1L summer job application apathy/encouragement thread Forum

[Tangerine Gleam]

So, when applying by e-mail, do you attach the cover letter as a PDF or do you treat the body of the e-mail itself as a cover letter?

I've applied to three jobs. Making progress.

[Geist13]

So, when applying by e-mail, do you attach the cover letter as a PDF or do you treat the body of the e-mail itself as a cover letter?

I've applied to three jobs. Making progress.

why pdf as opposed to word doc?

[CyLaw]

So, when applying by e-mail, do you attach the cover letter as a PDF or do you treat the body of the e-mail itself as a cover letter?

I've applied to three jobs. Making progress.

why pdf as opposed to word doc?

More assurance that the letter will look the same on their computer as on your computer. Also, it get rid of metadata such as previous versions and the undo history.

ETA: Word docs are for creating a document, not presenting it.

[lsathalon]

So, when applying by e-mail, do you attach the cover letter as a PDF or do you treat the body of the e-mail itself as a cover letter?

I've applied to three jobs. Making progress.

NYU's career services binder says to email your resume and cover letter as pdf attachments to a brief cover email, fwiw. I'm sure a lot of employers wouldn't care either way, though.

[Grizz]

So, when applying by e-mail, do you attach the cover letter as a PDF or do you treat the body of the e-mail itself as a cover letter?

I've applied to three jobs. Making progress.

Your cover letter should not be in the body of the email. I went with something short, such as the following. Feel free to copy.

Dear XXXXXXXXXX,

I am a first year student at XXXXXXXXX Law School, and XXXXXXXXX suggested I contact you about possible summer employment at XXXXXXXXX. Attached, please see a cover letter, resume, and writing sample. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Rad Law

radlaw@lawlschool.edu
(999) 999-9999

[traehekat]

Ugh, I knew revisiting this thread would only make me feel like a failure/bum. The only thing I have done is bid on interviews at a career conference, and I only did that because the deadline was today.

I just hate writing cover letters. I feel like I am constantly straining for things to say that don't sound like I obviously am not qualified to work anywhere. Having to "spin" prior work experience has to be the lamest thing ever.

EDIT: Anyone want to give me advice on how to turn a Word document into a PDF? I'm clueless, but I do love PDFs...

[Unitas]

Ugh, I knew revisiting this thread would only make me feel like a failure/bum. The only thing I have done is bid on interviews at a career conference, and I only did that because the deadline was today.

I just hate writing cover letters. I feel like I am constantly straining for things to say that don't sound like I obviously am not qualified to work anywhere. Having to "spin" prior work experience has to be the lamest thing ever.

EDIT: Anyone want to give me advice on how to turn a Word document into a PDF? I'm clueless, but I do love PDFs...

Click save as then under "save as type", click the arrow down box and select pdf. Works in Word 07 and 10, I don't know about other versions.

[Grizz]

EDIT: Anyone want to give me advice on how to turn a Word document into a PDF? I'm clueless, but I do love PDFs...

Should be able to do it straight from word or download a word attachment that will do it from word. I found out how through the miracle of google.

[traehekat]

Ugh, I knew revisiting this thread would only make me feel like a failure/bum. The only thing I have done is bid on interviews at a career conference, and I only did that because the deadline was today.

I just hate writing cover letters. I feel like I am constantly straining for things to say that don't sound like I obviously am not qualified to work anywhere. Having to "spin" prior work experience has to be the lamest thing ever.

EDIT: Anyone want to give me advice on how to turn a Word document into a PDF? I'm clueless, but I do love PDFs...

Click save as then under "save as type", click the arrow down box and select pdf. Works in Word 07 and 10, I don't know about other versions.

oooooo look at that - a PDF! well, ive accomplished enough for today. time for lunch.

(thanks!)

[Aqualibrium]

EDIT: Anyone want to give me advice on how to turn a Word document into a PDF? I'm clueless, but I do love PDFs...

Should be able to do it straight from word or download a word attachment that will do it from word. I found out how through the miracle of google.

In Office 2010 that stupid thing saves all my pdf's with some weird font though. I have to upload a doc to symplicity, then download the converted pdf if I want to get it to stay in times new roman.

[09042014]

CutePDF allows you to print to PDF like its a printer. I think it's free.

[JazzOne]

If anyone is working on a Mac, just click print, and it will give you the option of printing to a PDF. It's built into the OS.

[Kilpatrick]

Some employers have online applications to fill out and one I'm doing right now makes you upload a transcript. My grades are out and online, but how would I turn that into a document that I can upload? Do I make a screenshot or something? There's no way to download anything on the website.

[traehekat]

Some employers have online applications to fill out and one I'm doing right now makes you upload a transcript. My grades are out and online, but how would I turn that into a document that I can upload? Do I make a screenshot or something? There's no way to download anything on the website.

I spoke with my CSO and they said basically to do just that - a screenshot.

[Holly Golightly]

Some employers have online applications to fill out and one I'm doing right now makes you upload a transcript. My grades are out and online, but how would I turn that into a document that I can upload? Do I make a screenshot or something? There's no way to download anything on the website.

I spoke with my CSO and they said basically to do just that - a screenshot.

Print to PDF. Looks a lot more professional.

[Kilpatrick]

Some employers have online applications to fill out and one I'm doing right now makes you upload a transcript. My grades are out and online, but how would I turn that into a document that I can upload? Do I make a screenshot or something? There's no way to download anything on the website.

I spoke with my CSO and they said basically to do just that - a screenshot.

Print to PDF. Looks a lot more professional.

How do I do that?

[Holly Golightly]

Some employers have online applications to fill out and one I'm doing right now makes you upload a transcript. My grades are out and online, but how would I turn that into a document that I can upload? Do I make a screenshot or something? There's no way to download anything on the website.

I spoke with my CSO and they said basically to do just that - a screenshot.

Print to PDF. Looks a lot more professional.

How do I do that?

If you have a mac, it's an option when you go to print. If you have a PC, you'll have to download a program for it but I'm sure you can find a free one.

[Kilpatrick]

If you have a mac, it's an option when you go to print. If you have a PC, you'll have to download a program for it but I'm sure you can find a free one.

Borrowed a mac and it was much easier. Thank you so much!

[Chiglaw]

When cold applying to firms what is most advantageous; mailing apps or emailing them? I've of course heard that mailed materials are certain to be opened and thus reviewed, but is it really better than the hiring manager having your materials available electronically? Maybe do both?

[JazzOne]

When cold applying to firms what is most advantageous; mailing apps or emailing them? I've of course heard that mailed materials are certain to be opened and thus reviewed, but is it really better than the hiring manager having your materials available electronically? Maybe do both?

I would definitely send hard copies. I know what you're saying. Emails seem like they should be just as effective. I think the hiring partners just want to see if you'll go that extra step of submitting a physical application.

[DoubleChecks]

When cold applying to firms what is most advantageous; mailing apps or emailing them? I've of course heard that mailed materials are certain to be opened and thus reviewed, but is it really better than the hiring manager having your materials available electronically? Maybe do both?

I would definitely send hard copies. I know what you're saying. Emails seem like they should be just as effective. I think the hiring partners just want to see if you'll go that extra step of submitting a physical application.

hmm i dont know. a lot of the times it is the recruiting coordinators who handle all the initial steps; i doubt the hiring partners know one way or the other how you submitted your app. email is becoming extremely commonplace, and i know some firms/recruiting coordinators who prefer email (then again, im sure some prefer hard copy).

imo, you cant really go wrong either way. maybe you could imagine if the firm were more traditional? maybe the size of the office would influence it one way or the other? lol iunno

[$$$$$$]

you people care way too much about this needless shit. making your cover letter the body of your email to a firm is perfectly acceptable, and for mail merges, it's encouraged at my school. Just makes things easier. Who cares how everything looks as long as it is presentable and they can read it? It's an email, they are judging your credentials, not how good you are at making PDF's. I have had good responses doing it this way and I don't think employers really give a crap. Hard copies to firms? First of all, they have recruitment coordinators doing all this shit and weeding out the apps that they are interested in with or without grades, the rest are just discarded, sending hard copies to these people sounds like a huge waste of money. Just email the dam firm

[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.

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)

Use an already graded memo. My prof said my final memo was on the right track so I just used an excerpt of that. I've sent out about 20 or so apps to PI jobs (I'm not interested in working for a firm believe it or not!) and received 5 interview requests (one from the one of the most prominent PI orgs. in the US) so far, so I'm guessing my sample is decent enough. My background may have got me interviews too, so IDK. Can you have a practicing attorney look it over for you, or an upperclassman?

[robin600]

you people care way too much about this needless shit. making your cover letter the body of your email to a firm is perfectly acceptable, and for mail merges, it's encouraged at my school. Just makes things easier. Who cares how everything looks as long as it is presentable and they can read it? It's an email, they are judging your credentials, not how good you are at making PDF's. I have had good responses doing it this way and I don't think employers really give a crap. Hard copies to firms? First of all, they have recruitment coordinators doing all this shit and weeding out the apps that they are interested in with or without grades, the rest are just discarded, sending hard copies to these people sounds like a huge waste of money. Just email the dam firm

I think you have a valid point. 2 of my interviews came from just calling the employer and talking with them about their internship program. I'm only applying to PI jobs though so IDK about firms.

[uwb09]

When you write a cover letter directed towards attempted to work as an extern for a trial judge, what language would you use in the first paragraph?

"working for your honor..." "working in your office..." "working in your chambers..."

am i over-thinking this?