Non-KJD with Limited WE Forum

[DATlsatBOI]

Hi all. I graduated in 2017 and have spent most of my time since graduation doing a mix of traveling, studying, applying to schools, and generally dicking around. I worked for 3 years during undergrad and fortunately received full financial aid so I had a bit of savings and wanted to relax after burning out from school.

I started a full time job this past February and was originally planning to quit around June to do a bit more of traveling before starting law school. And I know that the prevailing wisdom is to enjoy the last free summer that we have. However, I essentially have a 2-year employment gap in my resume and am worried that it will be particularly challenging to apply for 1L internships because of it. I know that 1L grades are the most important factor, but it's hard to not consider what will be a seemingly glaring red flag on my resume. At least by working until August I will have a serviceable 6 months of full time post-grad job experience.

Thanks for your help!

[Anonymous User]

Your experience is as KJD as it can possibly be, but it won't impose any problem at all if you can provide an explanation for your gap years without raising a reflag of your work ethics.

One of my friends took a gap year dicking around the world for a year. After he came back he landed a front office job at MBB by bullshitting the shit out of his gap year. Takeaway is make your experience sound cool and intellectual and maybe even link to why you come to law school/want to practice law if it comes up in your interviews

[BeeTeeZ]

So your options are: (1) work for 4 months, then take two months off, and then start law school; or (2) work for 6 months, and then start law school. Is that right?

I would choose (1) if I were you. The difference between 4 and 6 months of work experience is neglible, and even having none wouldn't ding you.

Enjoy your last two months of freedom before starting law school: establish healthy habits, take care of your mind and body, and have fun. You'll never regret it.

[JHP]

Your experience is as KJD as it can possibly be, but it won't impose any problem at all if you can provide an explanation for your gap years without raising a reflag of your work ethics.

One of my friends took a gap year dicking around the world for a year. After he came back he landed a front office job at MBB by bullshitting the shit out of his gap year. Takeaway is make your experience sound cool and intellectual and maybe even link to why you come to law school/want to practice law if it comes up in your interviews

Seconding this. It's not so much THAT you took gap time, it's absolutely how you frame it. (Definitely not as "I dicked around.") Make it sound as cool and soul-searchy as you can without sounding like an absolute chore of a human being. There are lots of ways you can discuss those experiences and make it sound like a really cool and deliberate choice you made, rather than a "I just wanted to do nothing for months at a time" kind of experience.

[jackdanielsga]

Your experience is as KJD as it can possibly be, but it won't impose any problem at all if you can provide an explanation for your gap years without raising a reflag of your work ethics.

One of my friends took a gap year dicking around the world for a year. After he came back he landed a front office job at MBB by bullshitting the shit out of his gap year. Takeaway is make your experience sound cool and intellectual and maybe even link to why you come to law school/want to practice law if it comes up in your interviews

Seconding this. It's not so much THAT you took gap time, it's absolutely how you frame it. (Definitely not as "I dicked around.") Make it sound as cool and soul-searchy as you can without sounding like an absolute chore of a human being. There are lots of ways you can discuss those experiences and make it sound like a really cool and deliberate choice you made, rather than a "I just wanted to do nothing for months at a time" kind of experience.

I am struggling with the same problem of explaining long gaps in my work - have you or anyone else encountered any recruitment/resume consultants who are particularly good at concocting reasonable stories? I've reached out to several but they're mostly interested in selling their canned packages whereas I'm looking for more of an expert touch.

[JHP]

Your experience is as KJD as it can possibly be, but it won't impose any problem at all if you can provide an explanation for your gap years without raising a reflag of your work ethics.

One of my friends took a gap year dicking around the world for a year. After he came back he landed a front office job at MBB by bullshitting the shit out of his gap year. Takeaway is make your experience sound cool and intellectual and maybe even link to why you come to law school/want to practice law if it comes up in your interviews

Seconding this. It's not so much THAT you took gap time, it's absolutely how you frame it. (Definitely not as "I dicked around.") Make it sound as cool and soul-searchy as you can without sounding like an absolute chore of a human being. There are lots of ways you can discuss those experiences and make it sound like a really cool and deliberate choice you made, rather than a "I just wanted to do nothing for months at a time" kind of experience.

I am struggling with the same problem of explaining long gaps in my work - have you or anyone else encountered any recruitment/resume consultants who are particularly good at concocting reasonable stories? I've reached out to several but they're mostly interested in selling their canned packages whereas I'm looking for more of an expert touch.

I am someone who is generally skeptical when it comes to recruitment or resume consultants, as I am not entirely sure what advice/help they can give you that others cannot or that you can't just find out/research yourself with a little dedication and common sense. Maybe there are folks who have had success hiring such help, but I feel like unless you have some SEVERE reasons why you have gaps in work (i.e. non-insignificant criminal history), I don't know what those people can do for you. (Even if you have some troubling reasons why you have gaps in work, I can't really see a justifiable reason to drop money on a consultant to help you with your resume, when you might be able to crowdsource your own advice/help.)