2L at Hastings, no job, freaking out...You? Forum

[Tenderloin1981]

gwuorbust: do we have to send people thank-you notes if they say they are not looking? Or is that not necessary? Thanks!!!

if they say they are not looking period, I wouldn't. figure out if they just aren't interested now or if they just aren't interested in general. do this by asking if they would be interested in you contacting them in the future. if they say yes, see below.

if they say they are not looking but you should contact them once you have passed the bar or graduated, for sure send them a note or email. those might be the kind of people you casually keep in contact with over the next year(maybe provide them with a "career update" after the summer letting them know what you learned and how much you have gained real-world legal skillzs). then if you do not have anything after you have passed the bar you may have accumulated a collection of 20 leads that said you should contact them after the bar. that way even if you don't have a job when you pass the bar, at least you will have these leads you can reach out to and say "I did it, we've kept in contact, and I think I could help your firm." while not a guaranteed job by any stretch - it is certainly better than randomly responding to craigslist posts.

You are a Saint from another dimension, gwuorbustn. Thank you again for all your advice! You have been very generous with us. I feel much more confident now.

[Law Sauce]

Im a 0L so I know nothing, but here is something others have suggested, and I think is very useful:

http://www.amazon.com/Guerrilla-Tactics ... 279&sr=1-1

Or, if you can't afford the new edition, here is the older edition for dirt cheap.

http://www.amazon.com/Guerrilla-Tactics ... 0159003172

You probably already have it, but just thought that I would put up the links for anyone else who doesn't.

[Tenderloin1981]

That's very helpful, thank you! I am going to order a copy today.

[Anonymous User]

i have no job, but it's probably because i havent been applying

[prezidentv8]

But seriously, this 2L needs jerb. Cmon employers, step right up - I've only been throwing apps at you for the last 10 months.

[prezidentv8]

[img]apparently%20objectionable%20image[/img]

Sorry! Thought you were all familiar with that meme!

[klounsbe]

I'm in a similar situation as the OP. While I'm at Pepperdine, and its not as highly ranked as Hastings, considering my stats, I would think I should have found something by now.

My stats: top 20%, Law Review (incoming Literary Citation Editor), Worked as an RA for summer and both 2L semesters, Moot Court (ABA comp and international arbitration comp), also doing a Masters in Dispute Resolution and did a clinic program working as a mediator in LA superior courts all last semester.

I've had multiple interviews, and multiple callbacks, but seem to fall just short each time - once it was to other top 20% students from my school with similar stats, other times it was because the firm apparently hired back its 1L summers from last year and gave them preference (but still asked me to keep in touch for a Fall position). If it wasn't for how well my interviews have gone and the good feedback I've gotten, I would have thought it was my interviewing skills or just my personality, but after all this I'm really just at a loss.

What are other people in this situation doing at this point?

[FiveSermon]

I'm in a similar situation as the OP. While I'm at Pepperdine, and its not as highly ranked as Hastings, considering my stats, I would think I should have found something by now.

My stats: top 20%, Law Review (incoming Literary Citation Editor), Worked as an RA for summer and both 2L semesters, Moot Court (ABA comp and international arbitration comp), also doing a Masters in Dispute Resolution and did a clinic program working as a mediator in LA superior courts all last semester.

I've had multiple interviews, and multiple callbacks, but seem to fall just short each time - once it was to other top 20% students from my school with similar stats, other times it was because the firm apparently hired back its 1L summers from last year and gave them preference (but still asked me to keep in touch for a Fall position). If it wasn't for how well my interviews have gone and the good feedback I've gotten, I would have thought it was my interviewing skills or just my personality, but after all this I'm really just at a loss.

What are other people in this situation doing at this point?

This is disturbing.

[1ferret!]

I'm in a similar situation as the OP. While I'm at Pepperdine, and its not as highly ranked as Hastings, considering my stats, I would think I should have found something by now.

My stats: top 20%, Law Review (incoming Literary Citation Editor), Worked as an RA for summer and both 2L semesters, Moot Court (ABA comp and international arbitration comp), also doing a Masters in Dispute Resolution and did a clinic program working as a mediator in LA superior courts all last semester.

I've had multiple interviews, and multiple callbacks, but seem to fall just short each time - once it was to other top 20% students from my school with similar stats, other times it was because the firm apparently hired back its 1L summers from last year and gave them preference (but still asked me to keep in touch for a Fall position). If it wasn't for how well my interviews have gone and the good feedback I've gotten, I would have thought it was my interviewing skills or just my personality, but after all this I'm really just at a loss.

What are other people in this situation doing at this point?

You didn't get Milstein? ... color me shocked.

[klounsbe]

o.O who are you lol?

They are the last firm I'm waiting to hear back from, but I know they have made a few offers already to other Pepp kids sooooo yea...Idk - but regardless I gotta figure out where to apply heh

[klounsbe]

I'm in a similar situation as the OP. While I'm at Pepperdine, and its not as highly ranked as Hastings, considering my stats, I would think I should have found something by now.

My stats: top 20%, Law Review (incoming Literary Citation Editor), Worked as an RA for summer and both 2L semesters, Moot Court (ABA comp and international arbitration comp), also doing a Masters in Dispute Resolution and did a clinic program working as a mediator in LA superior courts all last semester.

I've had multiple interviews, and multiple callbacks, but seem to fall just short each time - once it was to other top 20% students from my school with similar stats, other times it was because the firm apparently hired back its 1L summers from last year and gave them preference (but still asked me to keep in touch for a Fall position). If it wasn't for how well my interviews have gone and the good feedback I've gotten, I would have thought it was my interviewing skills or just my personality, but after all this I'm really just at a loss.

What are other people in this situation doing at this point?

This is disturbing.

You're telling me.......

[rose711]

I have recommended people in this situation find a professional job counselor. The bar association of New York has links to people they recommend for assistance in finding jobs and some of them work with students. They have low- cost fees at least for the first appointment. I think you should look at local bar associations to see if they have similar advisors.

Make sure you find an experienced person who has years of experience in your market.

[MrAnon]

Unless you have an immense passion for being a lawyer, it might be time to look for work in another industry.

[klounsbe]

MrAnon your comments are not even an attempt at brutal honesty, they are pure stupidity. It's not even a remotely smart to spend money on tuition for 2 years and then look for a career in, what was it you said on the other page, sales? give me a break and come back when you have something intelligent to say.

[Meerkat Manor]

MrAnon your comments are not even an attempt at brutal honesty, they are pure stupidity. It's not even a remotely smart to spend money on tuition for 2 years and then look for a career in, what was it you said on the other page, sales? give me a break and come back when you have something intelligent to say.

lolwattt

[MrAnon]

It seems like you would want to take whatever type of job you can get. I wouldn't want to be unemployed. Sales is very much like law. Some people in it have the life, others not so much.

[rose711]

This is the program from NYC that I referred to above - you might be able to contact them and see if they have a similar program at a bar association near you, or better call the local bar and see what they recommend. The initial session is $100.

http://www.abcny.org/index.php/career-d ... al-program

http://www.abcny.org/index.php/career-d ... quest-form


http://www.abcny.org/index.php/career-d ... counselors


I know you may not want to spend money for this - or may not have money for this - but if you are getting nowhere, you need real advice from people familiar with your market. I think these people should be much better than career services - but it can be costly. Perhaps you can negotiate student rates with someone? Just try to get some solid professional advice.

And, good luck. I wish I had some more and some better ideas for you - but I just don't. Keep your chin up and keep looking. I'm sure you have a lot to offer, don't let the economy get you down - that isn't your fault.

[MrAnon]

It says that the program isn't for students.. (They would be overwhelmed with responses.)

[klounsbe]

It seems like you would want to take whatever type of job you can get. I wouldn't want to be unemployed. Sales is very much like law. Some people in it have the life, others not so much.

Just the fact that you are telling me that sales is very much like law shows me how little I should listen to any advice you give....have you even been to law school?

[gwuorbust]

It seems like you would want to take whatever type of job you can get. I wouldn't want to be unemployed. Sales is very much like law. Some people in it have the life, others not so much.

Just the fact that you are telling me that sales is very much like law shows me how little I should listen to any advice you give....have you even been to law school?

TBF, I think he was saying that sales is like law in terms of compensation. aka some people in sales make bank and some people make shit and the same it true of law.

however, I don't think the analogy fits (a) because the top people in sales do not compare to the top ppl in law in terms of income and (b) even ppl in law at the bottom end of the pay scale always have the possibility of "hitting it big," while if you are selling magazines you are never going to "hit it big."

[dood]

Im a 0L so I know nothing, but here is something others have suggested, and I think is very useful:

http://www.amazon.com/Guerrilla-Tactics ... 279&sr=1-1

Or, if you can't afford the new edition, here is the older edition for dirt cheap.

http://www.amazon.com/Guerrilla-Tactics ... 0159003172

You probably already have it, but just thought that I would put up the links for anyone else who doesn't.

i have a BRAND NEW 2nd Ed. (the new one) for sale in DC (pickup only) for $20. PM me if interested.

[Anonymous User]

I am in the top 10% at a T25 school and I am on law review. Prior to law school I worked for 5 years at a job that resulted in significant professional business experience.

I did not lock up, or even receive an offer, for summer employment until just now -- the week before finals.

This was not due to poor interviewing skills -- because I couldn't even get a freaking interview. My school is located in a very large city (not the NE) but I received a constant stream of replies of "Your resume is great, but we aren't hiring." I worked the alumni base, business contacts, fellow law review members, and nothing worked. Although I started with biglaw, I eventually set my sights lower and lower until I was applying to firms of less than 10 lawyers offering rock bottom pay. When I applied in desperation to a solo practitioner specializing in trucking accidents, well, I know what rock-bottom feels like.

I narrowly avoided disaster and got a pretty good position at a medium level firm. But I have to think, if this happened to me ..........


--I can't really explain what happened at 1L OCI w/out losing anonymous status, but I will say that I received a royal screwjob that wasn't my fault.

[klounsbe]

Similar to the last poster, I just received an offer from the only firm I was still waiting to hear back from. Its a well known, mid-size civil litigation firm in downtown LA, so I'm feeling like I really lucked out. I had a similar experience, setting my sites lower and lower over the year. But the job I got is much better than I was hoping for at this point, so really relieved.

[Anonymous User]

I was in a very similar situation to you for a while. I would recommend hitting up your professors if you have gotten to know any of them. You'd be surprised as to how good of a resource they can be. At this point, it would be difficult to build enough of a rapport with a potential mentor, but you should definitely reach out to alums at events and even by e-mail to try to build a relationship. Perhaps mentors you find now will be able to help you next year. I also agree with targeting alums at firms/companies of interest. In my experience, you are more likely to get a response than from others. I received a few responses when I did this and actually talked to one alum who I think I will keep in contact with in the future.

Other than that, just keep your head up. The worst thing you can do is give off a downtrodden vibe to potential employers. Just be positive and have faith that something will come up. Good luck!

[crumpetsandtea]

Clueless 0L tagging for future reference.