Job Search Advice for a Rising 3L Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm a rising 3L at Columbia, in need of some honest advice. I struck out a 2L OCI and am working for the government this summer; the position won't lead to a full-time offer. My 1L grades were terrible (probably bottom quarter), my 2L grades are ok thus far (above median), but am still waiting on a couple. I'm hoping to stay in NYC after graduation.

How do you guys suggest I go about my job search? I know mass mailing is a must, but what kind of firms should I be targeting? Should I just start mass mailing in July/August to every big/mid/small firm in NYC until I find a job? And what kind of a job should I be expecting at this point (I don't mean this in a presumptuous way, but should I basically take anything I can get)?

I'm just feeling rather lost about this whole thing, hoping you guys can offer some directions. Thanks.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks Matthies. I know networking is important and I'll work on that and try my best. But I'm also terrible at it, so I'll need other avenues. Any further suggestions would be appreciated.

[Voyager]

You need to broaden your search. Here are some avenues to explore:

-PMF
-ADA
-Consulting
-JAG
-Small/mid size firms
-Public Defender
-OCI

Your first step should be to go see someone at the Public Interest center at CLS. They are great and will be happy to help you.... but you need to get in there early. Last year, some people in your shoes at CLS waited until the spring to explore public interest. By then, many avenues were closed to them. Get in there as soon as possible.

I would urge you to really think about what jobs you are open to. Big law or bust is no longer reasonable, sorry to say. You should still go to OCI (I had one friend get a big law job out of OCI last year), but it is a long shot.

I would also urge you to look into the PMF. That is a GREAT program... assuming you are ok with not practicing law. Being able to show that you have already worked in the Federal Gov will help a lot. The rest is convincing CLS to nominate you and then crushing the test.

You definitely need to go start speaking to professors. They are eager to help students... well, the good ones are, anyway. They can put you in touch with partners. You don't even need to know the professor very well. Just find one or two who gave you decent grades and are in fields you are interested in. Explain your situation to them and ask for advice.

[Drew82abndiv]

Unfortunately I think JAG is out of the question...their acceptance rates have been in the 5% or less region. I would recommend reaching out to every firm you can think of and try pulling some connection strings if you have them. You will be fine...it may take a little longer but you will find a job.

[CanadianWolf]

If your summer government job is law related, then make contacts & network.
Curious as to the relationship between your LSAT score & your class rank. To what do you attribute your low class rank ? Was your LSAT in the bottom quarter of your class ? Did you feel overwhelmed by law school demands ? What do you enjoy or dislike about law school ? Answers to these questions may help others to make career suggestions.
Do you regret attending a Top 6 law school over your other law school acceptances ? Is the competition too overwhelming at CLS ?

[Anonymous User]

You need to broaden your search. Here are some avenues to explore:

-PMF
-ADA
-Consulting
-JAG
-Small/mid size firms
-Public Defender
-OCI

Your first step should be to go see someone at the Public Interest center at CLS. They are great and will be happy to help you.... but you need to get in there early. Last year, some people in your shoes at CLS waited until the spring to explore public interest. By then, many avenues were closed to them. Get in there as soon as possible.

I would urge you to really think about what jobs you are open to. Big law or bust is no longer reasonable, sorry to say. You should still go to OCI (I had one friend get a big law job out of OCI last year), but it is a long shot.

I would also urge you to look into the PMF. That is a GREAT program... assuming you are ok with not practicing law. Being able to show that you have already worked in the Federal Gov will help a lot. The rest is convincing CLS to nominate you and then crushing the test.

You definitely need to go start speaking to professors. They are eager to help students... well, the good ones are, anyway. They can put you in touch with partners. You don't even need to know the professor very well. Just find one or two who gave you decent grades and are in fields you are interested in. Explain your situation to them and ask for advice.

Thanks, that was useful.

Yeah, I've all but given up on biglaw. I'd ecstatic if I can land a midsized, or even small, firm. Right now my fear is unemployment. Should I just search for those firms on Martindale or is there some other source that's more targeted?

[Anonymous User]

Unfortunately I think JAG is out of the question...their acceptance rates have been in the 5% or less region. I would recommend reaching out to every firm you can think of and try pulling some connection strings if you have them. You will be fine...it may take a little longer but you will find a job.

I hope so too. I really hope to avoid graduating unemployed.

[Anonymous User]

If your summer government job is law related, then make contacts & network.
Curious as to the relationship between your LSAT score & your class rank. To what do you attribute your low class rank ? Was your LSAT in the bottom quarter of your class ? Did you feel overwhelmed by law school demands ? What do you enjoy or dislike about law school ? Answers to these questions may help others to make career suggestions.
Do you regret attending a Top 6 law school over your other law school acceptances ? Is the competition too overwhelming at CLS ?

CLS' median for the class of 2011 is 3.71/172. Both my GPA and LSAT are above that. I didn't feel overwhelmed by law school at all, and I understood the material well.

I think I just had a tough time figuring out how to write law school exams. Law school exams is an art all in itself, and it took me too long to understand that. I got more comfortable with it my 2L year and my 2L grades are pretty decent.

[on_ne_sait_jamais]

If your summer government job is law related, then make contacts & network.
Curious as to the relationship between your LSAT score & your class rank. To what do you attribute your low class rank ? Was your LSAT in the bottom quarter of your class ? Did you feel overwhelmed by law school demands ? What do you enjoy or dislike about law school ? Answers to these questions may help others to make career suggestions.
Do you regret attending a Top 6 law school over your other law school acceptances ? Is the competition too overwhelming at CLS ?

Really are you this much of a douche?? You're obviously a 0L or at a T/crap, because not one self respecting student at a decent school would ask the questions of the OP that you just asked. You're seriously retarded. What was the relationship between your lsat score and your class rank??? You're really a douchebag if you think that is the most important determining factor... Once again, you will arrive on campus and your LSAT, UG GPA, and size of your dingleberries don't matter!!! This kid has a hard road ahead of him and all you can ask is what was your lsat score?? Kids like you is why I hate law school, (fyi at a t-14, and so much higher than the median, that i just laugh at douchebags like you).

[06132010]

If your summer government job is law related, then make contacts & network.
Curious as to the relationship between your LSAT score & your class rank. To what do you attribute your low class rank ? Was your LSAT in the bottom quarter of your class ? Did you feel overwhelmed by law school demands ? What do you enjoy or dislike about law school ? Answers to these questions may help others to make career suggestions.
Do you regret attending a Top 6 law school over your other law school acceptances ? Is the competition too overwhelming at CLS ?

you know like 90% of us essentially have the same LSAT score, right? a couple of points doesn't mean anything.

[Renzo]

If your summer government job is law related, then make contacts & network.
Curious as to the relationship between your LSAT score & your class rank. To what do you attribute your low class rank ? Was your LSAT in the bottom quarter of your class ? Did you feel overwhelmed by law school demands ? What do you enjoy or dislike about law school ? Answers to these questions may help others to make career suggestions.
Do you regret attending a Top 6 law school over your other law school acceptances ? Is the competition too overwhelming at CLS ?

Really are you this much of a douche?? You're obviously a 0L or at a T/crap, because not one self respecting student at a decent school would ask the questions of the OP that you just asked. You're seriously retarded. What was the relationship between your lsat score and your class rank??? You're really a douchebag if you think that is the most important determining factor... Once again, you will arrive on campus and your LSAT, UG GPA, and size of your dingleberries don't matter!!! This kid has a hard road ahead of him and all you can ask is what was your lsat score?? Kids like you is why I hate law school, (fyi at a t-14, and so much higher than the median, that i just laugh at douchebags like you).

CanadianWolf is one of the most insufferable assclowns on this board, and is almost 100% wrong about every single thing he ever posts (seriously, search his post history). Don't let him get you all riled up.

[romothesavior]

If your summer government job is law related, then make contacts & network.
Curious as to the relationship between your LSAT score & your class rank. To what do you attribute your low class rank ? Was your LSAT in the bottom quarter of your class ? Did you feel overwhelmed by law school demands ? What do you enjoy or dislike about law school ? Answers to these questions may help others to make career suggestions.
Do you regret attending a Top 6 law school over your other law school acceptances ? Is the competition too overwhelming at CLS ?

Really are you this much of a douche?? You're obviously a 0L or at a T/crap, because not one self respecting student at a decent school would ask the questions of the OP that you just asked. You're seriously retarded. What was the relationship between your lsat score and your class rank??? You're really a douchebag if you think that is the most important determining factor... Once again, you will arrive on campus and your LSAT, UG GPA, and size of your dingleberries don't matter!!! This kid has a hard road ahead of him and all you can ask is what was your lsat score?? Kids like you is why I hate law school, (fyi at a t-14, and so much higher than the median, that i just laugh at douchebags like you).

CanadianWolf is one of the most insufferable assclowns on this board, and is almost 100% wrong about every single thing he ever posts (seriously, search his post history). Don't let him get you all riled up.

+100000. He would make the list for "Top Ten Worst Posters on TLS."

[CanadianWolf]

I attended & graduated law school decades ago so my perspective tends to differ from many of the younger know-it-all type college grads or law school students.
Several of my classmates who matriculated into law school with very high GPAs & and strong LSATs had a tough time during their first year of law school primarily because they tended to use the same study & testing methods that brought them success in undergraduate school, just as you indicated in your last post, but they graduated with high class ranks because their work ethic led to success in the second & third year of law school after they learned to study & take exams for law school.

[DerrickRose]

If your summer government job is law related, then make contacts & network.
Curious as to the relationship between your LSAT score & your class rank. To what do you attribute your low class rank ? Was your LSAT in the bottom quarter of your class ? Did you feel overwhelmed by law school demands ? What do you enjoy or dislike about law school ? Answers to these questions may help others to make career suggestions.
Do you regret attending a Top 6 law school over your other law school acceptances ? Is the competition too overwhelming at CLS ?

Really are you this much of a douche?? You're obviously a 0L or at a T/crap, because not one self respecting student at a decent school would ask the questions of the OP that you just asked. You're seriously retarded. What was the relationship between your lsat score and your class rank??? You're really a douchebag if you think that is the most important determining factor... Once again, you will arrive on campus and your LSAT, UG GPA, and size of your dingleberries don't matter!!! This kid has a hard road ahead of him and all you can ask is what was your lsat score?? Kids like you is why I hate law school, (fyi at a t-14, and so much higher than the median, that i just laugh at douchebags like you).

I thought they were worthwhile, if a little intrusive, questions. I've been pondering them with respect to my own performance lately. Then again I'm probably a Top Ten Worst Poster too.

[Anonymous User]

what 2L classes did you take?

[hithere]

Join the Army?

[Renzo]

I attended & graduated law school decades ago so my perspective tends to differ from many of the younger know-it-all type college grads or law school students.
Several of my classmates who matriculated into law school with very high GPAs & and strong LSATs had a tough time during their first year of law school primarily because they tended to use the same study & testing methods that brought them success in undergraduate school, just as you indicated in your last post, but they graduated with high class ranks because their work ethic led to success in the second & third year of law school after they learned to study & take exams for law school.

Oh, did I mention he's a flat-out liar? What attorney with "decades" of experience would be lurking this board asking questions like "Do you regret attending a Top 6 law school over your other law school acceptances ?"