Need advice for job during Gap year Forum

[A.Taarabt7]

I am currently in AmeriCorp pretty far from home.

This has not been going well and I probably won't continue to work at a non profit. I am thinking about amicably parting ways (no retribution) and working as a part time legal secretary at a law firm. Its not a BIG law firm but just a law office of a fairly prominent attorney on the west coast.

It will pay me more per hour than AmeriCorp will however the new job as a legal secretary may be boring compared to my current job in AmeriCorp.

Do you think working at this law office is better? This law office is located within my desired market of employment. The AmeriCorp job is in a small state very far away from where I want to work. The AmeriCorp job will give me more professional experience yet may not be that related to the legal field. It can teach me soft skills though like using outlook, handling phones, coordinating people, event planning, and etc. The law office won't give me any hard skills in Law since I haven't taken the bar. Its just administrative work. Filing,copying,photocopying, handling the mail.

Do you guys think the law office gig as a legal secretary is better than the AmeriCorp job? I don't like my boss here. I don't like it here in the state I am currently at. Very lonely and COLD.

[A.Taarabt7]

I haven't secured the legal secretary job yet. Still interviewing. Could be one week to get it or 3-4 months, who knows? i am applying everyday. I will start cold calling law offices and small firms soon as well. Will also work through my network and ask around.

[BlakcMajikc]

Do whatever you want to do during your gap year? Doesnt matter if its legal or nonlegal. If anything, do something that is either a decent pay or you're passionate about (or both). Unless you cure cancer (or something similar), your gap year job won't matter for law school purposes.

[A.Taarabt7]

Do whatever you want to do during your gap year? Doesnt matter if its legal or nonlegal. If anything, do something that is either a decent pay or you're passionate about (or both). Unless you cure cancer (or something similar), your gap year job won't matter for law school purposes.

how come they told me that working at law firm before school was the best even though you're doing admin work?

they said that by working as a secretary you can get an insight and see if law is something you want to pursue as a career

[A. Nony Mouse]

they said that by working as a secretary you can get an insight and see if law is something you want to pursue as a career

Not sure who "they" are, but that's true as far as it goes. You will get insight into whether you'd like law, but in terms of how law schools look at your application, it won't make the slightest bit of difference (although if it's clear that you left AmeriCorps early schools might wonder about why).

[A.Taarabt7]

they said that by working as a secretary you can get an insight and see if law is something you want to pursue as a career

Not sure who "they" are, but that's true as far as it goes. You will get insight into whether you'd like law, but in terms of how law schools look at your application, it won't make the slightest bit of difference (although if it's clear that you left AmeriCorps early schools might wonder about why).

well its nothing bad why I may leave early. Got a better offer with more $ and working for a prominent attorney in my desired field of law on the west coast.

Would it be worth leaving AmeriCorp for a part time paid legal intern position? or unpaid legal intern position at a law office? or would it be advisable to only leave if you get a full time paid legal secretary position?

I am trying to decide whats best. I don't like the AmeriCorp position. Don't like being here in this region of america where its very cold and all alone.

[mr. wednesday]

they said that by working as a secretary you can get an insight and see if law is something you want to pursue as a career

Not sure who "they" are, but that's true as far as it goes. You will get insight into whether you'd like law, but in terms of how law schools look at your application, it won't make the slightest bit of difference (although if it's clear that you left AmeriCorps early schools might wonder about why).

well its nothing bad why I may leave early. Got a better offer with more $ and working for a prominent attorney in my desired field of law on the west coast.

That is kind of a bad reason to leave, though. It's not like something happened... You committed to a period of time but you don't like it that much and so you want to quit. That doesn't say flattering things about you. It might make you seem flakey and like you'll quit law school or your legal job when you find out that those things are also unpleasant.

It's probably not a huge deal unless you want to do anything in public service, in which case just suck it up.

[A.Taarabt7]

okay im trying to decide what to do because my interview is tomorrow.

Should I pursue the legal internship/secretary position at a law firm in a market where I want to be employed?

Or stay out here in the cold ,rural part of America where I have no family and will be spending Christmas alone?

my friends IRL said pursue the legal internship. Said it gives you a perspective and its close to home. They said you can make connections in the legal industry. Not sure what to do to be honest.

was using you guys as a last resort . That being said I still haven't secured a position. I am still interviewing. I'll start cold calling very soon

[mr. wednesday]

The legal secretary job will almost certainly not give you any boost in law school admissions or hiring for post-grad law school jobs. It will give you a sense of what it's like to be that type of lawyer in that particular office, which may or may not be relevant to any other practice or type of lawyer.

But if you are so determined to quit because you're cold and don't like your job, do it. It's not going to be an advantage for anything legal, so if it's important enough to do for your own happiness, make that decision. Or buy a coat. Either way.

[A.Taarabt7]

The legal secretary job will almost certainly not give you any boost in law school admissions or hiring for post-grad law school jobs. It will give you a sense of what it's like to be that type of lawyer in that particular office, which may or may not be relevant to any other practice or type of lawyer.

But if you are so determined to quit because you're cold and don't like your job, do it. It's not going to be an advantage for anything legal, so if it's important enough to do for your own happiness, make that decision. Or buy a coat. Either way.

dont forget im also lonely out here 4 states away from home. Spending xmas and new years alone. Already spent thanksgiving alone. Thats my incentive combined with the very low pay from AmeriCorps.

[A. Nony Mouse]

The legal secretary job will almost certainly not give you any boost in law school admissions or hiring for post-grad law school jobs. It will give you a sense of what it's like to be that type of lawyer in that particular office, which may or may not be relevant to any other practice or type of lawyer.

But if you are so determined to quit because you're cold and don't like your job, do it. It's not going to be an advantage for anything legal, so if it's important enough to do for your own happiness, make that decision. Or buy a coat. Either way.

I agree with this. You sound determined to quit, which is totally your decision. Just don't pretend it's about what's going to be better for law school.

[bizzybone1313]

It sounds like you made the one year committment to VISTA. Is that the case? I am considering doing this for a year. I am surprised that you are hating it so much. Isn't suppose to be an essentially stress free 1 year vacation?

[brotherdarkness]

.

[FlanAl]

I could have had an opportunity to work at a family friend's firm doing admin type stuff the year prior to law school. Figured that it couldn't really help and that it could probably really hurt (whether or not I took the job family friend would still give me good references etc., if I took the job and wasn't good then I'd get bad references and kind of piss off a family friend.) I don't know anyone who was a paralegal etc. who had a leg up with their old firm but it seems like you could screw things up enough for them to not hire you. Also, VISTA would be a good soft when applying to law schools, quitting it, not so much.

[A.Taarabt7]

VISTA is really not that great

its very unorganized, thankless, and very STRESSFUL work. My job isn't related to the legal field.

im stressed up the wazoo. Im 14lbs less, got a manager who has mood swings daily and is disrespectful to me. They only use me because if they lose me, they will lose the entire program.

[bizzybone1313]

VISTA is really not that great

its very unorganized, thankless, and very STRESSFUL work. My job isn't related to the legal field.

im stressed up the wazoo. Im 14lbs less, got a manager who has mood swings daily and is disrespectful to me. They only use me because if they lose me, they will lose the entire program.

OP, does basically anyone that applies to VISTA get the job? Assuming he or she does not have a criminal record or something bad like that. I assume that most people don't want to voluteer for what essentially amounts to like $12K for the entire year. I would really appreciate you answering this question. I have tried to find it online, but I have been unable to do so.

[bizzybone1313]

It sounds like you made the one year committment to VISTA. Is that the case? I am considering doing this for a year. I am surprised that you are hating it so much. Isn't suppose to be an essentially stress free 1 year vacation?

Bro, didn't you see that OP said he's cold, doesn't get to hang out with his friends on the weekend, and is going to have to spend this one holiday season away from his family? This is arguably cruel and unusual punishment.

But none of this stuff has anything to do with the job. Lol. So what if it is cold. OP, if you are a guy, you should find a hunnie to cuddle with. OP, if you are a girl, you should find a guy to cuddle with.

[brotherdarkness]

.

[xRON MEXiCOx]

Just buy a coat and make some friends

[bizzybone1313]

It sounds like you made the one year committment to VISTA. Is that the case? I am considering doing this for a year. I am surprised that you are hating it so much. Isn't suppose to be an essentially stress free 1 year vacation?

Bro, didn't you see that OP said he's cold, doesn't get to hang out with his friends on the weekend, and is going to have to spend this one holiday season away from his family? This is arguably cruel and unusual punishment.

But none of this stuff has anything to do with the job. Lol. So what if it is cold. OP, if you are a guy, you should find a hunnie to cuddle with. OP, if you are a girl, you should find a guy to cuddle with.

You must have missed the sarcasm that was dripping from my post. My point is that OP should sack up and tough it out. Quitting for such reasons looks bad and the job at the law office isn't going to be beneficial.

I didn't miss your sarcasm. I fully got it. But OP probably wasn't kidding. I am sure he or she is, in fact, very miserable. I wish I would have been in your shoes OP during my first year out of college.

[mr. wednesday]

VISTA is essentially a category of jobs that are funded for certain qualifying projects. You don't apply to 'VISTA,' you apply to a specific job that's been funded by VISTA. How selective that job is, and what it is like, is pretty dependent on the organization you are actually working at, not the VISTA program.

Which makes OP's situation more confusing, because he would have had to apply, interview for and accept this job knowing what it paid, where it was located, how cold it got there, that his family didn't live there, etc. He'd also know what kind of work it was, since you are applying for a specific job, not a slot in a national program.

[bizzybone1313]

How many hours do you work a week OP?

[bizzybone1313]

VISTA is essentially a category of jobs that are funded for certain qualifying projects. You don't apply to 'VISTA,' you apply to a specific job that's been funded by VISTA. How selective that job is, and what it is like, is pretty dependent on the organization you are actually working at, not the VISTA program.

Which makes OP's situation more confusing, because he would have had to apply, interview for and accept this job knowing what it paid, where it was located, how cold it got there, that his family didn't live there, etc. He'd also know what kind of work it was, since you are applying for a specific job, not a slot in a national program.

But these "jobs" essentially pay peanuts, which makes me think that most people are basically shoo-ins for them.

[jbagelboy]

My advice? Don't think of what you do after graduating from college as a "gap year." Law school is not an inevitable assumption upon which you should base the rest of your decisions and your approach to other commitments and opportunities. I made that mistake for a while too. Law school should be a calculated choice that reflects your experiences, both academic and professional, and your goals, potential, and financial circumstances, NOT the other way around (although obviously some decisions must and should be influenced by future applicant status, like taking the LSAT and getting good grades). It's not about the "gap" between one schooling and another. Making 'law school' itself an end focus, generally speaking, is a road to disaster, IMO, because its not all that fun and its not all that rewarding, and you better damn like what you can actually do with the degree.

[mr. wednesday]

But these "jobs" essentially pay peanuts, which makes me think that most people are basically shoo-ins for them.

Some are, but others get 5-10x as many applicants as they have spots. The better known organizations in big cities get more applicants. There are programs that require particular experience, or an MBA, or a JD, depending on the job. Also VISTAs get special consideration in some gov't hiring so that can be worth putting up with the low pay for like 10 months.