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

BruceWayne · Post by **BruceWayne** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 4:01 pm

BarbellDreams wrote:When I was looking for a job my dad's advice was to go wash cars for $5 per wash on the side of the street cause "desperate times call for desperate measures". I mean, I'm not above a lot, but I am above that.

Hang in there, really no lay person understand what a "bad market" means for lawyers. People see the unemployment rate come down to ~5% and hear the job reports that add 200K jobs per month and think everything is going well. My parents and grandparents, no matter how many times I explained to them, truly didn't get it. They also didn't get why I couldn't just go solo and "make lots of money". I got really frusterated with my mom once on this topic and told her "Ok, you know what, today, right now, this very second I am declaring officially that I'm a solo. Ok, now what? Where are my clients that are gonna pay me tons of money to do work I don't know how to do with the experience I don't have?" She mumbled something about advertising but sort of got it after that.

Its tough, hang in there, all you need is one firm to take a chance on you. The lateral market for attorneys with 2-4 years of experience is, at least in my experience, substantially better.

I remember having a VERY similar conversation with the same person (lol moms) as well. I'll say this--if law school was actually structured to teach you how to be a lawyer this actually wouldn't be so crazy. But there are so many law grads that even if they did we'd basically all just oversaturate the solo market.

Tanicius · Post by **Tanicius** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 4:17 pm

Somewhat of a heartwarming story:

When I first met my SO's grandpa, he seemed like the typical baby boomer. He is a retired high school principle who lives very comfortably in SoCal with his wife; they own an apartment building and some pretty good bundles of stock. He reads voraciously and wanted to know my law school plans. I told him the truth, that I didn't know as a 3L if I would get hired anywhere, and he couldn't believe it but said he would do some research on the internet. This is what he does with everything. Reads everything for himself and comes up with his own stubborn opinions.

Low and behold, we met again a few months later, and he says "Gosh, I just can't believe how right you were. The state of law school... It's terrible! I read this article on the New York Times..."

There may actually be hope for your parents.

BlueLotus · Post by **BlueLotus** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 4:20 pm

Tanicius wrote:Somewhat of a heartwarming story:

When I first met my SO's grandpa, he seemed like the typical baby boomer. He is a retired high school principle who lives very comfortably in SoCal with his wife; they own an apartment building and some pretty good bundles of stock. He reads voraciously and wanted to know my law school plans. I told him the truth, that I didn't know as a 3L if I would get hired anywhere, and he couldn't believe it but said he would do some research on the internet. This is what he does with everything. Reads everything for himself and comes up with his own stubborn opinions.

Low and behold, we met again a few months later, and he says "Gosh, I just can't believe how right you were. The state of law school... It's terrible! I read this article on the New York Times..."

There may actually be hope for your parents.

I have directed my parents to such articles and they still say shit like "be your own boss" and just go solo. Boomers gonna boom.

Pretzel_Logic · Post by **Pretzel_Logic** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 4:31 pm

Valers getting ready to take finals: I know how you feel. Do not despair. If you need to talk to an ex-Valer please reach out, no one should do this alone.

Kronk · Post by **Kronk** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 4:41 pm

Jessuf wrote:
BarbellDreams wrote:When I was looking for a job my dad's advice was to go wash cars for $5 per wash on the side of the street cause "desperate times call for desperate measures". I mean, I'm not above a lot, but I am above that.
lol my mom suggested that I offer to wash my landlord's dishes and cook him meals in exchange for free rent because i was in the vale.

ah so your mom is the asian one

Bubbles 4 Life · Post by **Bubbles 4 Life** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 5:07 pm

BlueLotus · Post by **BlueLotus** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 5:16 pm

M_n_M wrote:I GOT THE JOB! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats! What will you do to celebrate?

seizmaar · Post by **seizmaar** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 5:18 pm

congrats man

UnamSanctam · Post by **UnamSanctam** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 6:21 pm

M_n_M wrote:I GOT THE JOB! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Enjoy converting to the religion of whichever god to which you prayed.

zot1 · Post by **zot1** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 8:11 pm

BlueLotus wrote:
M_n_M wrote:I GOT THE JOB! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congrats! What will you do to celebrate?

Congrats! I too am curious about how you will celebrate.

Also, how do people concentrate on finals now? Haha.

kykiske · Post by **kykiske** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 8:18 pm

M_n_M wrote:I GOT THE JOB! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CONGRATS!!

El Pollito · Post by **El Pollito** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 8:22 pm

congrats dude!

Holly Golightly · Post by **Holly Golightly** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 10:20 pm

zot1 wrote:
BlueLotus wrote:
M_n_M wrote:I GOT THE JOB! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congrats! What will you do to celebrate?
Congrats! I too am curious about how you will celebrate.

Also, how do people concentrate on finals now? Haha.

So awesome, congrats!!!

Also, my long-term boyfriend completely devastated me by breaking up with me out of nowhere during my last law school finals. You guys can do this.

Pleasye · Post by **Pleasye** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 10:24 pm

M_n_M wrote:I GOT THE JOB! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats!

dresden doll · Post by **dresden doll** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 10:34 pm

rinkrat19 wrote:Well, lol at me, then. Don't tell rinkdad.

FYI: most PI places that are semi-respectable have a salary scale for legal staff. And before they hire, budgetary decisions are made about the trade off between the value of saving money (by hiring someone lower on the scale) and the value of experience.

If a post says 4 years of experience are wanted, the place may be willing to ease that req for the right person. But people with 5-6 yrs of experience simply won't get hired for entry level job. So if you are applying for some entry level job, I seriously would not worry about that .

zot1 · Post by **zot1** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 10:39 pm

Holly Golightly wrote:
Also, my long-term boyfriend completely devastated me by breaking up with me out of nowhere during my last law school finals. You guys can do this.

D**k move. He wasn't worth it if he didn't know he should have waited until after.

Holly Golightly · Post by **Holly Golightly** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 11:19 pm

zot1 wrote:
Holly Golightly wrote:
Also, my long-term boyfriend completely devastated me by breaking up with me out of nowhere during my last law school finals. You guys can do this.
D**k move. He wasn't worth it if he didn't know he should have waited until after.

Yeah, I let him get away with way too much shit because I was an idiot in love. Good riddance.

worldtraveler · Post by **worldtraveler** » Fri Apr 24, 2015 4:16 am

dresden doll wrote:
rinkrat19 wrote:Well, lol at me, then. Don't tell rinkdad.
FYI: most PI places that are semi-respectable have a salary scale for legal staff. And before they hire, budgetary decisions are made about the trade off between the value of saving money (by hiring someone lower on the scale) and the value of experience.

If a post says 4 years of experience are wanted, the place may be willing to ease that req for the right person. But people with 5-6 yrs of experience simply won't get hired for entry level job. So if you are applying for some entry level job, I seriously would not worry about that .

In addition to this, sometimes having a skill that that organization really needs will really make up for your lack of lawyering experience.

Rink, aren't you an engineer or have a tech background? I would play that up a bit on your resume. Most PI places are absolute trainwrecks in terms of having people competent with technology and are operating in the stone ages. Just as an example, if you're applying to do direct services work and would also be qualified to develop a free data management system to better keep track of client records, they might take you over a more experienced attorney.

BlueLotus · Post by **BlueLotus** » Fri Apr 24, 2015 9:03 am

worldtraveler wrote:
dresden doll wrote:
rinkrat19 wrote:Well, lol at me, then. Don't tell rinkdad.
FYI: most PI places that are semi-respectable have a salary scale for legal staff. And before they hire, budgetary decisions are made about the trade off between the value of saving money (by hiring someone lower on the scale) and the value of experience.

If a post says 4 years of experience are wanted, the place may be willing to ease that req for the right person. But people with 5-6 yrs of experience simply won't get hired for entry level job. So if you are applying for some entry level job, I seriously would not worry about that .
In addition to this, sometimes having a skill that that organization really needs will really make up for your lack of lawyering experience.

Would this include Spanish fluency?

Bubbles 4 Life · Post by **Bubbles 4 Life** » Fri Apr 24, 2015 9:32 am

sd5289 · Post by **sd5289** » Fri Apr 24, 2015 10:11 am

zot1 wrote:
BlueLotus wrote:
M_n_M wrote:I GOT THE JOB! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congrats! What will you do to celebrate?
Congrats! I too am curious about how you will celebrate.

Also, how do people concentrate on finals now? Haha.

You don't. It's a great place to be.

Congrat M_n_M!

UnamSanctam · Post by **UnamSanctam** » Fri Apr 24, 2015 10:23 am

M_n_M wrote:It's funny that UnamSanctum talked about religion. I was totally trying to make deals with God about going to church this Sunday if everything worked out. I need to figure out which church I'm going to attend.

Yeah, I brought it up because you said you're agnostic but were praying.

Bubbles 4 Life · Post by **Bubbles 4 Life** » Fri Apr 24, 2015 11:25 am

UnamSanctam · Post by **UnamSanctam** » Fri Apr 24, 2015 11:39 am

Congrats on the job though, dude. That had to be a harrowing few hours of waiting for you. Glad it worked out.

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