Money is money man

Big congrats to you

[snowpeach06]

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.

Well hey, that's 10k more than me - and I'm sure your benefits/retirement will be good. Although, I'm thinking about asking for a little bit more money, maybe up to $50k. Doubt I'll get it though cuse the org. that hired me is in dire financial straights.

[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.

Do not out yourself/jerb, but mind telling us how you went about it? Simplicity? USAJobs? Something else... thanks!

[Anonymous User]

interview in the legal dept of a bank on friday. no previous experience or exposure to finance, banking, etc. i need help coming up with (BSing) answers to questions like "why do you want to work for Bank?"

thanks in advance fellow vale-dwellers

[Anonymous User]

Just got a rejection letter from a small firm I was very hopeful about. Did a few days of research and prep. During the interview, my interest in the firm grew, and the partners I talked to made it seem like they liked me. Saying things like "if you haven't noticed, this interview is going well for you" and how they don't have any concerns about me. The letter is dated the Monday after the Friday interview, so it doesn't seem to be a competitive issue where they compared me with an even better candidate. It was something wrong with me, maybe something I said after their encouraging words.

It feels bad.

[Anonymous User]

interview in the legal dept of a bank on friday. no previous experience or exposure to finance, banking, etc. i need help coming up with (BSing) answers to questions like "why do you want to work for Bank?"

thanks in advance fellow vale-dwellers

Would you mind sharing how you got this interview? thank you and of course good luck!

[TTH]

I have a pretty strong chance of getting out of the Vale. This solo practitioner wants to talk to me Friday, but he wants me to commit to working for him for a year for a starting salary of $40k, which will go to $45k after my bar results come in. He said we'll discuss money in another six months after that.

If he gives me the offer, I'll probably take it, but damn. That's $12,000 less than my pre-LS jerb.

Fuck the Vale, bros. Fuck the Vale.

[rad lulz]

.

[Anonymous User]

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.)

Well I applied to Law School in 2009 when I was between jobs due to the recession and I wasn't sure I'd find something, got a job before I got into school so I went part time. Got a fairly top tier SA that usually offers 100% and won the anti-lottery. Now I'm in the unenviable position of needing to look for something else. As for why bother with law, the industry I'm in, hours aren't much better and they're probably even less predictable. Also, the glass ceiling is in sight at ~$250k in another 10 years or so. If nothing else, law would have accelerated how quickly I got there.

On the one hand, I have no loans because I'm able to pay for school out of pocket (after scholarships etc.) On the other, I have to face the possibility that working from 8:30-5:30 with nights and weekends, then going to school 4 days a week from 6:00-9:50 for four straight years resulted in nothing but $100k in tuition and a piece of paper. I'm so far along now that quitting makes no sense, but the motivation is really lagging and getting home at 7:00 to spend time with the family sounds amazing even if I often need to log in again at home. That $100k saved would have been enough for down pay on a nicer house...

With my industry I do have the option to try to go straight in house though, however, I suspect in many cases that might actually result in a pay cut, which also doesn't make much sense. All in all, it could be much worse, but I can't say I wasn't looking forward to an extra few hundred dollars to a thousand dollars a month.

[20160810]

I have a pretty strong chance of getting out of the Vale. This solo practitioner wants to talk to me Friday, but he wants me to commit to working for him for a year for a starting salary of $40k, which will go to $45k after my bar results come in. He said we'll discuss money in another six months after that.

If he gives me the offer, I'll probably take it, but damn. That's $12,000 less than my pre-LS jerb.

Fuck the Vale, bros. Fuck the Vale.

Unless he seems like he would be a great mentor (and solo pracs are wildly hit or miss) in a field you like, it might make sense to pass on this unless you don't see any other options, maybe in the public sector for a bit.

[lukertin]

Do not out yourself/jerb, but mind telling us how you went about it? Simplicity? USAJobs? Something else... thanks!

pretty much all non-judicial jobs happen through USAjobs.gov. It's like the only way to apply for a position in the fed gov.

[Bubbles 4 Life]

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[Anonymous User]

interview in the legal dept of a bank on friday. no previous experience or exposure to finance, banking, etc. i need help coming up with (BSing) answers to questions like "why do you want to work for Bank?"

thanks in advance fellow vale-dwellers

Would you mind sharing how you got this interview? thank you and of course good luck!

random symplicity post. it's not the greatest job (~$45k) but i'd take it in a second. if only i knew something about derivative markets..

[JenDarby]

interview in the legal dept of a bank on friday. no previous experience or exposure to finance, banking, etc. i need help coming up with (BSing) answers to questions like "why do you want to work for Bank?"

thanks in advance fellow vale-dwellers

Would you mind sharing how you got this interview? thank you and of course good luck!

random symplicity post. it's not the greatest job (~$45k) but i'd take it in a second. if only i knew something about derivative markets..

I work in the legal department at a bank. You don't need to know much about derivatives markets really. You want to show an interest in corporate and transactional work. You will pick up the terminology and functions of the various desks, and complicated matters are outsourced anyways. What's going to be most important is that you seem enthusiastic about that position and they think they can work with you. Also if there's anyway you can sell yourself as a self starter and the kind of person who can work with minimal supervision, since the work in these groups tends to be very divided. You will likely be talked to (interviewed) by someone in HR and their opinion matters, research the bank and take your time with the HR person seriously.

[TTH]

NEED ADVICE VALE BROS

I just got back from an interview with a union-side labor law firm. Going into the interview, I didn't expect to be super into the firm, but I was really pleasantly surprised. I would mosdef like to work at this firm. As I mentioned yesterday, I have a different shot at getting out the Vale, though.

I meet with the guy in that poast tomorrow, and I really expect him to make me an offer. When he and I spoke last week, he said that he would expect a one-year commitment out of whoever he hired and that if I were to continue looking for jobs during that year, he'd consider it a breach of trust.

Coming out of today's interview, I want the labor job. I do not want the job with the solo from my other post. However, the labor job is still interviewing people for the position, is planing to do callbacks, and so won't be making a hiring decision for three or four weeks. The solo will probably make me an offer tomorrow, and he doesn't seem like the kind of guy who's going to hold an offer open for a month. And oh by the way, I'm broke as fuck and need a paycheck.

If you were in my position, would you take the job with the solo? Would you take it and bail out if you got the labor job in three weeks? Would you be honest with the solo and ask for some time or ask to start on a probationary basis with the understanding that either person could walk away in a month with no hard feelings? Really not sure what to do here. TYIA.

[iceman219]

NEED ADVICE VALE BROS

I just got back from an interview with a union-side labor law firm. Going into the interview, I didn't expect to be super into the firm, but I was really pleasantly surprised. I would mosdef like to work at this firm. As I mentioned yesterday, I have a different shot at getting out the Vale, though.

...

If you were in my position, would you take the job with the solo? Would you take it and bail out if you got the labor job in three weeks? Would you be honest with the solo and ask for some time or ask to start on a probationary basis with the understanding that either person could walk away in a month with no hard feelings? Really not sure what to do here. TYIA.

I would approach it from the standpoint of 1) what area of law you want to practice in 2) what sort of expertise/proficiency the solo practitioner has (does he really have specialized knowledge/field of work, or is it just a general learning experience)?

Also, from what I've heard, sometimes even minor accounts with small firms can give you a lot of room to run/grow on your own. As a story, the partner I worked for 2L year started out in a 2-3 person practice, but started working brokerage defense cases and ran with that until he became the choice counsel for the insurance company within the state. After a few jumps firm-to-firm, he is known as THE guy for brokerage defense in the state and runs a pretty nice practice w/in the firm.

If it was just a general opportunity with no particular specialty with the solo, I'd weigh a stalling tactic or strongly consider a quick jump if you got the labor offer.

[rad lulz]

Yo TTH I am guessing you have a real good shot at this jerb due to your prvs union experience?

If the solo is really good/respected I'd try to stall

If like above poaster says it's just general experience, I'd probably say thanks but no thanks

[TTH]

Yo TTH I am guessing you have a real good shot at this jerb due to your prvs union experience?

I feel like it, but life in the Vale teaches you not to take anything for granted.

I would approach it from the standpoint of 1) what area of law you want to practice in 2) what sort of expertise/proficiency the solo practitioner has (does he really have specialized knowledge/field of work, or is it just a general learning experience)?

Good points. As to what I want to do, I'm pretty ecumenical. I'd be happy doing straight litigation, real estate work, or labor work. The solo does real estate, but not quite the part of real estate I want to do. Still, it would get "Real Estate" on my rez in a real way.

The labor law firm wants their new hire to come in as a sort of generalist, getting projects from all over the firm, but potentially develop as "the guy" for a particular part of their practice. This sounds immensely appealing to me.

I'm leaning toward trying to stall with the solo or even jumping if I get the labor jerb, but all my bullshit aside, the idea of taking the job knowing that I'm planning to jump ship if the other thing comes through doesn't sit well with me. Dishonesty leaves a sour taste in my mouth and all.

[rad lulz]

Yo TTH I am guessing you have a real good shot at this jerb due to your prvs union experience?

I feel like it, but life in the Vale teaches you not to take anything for granted.

I would approach it from the standpoint of 1) what area of law you want to practice in 2) what sort of expertise/proficiency the solo practitioner has (does he really have specialized knowledge/field of work, or is it just a general learning experience)?

Good points. As to what I want to do, I'm pretty ecumenical. I'd be happy doing straight litigation, real estate work, or labor work. The solo does real estate, but not quite the part of real estate I want to do. Still, it would get "Real Estate" on my rez in a real way.

The labor law firm wants their new hire to come in as a sort of generalist, getting projects from all over the firm, but potentially develop as "the guy" for a particular part of their practice. This sounds immensely appealing to me.

I'm leaning toward trying to stall with the solo or even jumping if I get the labor jerb, but all my bullshit aside, the idea of taking the job knowing that I'm planning to jump ship if the other thing comes through doesn't sit well with me. Dishonesty leaves a sour taste in my mouth and all.

Catholic guilt.

[lukertin]

If you ditched the solo what is the likelihood that it will come back around and bite you in the ass?

[TTH]

If you ditched the solo what is the likelihood that it will come back around and bite you in the ass?

I don't really know. :/

By the way, there's a pretty sweet entry-level attorney job in Cincinnati poasted on usajobs.com, bros.

[bjsesq]

I just got rejected from part time work at GNC. Jesus fucking christ, my life sucks so fucking much.

[TTH]

I just got rejected from part time work at GNC. Jesus fucking christ, my life sucks so fucking much.

Start freelancing and sell some stories.

(granted, if I had any fucking clue about how to go about doing that, I'd be doing it myself)

[bjsesq]

I just got rejected from part time work at GNC. Jesus fucking christ, my life sucks so fucking much.

Start freelancing and sell some stories.

(granted, if I had any fucking clue about how to go about doing that, I'd be doing it myself)

Same.

1. I am not sure anyone would have it.
2. Even if someone did, I have no idea how to hawk the shit.

[snowpeach06]

NEED ADVICE VALE BROS

I just got back from an interview with a union-side labor law firm. Going into the interview, I didn't expect to be super into the firm, but I was really pleasantly surprised. I would mosdef like to work at this firm. As I mentioned yesterday, I have a different shot at getting out the Vale, though.

I meet with the guy in that poast tomorrow, and I really expect him to make me an offer. When he and I spoke last week, he said that he would expect a one-year commitment out of whoever he hired and that if I were to continue looking for jobs during that year, he'd consider it a breach of trust.

Coming out of today's interview, I want the labor job. I do not want the job with the solo from my other post. However, the labor job is still interviewing people for the position, is planing to do callbacks, and so won't be making a hiring decision for three or four weeks. The solo will probably make me an offer tomorrow, and he doesn't seem like the kind of guy who's going to hold an offer open for a month. And oh by the way, I'm broke as fuck and need a paycheck.

If you were in my position, would you take the job with the solo? Would you take it and bail out if you got the labor job in three weeks? Would you be honest with the solo and ask for some time or ask to start on a probationary basis with the understanding that either person could walk away in a month with no hard feelings? Really not sure what to do here. TYIA.

It wouldn't hurt to ask the labor firm to speed things along once you get an offer. Just mention that you got it and see if they bite. Otherwise, honestly, if you really think you would like the firm, and there isn't a huge chance that the attorney would smear your name, I'd take his job and then leave. But, i'm a horrible person.