The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls) Forum

[crumpetsandtea]

Thanks for the kind words, y'all (: I appreciate it.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Slow here, but congrats crumps!!!!

[baal hadad]

Gj crumps

[Stanford4Me]

Officially jerbed up. Oh my god it is such a fucking relief. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I panic requested a week to think about it but I'm definitely going to take it.

Guys. Best Christmas present ever.

Super happy for your, Crumps! Always knew you'd end up fine. PM details?

[Hopefully2012]

Officially jerbed up. Oh my god it is such a fucking relief. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I panic requested a week to think about it but I'm definitely going to take it.

Guys. Best Christmas present ever.

CONGRATS!!!!!!

[CaptainLeela]

Welcome to TLS

[Pleasye]

Not a 3L & know this isn't my thread, but just wanted to say how thrilled I am for you crumps!!! (I hope that's OK)

I think posting to congratulate someone is fine

[JJDancer]

I'm a 2014 grad in CA.

I was under the impression that a stream of new attorney positions would be available after bar results came out/people got sworn in but symplicity doesn't seem to be reflecting this.

Was that a naive assumption - is the vale always a crapshoot/unpredictable or are people finding new jobs available given bar results? Or do those jobs show up in Jan after the holidays?

[spleenworship]

I'm a 2014 grad in CA.

I was under the impression that a stream of new attorney positions would be available after bar results came out/people got sworn in but symplicity doesn't seem to be reflecting this.

Was that a naive assumption - is the vale always a crapshoot/unpredictable or are people finding new jobs available given bar results? Or do those jobs show up in Jan after the holidays?

In my area, admitted not CA but still, in my area they usually show up in the spring and fall, just before bar results for some reason. Then again, half of them aren't symplicity, but rather placed via the bar bulletin.

[Anonymous User]

I'm a 2014 grad in CA.

I was under the impression that a stream of new attorney positions would be available after bar results came out/people got sworn in but symplicity doesn't seem to be reflecting this.

Was that a naive assumption - is the vale always a crapshoot/unpredictable or are people finding new jobs available given bar results? Or do those jobs show up in Jan after the holidays?

also in CA.

seems to be slim pickings at the moment...

[JJDancer]

What are you guys doing for your job search? I feel like I'm doing everything but I want to hear other people's approach as obviously what I'm doing isn't working. Little background info: Very bad grades from a top 10 and finished in 2013. Did a fellowship afterwards and looking for real work now.

curious about this as well.

[jess]

.

[A. Nony Mouse]

You don't have 0 experience, though. You're working now, right?

[JJDancer]

I think 0 just means less than one year of post-law school experience.

Most things I see ask for 2+ years. I still apply (as long as they say 1-3 or 2-4 years experience) but haven't had much luck despite having a high GPA.

[Anonymous User]

What are you guys doing for your job search? I feel like I'm doing everything but I want to hear other people's approach as obviously what I'm doing isn't working. Little background info: Very bad grades from a top 10 and finished in 2013. Did a fellowship afterwards and looking for real work now.

I too would like to hear some insight on this. I'm basically in the exact same boat, class of 2013, top 10 school, and pretty low grades, and currently looking for a job (have about 7 months post-JD experience, nothing since then).

[06102016]

..

[jess]

.

[deadpanic]

I'm a 2014 grad in CA.

I was under the impression that a stream of new attorney positions would be available after bar results came out/people got sworn in but symplicity doesn't seem to be reflecting this.

Was that a naive assumption - is the vale always a crapshoot/unpredictable or are people finding new jobs available given bar results? Or do those jobs show up in Jan after the holidays?

Not CA, and not to get your hopes up, but in my experience, most all of the job openings on Symplicity, for the most part, are going to be small firm jobs. Those are just going to randomly open up by someone leaving, getting fired, etc. rather than any specific time frame. They will want someone that is licensed, though. Just keep firing out apps and using as many resources as possible. Best of luck.

[A. Nony Mouse]

I think 0 just means less than one year of post-law school experience.

Most things I see ask for 2+ years. I still apply (as long as they say 1-3 or 2-4 years experience) but haven't had much luck despite having a high GPA.

Yeah, this is what I mean. And I have 0 years of lawyering since I'm clerking. I see so many 'entry level' postings that want 4+ years.

I mean, if clerks can start biglaw as second years, I think clerking counts as experience. Doesn't get you to 4+ years, of course, unfortunately.

[vandalvideo]

I mean, if clerks can start biglaw as second years, I think clerking counts as experience. Doesn't get you to 4+ years, of course, unfortunately.

What I am wondering is if that experience is billable experience or non-billable experience. For instance, if my retainer allows for X activity to constitute one billing hour, while Y activity is a billing hour. If I were to do X and Y in thirty minutes at a consistent rate for one year, would I have four years of experience?

[Assumpsit]

Ahhhhh. I've been technically out of the vale for the past few weeks on a document review project in another state (ugh) but today got an email from the perfect position i interviewed for thursday to do a background check. That erased 99% of any doubt I had about me getting the position but you never know. Now im stuck in this nervous phase where I am certain I just got my dream job but cant be all excited yet.

I got this interview after a bunch of shit went terrible in my life - I would always roll my eyes at people on here who would offer bullshit anecdotes and positive thinking - but maybe they are right.

[anon sequitur]

What I am wondering is if that experience is billable experience or non-billable experience. For instance, if my retainer allows for X activity to constitute one billing hour, while Y activity is a billing hour. If I were to do X and Y in thirty minutes at a consistent rate for one year, would I have four years of experience?

No, that's not what any employer is going to expect when asking about your experience. You're talking about productivity.

[bjsesq]

Officially jerbed up. Oh my god it is such a fucking relief. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I panic requested a week to think about it but I'm definitely going to take it.

Guys. Best Christmas present ever.

<3

[kykiske]

As a current 3L, I'm am becoming more and more panicked as the days go by that I will be unemployed at graduation.

I've networked with attorneys at various firms throughout these past few years. Stayed in good contact with them. And I'm still going out and meeting more people. I'm not a huge fan of the big bar-sponsored events. But I've been successful in networking with many attorneys 1 on 1 over lunch, coffee, drinks, etc.

I actually have a 2L SA under my belt, but have yet to hear from them on a full-time offer. Good performance reviews all around during the summer. Good fit too. I really want to work here. All I know is that they are still evaluating their needs for a 2015 associate.

I've been checking my school's job page every day for the past few months, and there's literally nothing aside from writing competitions. There aren't even part-time law clerk positions.

I feel so lost.

[crumpetsandtea]

As a current 3L, I'm am becoming more and more panicked as the days go by that I will be unemployed at graduation.

I've networked with attorneys at various firms throughout these past few years. Stayed in good contact with them. And I'm still going out and meeting more people. I'm not a huge fan of the big bar-sponsored events. But I've been successful in networking with many attorneys 1 on 1 over lunch, coffee, drinks, etc.

I actually have a 2L SA under my belt, but have yet to hear from them on a full-time offer. Good performance reviews all around during the summer. Good fit too. I really want to work here. All I know is that they are still evaluating their needs for a 2015 associate.

I've been checking my school's job page every day for the past few months, and there's literally nothing aside from writing competitions. There aren't even part-time law clerk positions.

I feel so lost.

You might be able to apply to some other types of positions - for example, I know that the Department of Labor Office of Administrative Law Judges (in San Francisco) is hiring clerks for 2-year clerkship positions right now. Last I heard, they won't begin interviewing until January, so there should still be time to send in your application. Feel free to PM me for contact info for that position.

If that's something you're interested in, you might want to contact clerks for ALJs personally to see if they are still hiring. ALJs don't typically hire via OSCAR or traditional methods (ie Symplicity) so it can be hard to find out about jobs like that.

Does your school run any public interest/government career conferences? I know Northwestern hosts the "Midwestern Public Interest Law Career Consortium," which is like a mini-OCI for PI/Gov based summer and post-grad jobs. I don't know if you would be open to that sort of a thing or if you're firm-or-bust, though.