Networking to Success: A (Long) Guide for Students & 0Ls Forum

[Corporate Blogger]

Thanks so much for writing this out. This is a great kick in the pants for me.

Question: how do you transition from a phone interview to a lunch? Would you normally end the phone conversation with a request for lunch? How would you phrase it? Or would you ask for lunch afterward in a thank-you note?

Don't over think it - just be relaxed and polite and don't force anything. In a phone call, if you've hit it off, just say something like,

"Hey, you've been incredibly helpful and I really appreciate it. I don't want to take up too much of your time, but if you're ever available, I'd love to sit down with you for lunch sometime and talk with you some more."

That only works if they've been cool while you've chatted. If they've been awkward and hurried and don't really seem invested in you, your request for lunch is going to fall flat - they might say yes because it's human nature, but you're going to be wasting both of your time.
In a thank you email, I'd say pretty much the same thing - here we'll imagine it is a busy partner, so we'll dress it up a bit:

Dear Busy Partner,
Thank you so much for taking the time to visit with me. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your advice - it really makes me excited about XYZ. I certainly know you are very busy, and don't want to take up too much of your time, but if you are ever free for lunch, I would love the chance to talk with you a little more.
Thanks again,
Hungry Networking Student

Busy Partner will most likely reply by: a) proposing a time for lunch, b) saying, "sure thing, anytime, let's meet up", or c) ignoring, and passively rejecting, your request.
(Note: Having said all the above, I personally try to be really mindful of partners' time and limit my requests - they are really busy and you don't want to be pushy. But, you know, fortune favors the bold.)

[Lacepiece23]

Good read. I actually tell a lot of 1Ls at my school these tips and they look at me like I'm a martian.

Did they ask you for tips first? I mean, this is a normal response to unsolicited advice from peers.

Yes, I'm an RA so I have numerous conversations with 1Ls. Most feel comfortable asking for grade advice. When I give them job advice sometimes they do not respond as receptively to said advice. I understand though. The mentality kinda is if I get good grades I get a job, which isn't always the case.

[Corporate Blogger]

Hey, I'm shamelessly bumping this because I know that a lot of people have job searching on the brain, and because, quite frankly, I'm really bored studying for the bar and I enjoy the discussion.

[toothbrush]

Hey, I'm shamelessly bumping this because I know that a lot of people have job searching on the brain, and because, quite frankly, I'm really bored studying for the bar and I enjoy the discussion.

Hey, 2L going through job search now. I just read this post, and it's great. Particularly, I've made some strong contacts that I never tended to because I wasn't sure how to keep in touch. I am planning to send some emails now per your advice.

Thanks!

[Cicero76]

So it seems the best people to cold email are fellow alums of your school. Is there an alternate strategy? There are fewer than a dozen alumni from my school in the entire state in which I want a job, and not all the firms I'm interested in have one. How else could I pick someone to contact?

[toothbrush]

So it seems the best people to cold email are fellow alums of your school. Is there an alternate strategy? There are fewer than a dozen alumni from my school in the entire state in which I want a job, and not all the firms I'm interested in have one. How else could I pick someone to contact?

Alums of your UG ?

[Cicero76]

So it seems the best people to cold email are fellow alums of your school. Is there an alternate strategy? There are fewer than a dozen alumni from my school in the entire state in which I want a job, and not all the firms I'm interested in have one. How else could I pick someone to contact?

Alums of your UG ?

That could work. There's 11 trillion of those.

[DebtAverse]

This is an excellent guide. Thank you so much for taking the time to write it up!

[Corporate Blogger]

So it seems the best people to cold email are fellow alums of your school. Is there an alternate strategy? There are fewer than a dozen alumni from my school in the entire state in which I want a job, and not all the firms I'm interested in have one. How else could I pick someone to contact?

Alums of your UG ?

That could work. There's 11 trillion of those.

Yeah, I would definitely contact undergrad alumni, and have many times. That's a pretty great way to go.

[Fiero85]

This is an excellent guide. Thank you so much for taking the time to write it up!

+1. Bookmarked earlier but read recently and really enjoyed the insights.

I would strongly advise keeping track of your efforts with a spreadsheet. If anyone needs me to describe it, let me know, but trust me, once you start interacting with 15+ people, you NEED something to help you keep track.

Also to this^, OP or other veterans of this process, would you mind sharing a spreadsheet template with me? Obviously not looking for your data, but taking a look at the structure/headings would be very helpful. I ask this partially out of laziness but also because I'm legitimately unsure of all the useful columns to have. If you're willing PM or post here, whichever makes you more comfortable. Thanks!

[westcoastatty]

to OP: now that more than a year has passed, what have you done regarding maintaining those networking contacts as an employed attorney?

also, your original post more than a year ago about your networking techniques is so amazing! all law schools should include that information in their orientations before law school begins. As a law student grad, I fell into the lazy trap of getting contacts but neglecting to maintain contact with them.

[Anonymous User]

OP here - it's been a little while, but I'm shamelessly bumping this because I know there are a lot of students working hard at this stuff this time of year, and talking about this stuff is more interesting and fulfilling than whatever corporate work I've been doing in my office all day long.
As a personal update, I'm now a couple years in as a corporate associate. I lateralled from my V15 to a V10 for personal reasons, and networking was definitely helpful in that process.

[misterjames]

OP here - it's been a little while, but I'm shamelessly bumping this because I know there are a lot of students working hard at this stuff this time of year, and talking about this stuff is more interesting and fulfilling than whatever corporate work I've been doing in my office all day long.
As a personal update, I'm now a couple years in as a corporate associate. I lateralled from my V15 to a V10 for personal reasons, and networking was definitely helpful in that process.

somehow this is the first time I'm seeing your OP, but I gotta ask, have you stuck to your original advice/plan as a practicing attorney? when it comes to networking I've generally followed the steps you've outlined, with the following up/staying in touch portion being the most important imo, but how do you do that as one attorney to another? is it more about switching your focus to partners rather than associates? I feel like it'd be kinda awkward to approach an associate at another firm the same way a law student would

[Anonymous User]

How do you go about this if you're not interning in a city where you want to work? Do you just stop at the phone call?

[lawschoolletsgo]

As a 0L is it more appropriate to contact younger associates? I'm not shy about reaching out, but it feels strange contacting a 60 year old partner when I have yet to start school.

[ballouttacontrol]

As a 0L is it more appropriate to contact younger associates? I'm not shy about reaching out, but it feels strange contacting a 60 year old partner when I have yet to start school.

nothing wrong with that

[Anonymous User]

OP here - bumping if helpful to anyone. I'm now a corporate midlevel at a V10 (non-NYC, major market). Ask me anything and good luck!