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Hi all,

I'm a 1L at a T-20 (placed at the median last semester). I applied to a variety of positions (judicial externships/public service/firms), and I have yet to receive a single interview. I know I still have three months or whatever, but I keep hearing of 2Ls accepting 1L summer positions, and I'm starting to feel like my efforts are a waste of time and resume paper. Is it really the end of the world if I can't find something "legal" to do this summer?

Have you tried magistrate judges or state judges? Have you tried more smaller local PI organizations?

I suggest that you make sure you're not over-reaching. If those organizations or comparable ones weren't hiring 1Ls from the median at your school last year, then they probably aren't this year.

You should also take a look at your resume, cover letters, writing samples, etc. If you've got the grades, maybe there's something off-putting in those materials. Get some advice from your career office on how to improve those other elements of your job hunt. You might already be doing everything right and just having bad luck, but make sure your resume and cover letter reflect things the firm/PI/gov't dept. looks for in (summer) associates or emphasizes on their websites. Having a stock cover letter where the recipients info is the only thing that changes is obvious to people who hire on a regular basis, and the initial screener's main job is to find reasons to eliminate people. Not taking the time to write a personalized cover letter or a resume with only relevant info is one way to make that screener's job a lot easier. Failing that, your career office can help. Career offices generally have a bad reputation, but if they're good at anything, it's resumes, cover letters, etc. Don't count on them to find a job, but they're good at bullet points, action verbs, and giving some advice on What Legal Employers Want on various documents.