Top Law Schools

I am sending unsolicited resumes and cover letters to a few firms that don't do OCI at my school, and most of them mention that they accept such material for SA positions either by mail or email. My natural inclination is to just email because it's easier, but do you think there's any advantage to printing/mailing? If nothing else, it shows I'm willing to take the time to do so and probably saves a staffer on the other end from having to print stuff out.

I was told that it depends. For certain firms, such as IP ones, you should invariable e-mail them. For firms that seem like old stuffy codges whose computers probably still run Windows 98 and use CRT monitors, you should snail mail them. Everything else is in between.

My experience is all in the corporate world, so there may be differences between that and legal employment that I'm not aware of but my experience is that email is the way to go. I would also recommend that you PDF the resume (and any other attachments) so you can be sure that the formatting is preserved.

If you're in doubt, I don't think it can hurt to call the target office and just ask if they have a preference for hardcopy or electronic submissions.

Iconoclast wrote:My experience is all in the corporate world, so there may be differences between that and legal employment that I'm not aware of but my experience is that email is the way to go. I would also recommend that you PDF the resume (and any other attachments) so you can be sure that the formatting is preserved.

If you're in doubt, I don't think it can hurt to call the target office and just ask if they have a preference for hardcopy or electronic submissions.

I'm definitely inclined to prefer email, as it saves me time, paper and postage; I just wanted to make sure this wasn't considered the lazy route.

Somebody noted in another thread is that mail does not get thrown away at law firms, implying that there was a chance that emails get only a cursory glance before being deleted.

Having worked in office services at two firms, I can say that mail pretty much does not get thrown away. I have never asked the hiring manager whether email or snail mail is better, but if you're afraid it won't get looked at I might try snail mail.

I could be wrong, just sharing what I know.

I think it depends on strategy. A nice snail mail packet is a good touch, especially if what you're doing is more targeted. I snail-mailed 6 fairly large packets, but I put a lot of effort into tailoring the correspondence. If I were attempting to 'mass mail' an entire market, I'd definitely use email.

My guess is mailing won't actually be an advantage, but it's a hell of a lot more satisfying to flip through all the pages of your application, toss it in the envelope, print out some labels, and see it off.

I have only emailed when the firm has expressly said on their webpage to email or apply online.

Otherwise I've snailmailed every firm for 1L and for 2L so far. Cost a shitton of money but I've gotten several comments that the recipients were impressed.

Emails disappear. Someone has to at least give a millisecond of thought when they hear the thud of a resume packet in a recycling bin.

I've also found I'm more careful on snailmail packets. I went back to look at emails later and I made typos that I would never have made in a typed letter.

wiseowl wrote:I have only emailed when the firm has expressly said on their webpage to email or apply online.

Otherwise I've snailmailed every firm for 1L and for 2L so far. Cost a shitton of money but I've gotten several comments that the recipients were impressed.

Emails disappear. Someone has to at least give a millisecond of thought when they hear the thud of a resume packet in a recycling bin.

I've also found I'm more careful on snailmail packets. I went back to look at emails later and I made typos that I would never have made in a typed letter.

This point alone is credited enough that I might switch to snail. Plus, I'm more worried about spam filters than I am about my shit getting lost in the post.

Plus, as I've already had happen once this summer, if the NALP (and firm website) - listed hiring contact has recently left the firm, emails might go down the rabbit hole. A letter at least gets handed to the new person most of the time.

wiseowl wrote:Plus, as I've already had happen once this summer, if the NALP (and firm website) - listed hiring contact has recently left the firm, emails might go down the rabbit hole. A letter at least gets handed to the new person most of the time.

+1. A letter is expensive and requires more effort, but for a few minor reasons is incrementally more likely to get you the job.

*scurries off to send more love letters to law firms*

I've done a good mix of both (more heavily toward the snail-mail side though), hopefully something will pan out...?

I emailed everyone and got a decent reply. If it is a large firm, the HR dep't is going to look at your application regardless. It won't matter if it is emailed or sent via snail mail. They are still going to look at your school and GPA when making the cut.

.

mine didn't go down the rabbit hole - i noticed when I got an email response from a snail mailed letter from a person that was the recruiting contact at a different firm in the same city (which I had also mailed). she had switched firms very recently, unless NALP and both firm websites (needless to say, unlikely) switched them.