1L summer job application apathy/encouragement thread Forum

[savagecheater]

So I've applied to every firm in my markets...but there's easily 300+ judges out there in those same markets.

I can't find information on 50% that's at all meaningful...I'm seriously at a loss as to how I'm supposed to convey interest for someone I know nothing about.

Have you never hit on a woman before?

I appreciate the joke but it's not even apples and oranges, it's like apples and beer.

[DoubleChecks]

So I've applied to every firm in my markets...but there's easily 300+ judges out there in those same markets.

I can't find information on 50% that's at all meaningful...I'm seriously at a loss as to how I'm supposed to convey interest for someone I know nothing about.

Have you never hit on a woman before?

I appreciate the joke but it's not even apples and oranges, it's like apples and beer.

which, maybe surprisingly, go pretty well together

[JazzOne]

So I've applied to every firm in my markets...but there's easily 300+ judges out there in those same markets.

I can't find information on 50% that's at all meaningful...I'm seriously at a loss as to how I'm supposed to convey interest for someone I know nothing about.

Have you never hit on a woman before?

I appreciate the joke but it's not even apples and oranges, it's like apples and beer.

Legal hiring is a joke. You'll be lucky if you find anything at all. That's the price we pay for failing to the heed the advice of many people who told us not to go to law school. I wish you luck, but your sanity will be better off the sooner you accept how arbitrary this process is. It's the biggest game of bullshit you've ever played. Welcome aboard.

[billyez]

Got two PI places set up but only because I worked there previously...so, not sure that counts. Sending out my stuff for judges today, though, so I can claim some victory - w/o grades of course, so not exactly sure how this'll work out.

[keg411]

Got two PI places set up but only because I worked there previously...so, not sure that counts. Sending out my stuff for judges today, though, so I can claim some victory - w/o grades of course, so not exactly sure how this'll work out.

Have the same feeling with the judges apps.

[thecilent]

Ok, another 50 apps out for judicial internships. Applied to all judges on the Supreme Court and Appellate Division of my home state court system. Was a bit gutsy and submitted my final memo as a writing sample even though it hasn't been graded yet. Not sure how a state court judicial internship compares with a federal one with regard to competition, prestige, etc., but I'll be happy with any positive responses.

Now its on to firms. I'm probably a bit behind with regard to firm applications, but I'd assume they wait until after grades to do hiring anyway, so maybe I'll get lucky and at least get a look.

You can really send out this many apps before grades?

They'll give you interviews just based on your school, or do they wait for grades but you get looked at first?

[billyez]

Yea, this might be true for public interest, but for judges and firms I respectfully and completely disagree. Other government jobs are all over the map.

I would not plan on starting the app process in February and plan on getting a job unless you're a superstar.

So, as someone who is only applying for PI/clerkships and 1 firm job for the heck of it, is timing less of an issue? This isn't to say that I'd wait until February or anything...but does it matter a lot less that I'd wait until, say, mid-January to send out a great deal of the stuff?

...That extra time sure would go a long ways in helping me turn this crapload of a writing sample into something decent.

[robin600]

I've sent out applications w/o grades to all the PI places that I find on PSlawnet that I'm interested in. I follow up with them weekly, then less after the first week. I've received two we'll call you to interview if we can't get enough upcoming 2Ls (rule 13 cert. for PD jobs), and 2 actual interviews I can set up after break is over. Honestly, I got my first interview simply by calling up the org. I was interested in, talking about why I wanted to work there and my undergrad experience (it's related), no cover letter or writing sample requested, just asked for my resume for contact info to stay in touch. My second interview was an alum connection, I asked the Dean of Students about alum who work PI in DC, she gave me one guy she remembered. I called him the same day and sent him my CL, res, ws, and ref. Two days later got a request to set up an interview by his boss after new years. In all my endeavors applying there was no interest in my grades, and many people complimented me on my willingness to keep in touch, follow up. I haven't gotten my grades back yet, but I'm very pleased in the job hunt thus far.

[Kretzy]

8 "we're not hiring 1Ls" emails and 20 still out. But a PI interview this Thursday. I wish firms had the kind of turn-around this PI place did....

[Omerta]

Got emails from two District Court judges that they wouldn't be hiring interns... I still have two judges that haven't gotten back to me. There's a big PI/Gov event at our school in early Febuary. I'd really like to get something there.
Good things about me: 4.0 (A in legal writing, but it feels good to write on the resume haha), good interviewer, good extracurriculars in LS
Bad things: super generic undergrad, no latin honors, no WE, will be hard to differentiate myself through my resume.

I hate cover letters more than anything else in the universe.

Ok, another 50 apps out for judicial internships. Applied to all judges on the Supreme Court and Appellate Division of my home state court system. Was a bit gutsy and submitted my final memo as a writing sample even though it hasn't been graded yet. Not sure how a state court judicial internship compares with a federal one with regard to competition, prestige, etc., but I'll be happy with any positive responses.

Now its on to firms. I'm probably a bit behind with regard to firm applications, but I'd assume they wait until after grades to do hiring anyway, so maybe I'll get lucky and at least get a look.

You can really send out this many apps before grades?

They'll give you interviews just based on your school, or do they wait for grades but you get looked at first?

I spoke to my state's AG office and they said send in everything now and supplement with your transcript later.

[J-tow10]

I've sent out applications w/o grades to all the PI places that I find on PSlawnet that I'm interested in. I follow up with them weekly, then less after the first week. I've received two we'll call you to interview if we can't get enough upcoming 2Ls (rule 13 cert. for PD jobs), and 2 actual interviews I can set up after break is over. Honestly, I got my first interview simply by calling up the org. I was interested in, talking about why I wanted to work there and my undergrad experience (it's related), no cover letter or writing sample requested, just asked for my resume for contact info to stay in touch. My second interview was an alum connection, I asked the Dean of Students about alum who work PI in DC, she gave me one guy she remembered. I called him the same day and sent him my CL, res, ws, and ref. Two days later got a request to set up an interview by his boss after new years. In all my endeavors applying there was no interest in my grades, and many people complimented me on my willingness to keep in touch, follow up. I haven't gotten my grades back yet, but I'm very pleased in the job hunt thus far.

What have you been doing about apps that require a writing sample? I was going to talk to our LP prof about which memo to use, but I can't really edit our last memo yet since we don't have the grade (that is if I use that memo)

[thebookcollector]

So frustrated. I just had my second firm "interview" (of four) and, exactly like the first firm, they told me in the interview they weren't hiring 1Ls, but they wanted to meet me and encourage me to keep them in mind for next year.

It is maddenning. If the other two do the same thing, I might jump off a bridge... or off the top of one of the firms' buildings.

Has anybody else had this happen to them?

I guess I'm going to start applying to judges now. (Exagerated, Al Gore-esque sigh.)

[D. H2Oman]

I think I'm gonna go ahead and edit the Insufferableness out of this

.

that's better.

[thebookcollector]

I think I'm gonna go ahead and edit the Insufferableness out of this

.

that's better.

Haha. It is really frustrating when firms express interest and then take it back, just saying.

Plus, I had to take off work to go "interview" so it costs me money...

[Grizz]

So frustrated. I just had my second firm "interview" (of four) and, exactly like the first firm, they told me in the interview they weren't hiring 1Ls, but they wanted to meet me and encourage me to keep them in mind for next year.

It is maddenning. If the other two do the same thing, I might jump off a bridge... or off the top of one of the firms' buildings.

Has anybody else had this happen to them?

I guess I'm going to start applying to judges now. (Exagerated, Al Gore-esque sigh.)

Did knowing you had 0 shot at an offer make the food more or less tasty?

[thebookcollector]

I've sent out applications w/o grades to all the PI places that I find on PSlawnet that I'm interested in. I follow up with them weekly, then less after the first week. I've received two we'll call you to interview if we can't get enough upcoming 2Ls (rule 13 cert. for PD jobs), and 2 actual interviews I can set up after break is over. Honestly, I got my first interview simply by calling up the org. I was interested in, talking about why I wanted to work there and my undergrad experience (it's related), no cover letter or writing sample requested, just asked for my resume for contact info to stay in touch. My second interview was an alum connection, I asked the Dean of Students about alum who work PI in DC, she gave me one guy she remembered. I called him the same day and sent him my CL, res, ws, and ref. Two days later got a request to set up an interview by his boss after new years. In all my endeavors applying there was no interest in my grades, and many people complimented me on my willingness to keep in touch, follow up. I haven't gotten my grades back yet, but I'm very pleased in the job hunt thus far.

What have you been doing about apps that require a writing sample? I was going to talk to our LP prof about which memo to use, but I can't really edit our last memo yet since we don't have the grade (that is if I use that memo)

I'm curious to know about the writing sample situation. My best memo was a "closed universe" assignment, so I feel compelled to attach a letter stating that (so I'm not blamed for any defficiencies in research), but I'm not sure that is warranted. Thoughts?

[mths]

I think I'm gonna go ahead and edit the Insufferableness out of this

.

that's better.

[thebookcollector]

So frustrated. I just had my second firm "interview" (of four) and, exactly like the first firm, they told me in the interview they weren't hiring 1Ls, but they wanted to meet me and encourage me to keep them in mind for next year.

It is maddenning. If the other two do the same thing, I might jump off a bridge... or off the top of one of the firms' buildings.

Has anybody else had this happen to them?

I guess I'm going to start applying to judges now. (Exagerated, Al Gore-esque sigh.)

Did knowing you had 0 shot at an offer make the food more or less tasty?

I don't know about the food, but I did ask some questions I wouldn't have otherwise asked. I asked about what they look for in a 1L summer when evaluating somebody for a 2L summer (they seemed to suggest Research Assistant > local judge, prosecutor, et cetera). I also asked what sort of grade cut off they were looking for (depends on the school, they said, a little bit to my surprise). Et cetera.

[Grizz]

I'm curious to know about the writing sample situation. My best memo was a "closed universe" assignment, so I feel compelled to attach a letter stating that (so I'm not blamed for any defficiencies in research), but I'm not sure that is warranted. Thoughts?

Attachment seems unnecessary. They know we are 1Ls aka functionally morons.

[thebookcollector]

When applying to judgesare you all customizing the cover letter? (In other words, "I'd like to clerk for you because...")

I doubt it'll help. But I don't want to be the only jackass with a standard cover letter that's mail merged in the judge's name and address.

[as stars burn]

God, I fucking hate cover letters. Applied to about 10-15 law clerk/summer associate internships through Simplicity today, and uploaded the wrong cover letter, which I sent to about 4 firms. It had all the wrong information and was geared toward Public Interest. They're going to think I'm insane. Oh well. I caught the mistake and applied for 10 more :D

[beach_terror]

God, I fucking hate cover letters. Applied to about 10-15 law clerk/summer associate internships through Simplicity today, and uploaded the wrong cover letter, which I sent to about 4 firms. It had all the wrong information and was geared toward Public Interest. They're going to think I'm insane. Oh well. I caught the mistake and applied for 10 more

I feel like I should just write "if you can guarantee me a job after I graduate, I will give you my soul". At least it'd be honest.

[keg411]

Already got a response from one of my mailings from a district judge. Happy .

[mlipsco]

Applied to 29 firms over the past 2 weeks. Two responses asking for grades upon receipt, two saying to wait until spring OCI, and one not hiring 1L's. The rest have been silent...

[09042014]

Applied to 29 firms over the past 2 weeks. Two responses asking for grades upon receipt, two saying to wait until spring OCI, and one not hiring 1L's. The rest have been silent...

I've had similar results.