Summer Associate Job Search Forum

[Anonymous User]

myself, and three of my friends, all had our SA interviews over Christmas break before grades were out (v100s in our home markets)... so my street too. I got the impression that school played a significant role, for obvious reasons.

a few other 1Ls got it through 1L spring OCI. however, a disproportionate number were URMs (but not through diversity programs), so make of it what you will.

[Anonymous User]

myself, and three of my friends, all had our SA interviews over Christmas break before grades were out (v100s in our home markets)... so my street too. I got the impression that school played a significant role, for obvious reasons.

a few other 1Ls got it through 1L spring OCI. however, a disproportionate number were URMs (but not through diversity programs), so make of it what you will.

Would they look for top regional school?

[Stanford4Me]

I know it's a long shot, but I'm planning on mass-emailing on December 1st, mainly because I'm applying in my home market and am going to see if I can schedule interviews over the break while I am in town. Hopefully I'm not outing myself by saying this . . .

[dood]

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[Renzo]

Do what Ray and Dood say. Ignore most everyone else in this thread.

[Anonymous User]

myself, and three of my friends, all had our SA interviews over Christmas break before grades were out (v100s in our home markets)... so my street too. I got the impression that school played a significant role, for obvious reasons.

a few other 1Ls got it through 1L spring OCI. however, a disproportionate number were URMs (but not through diversity programs), so make of it what you will.

Would they look for top regional school?

Idk. I'm at CCN, and 2/4 of us went to secondary markets where our CCN is not prevalent at all (and they asked me for my UG transcript, which is pretty stellar. No work experience for 3/4 of us, though).

You can ignore this advice, that's fine. We might all be anomalies. But at my firm, all the 2L summers were from the top regional school, while the 1L summers were all T6 or so.

[Anonymous User]

What are secondary markets?

Suppose you submit your resume before grades are out. After grades come out, do you re-submit a new resume w/the GPA or do you just write a short cover letter indicating your numbers? In other words, how do you update the firm w/your new GPA?

[dood]

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[Stanford4Me]

What are secondary markets?

Suppose you submit your resume before grades are out. After grades come out, do you re-submit a new resume w/the GPA or do you just write a short cover letter indicating your numbers? In other words, how do you update the firm w/your new GPA?

Talk to your OCS about that. I know my OCS strictly suggested that we not put our GPAs on our resumes, and if we want to take part in Spring OCI they forbid us from putting our GPA on our resume.

Edit: I don't know why that matters, though. Employers are going to be asking for transcripts anyways . . .

[Anonymous User]

I'd appreciate advice on the spamming procedure.

Where do I get a list of firms? It sounds stupid but all my semester so far... there's been no list given, basically it's just "look on the internet when you have time." Which is never.

Why would 2nd tier firms hire 1Ls? hoping to enrapture them for the long-run? Is the pay still good?

[dood]

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[sundance95]

I'd appreciate advice on the spamming procedure.

Where do I get a list of firms? It sounds stupid but all my semester so far... there's been no list given, basically it's just "look on the internet when you have time." Which is never.
devote a sunday to this.
1. make a spreadsheet
2. start by adding the vault top 100 here: http://www.vault.com/wps/portal/usa/ran ... regionId=0
3. then add the top firms in specific practices and geographic areas that dont overlap vault 100 (this list includes many smaller non-Vault firms) from here: http://www.chambersandpartners.com/
4. get the emails or mailing addresses for the firms on NALP: http://www.nalpdirectory.com/

Why would 2nd tier firms hire 1Ls? hoping to enrapture them for the long-run?
most simple answer is yes. long answer: though its hard for small regional firms to attract HYS type talent they dont want to give u a 1L summer only to have u go to a top vault firm your 2L summer, thus why u need to show connection to the area, and emphasize u wanting to return, true or not.

Is the pay still good?
typically ~$2100/wk for mid-sized regional firms (50-200 people). $15/hr for really small firms (5-20 people)

dood, 180 post

[TTH]

What is the best, most catchy and professional email title when spamming resumes on Dec 1?

911 - GUNMAN IN BUILDING! LOCK YOUR OFFICE DOOR!

[drdolittle]

4. get the emails or mailing addresses for the firms on NALP: http://www.nalpdirectory.com/

Email attorney recruiters at a firm, hiring partners, or what? Is it ever a good idea to directly email attorneys at a firm of interest that share an academic and/or professional background with the applicant to ask about possible job openings?

[Anonymous User]

So cover letters and detailed contacts don't need to be sweat too much over? Just email blast (carefully) the contacts you can find?

Is there a usual title for those lawyers who are meant to, or at least amendable to, being given emailed resumes?

[Anonymous Loser]

I like the K-JD term, I haven't seen that before. Did rayiner come up with that?

Also, OL's, take note: when you are starting threads in May asking what you should to to prepare for 1L, remember that putting together a list of firms for a mail merge is a far more productive use of your time that stumbling through Chirelstein.

[dood]

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[Anonymous User]

Thanks man. you've done us all a big service.

It is considered BAD to email alums with your resume outright? I mean I agree it's better to build relationships for 2nd year OCI but I'd like to get my foot in the door for this summer.

Also, is it crucial to do this all spamming tomorrow? Within the next few days?

finally - if a firm has several offices, is it best to aim for the most "regional" ones that you can give evidence of wanting to work for?

[Stanford4Me]

Thanks man. you've done us all a big service.

It is considered BAD to email alums with your resume outright? I mean I agree it's better to build relationships for 2nd year OCI but I'd like to get my foot in the door for this summer.

Also, is it crucial to do this all spamming tomorrow? Within the next few days?

finally - if a firm has several offices, is it best to aim for the most "regional" ones that you can give evidence of wanting to work for?

NALP firms show when firms suggest you apply. I know the majority of the firms I have looked at say to apply on 12/1, though some firms say to apply between 12/1 and 12/31 (or something like that).

[Anonymous User]

NALP firms show when firms suggest you apply. I know the majority of the firms I have looked at say to apply on 12/1, though some firms say to apply between 12/1 and 12/31 (or something like that).

WHERE does it say this? Really can't find it. Obviously I will try to send out a bunch tomorrow.

[Stanford4Me]

NALP firms show when firms suggest you apply. I know the majority of the firms I have looked at say to apply on 12/1, though some firms say to apply between 12/1 and 12/31 (or something like that).

WHERE does it say this? Really can't find it. Obviously I will try to send out a bunch tomorrow.

When you find whatever firm you're looking for and are on the Firm Information page scroll down to "Student Employment Information" (or you can just ctrl+F and search for "1L") and it will tell you whether or not the firm hires 1Ls and when it suggests they apply. Also, in the "Compensation/Employment Data" section right above, it tells you how many 1Ls were hired in previous summers.

[TTH]

If a firm's NALP page and website is silent on how they want to receive resumes, should I e-mail or snail mail?

Also, should I include my cover letter as an attachment (most likely making it and my resume into a single, two-page document), or make the cover letter the text of my e-mail?

Thank you, TLS, for being better than Career Services.

PS - Any tips on how to address the issue that you're sending a firm an unsolicited resume w/o any sort of party referring you to them?

[drdolittle]

i would email partners who are alum and practice in the field of your interest for NETWORKING purposes, not for 1L spamming purposes. ask them about their jorb, interviewing advice, what to do your 1L summer - even if you know the answers - build a RELATIONSHIP...then right before 2L OCI causally let them know u are bidding/interested on their firm. i got several CBs with said technique....with firms that in theory are out of my league.

Thanks. This looks like a smart strategy.

[Renzo]

If a firm's NALP page and website is silent on how they want to receive resumes, should I e-mail or snail mail?

Also, should I include my cover letter as an attachment (most likely making it and my resume into a single, two-page document), or make the cover letter the text of my e-mail?

Thank you, TLS, for being better than Career Services.

PS - Any tips on how to address the issue that you're sending a firm an unsolicited resume w/o any sort of party referring you to them?

Email, because if you send paper it will almost certainly get scanned anyways. And, attachment--no one wants to read a wall-of-text cover letter email.

[RVP11]

1L? Please, focus on your exams. Most (read: almost all) firms are not going to even look at you in the first place (particularly if you are looking for biglaw and are not at a T10), and even then, nothing will happen until your grades come in and they see how you do.

This is not true at all. A fair percentage of the people I know who had 1L SAs got them before fall grades came out.

1L SAs are earned with strong resumes, URM status, or luck. Great grades are far from sufficient, and not even necessary.

OP should still be focused on exams, though. Either you have all your materials done and ready to go well before the send-out date, or you wait until after exams. Shouldn't waste late-November and early-December hours organizing a mail merge.