3L, No Job, What Should I Do??? Forum

[Anonymous User]

t2 in nyc...top third. I cant say I have done my homework, havent really searched aggressively or anything more than passive emails to alums. I feel behind the curve now...what should I do???

[eric922]

t2 in nyc...top third. I cant say I have done my homework, havent really searched aggressively or anything more than passive emails to alums. I feel behind the curve now...what should I do???

Start searching aggressively. This is a pretty bad job market so you need to start doing your homework and searching. Good luck.

[Anonymous User]

t2 in nyc...top third. I cant say I have done my homework, havent really searched aggressively or anything more than passive emails to alums. I feel behind the curve now...what should I do???

Start searching aggressively. This is a pretty bad job market so you need to start doing your homework and searching. Good luck.

I think thats my problem--I dont know "how" to search. I go on monster, indeed, etc, but theres nothing for new grads. where are people searching?

[stillwater]

monster is garbage.

[Anonymous User]

monster is garbage.

any recommendations for alternatives?

[Anonymous User]

A real suggestion? Do your research.

Law is hard work, life is hard work, and it actually takes a good amount of effort to succeed. You can't just ask the world "what now?" and hope someone will do the work for you. Figure out what you're interested in (immediately), start networking in that area (like yesterday), start mailing applications by the dozens. Many, if not most, of your classmates have been interviewing, sending applications, networking, and devising backup plans for months now. Blindly dropping off resumes on job websites will get you absolutely nowhere. If you want to succeed in this industry you have to hustle. Starting now.

[Anonymous User]

A real suggestion? Do your research.

Law is hard work, life is hard work, and it actually takes a good amount of effort to succeed. You can't just ask the world "what now?" and hope someone will do the work for you. Figure out what you're interested in (immediately), start networking in that area (like yesterday), start mailing applications by the dozens. Many, if not most, of your classmates have been interviewing, sending applications, networking, and devising backup plans for months now. Blindly dropping off resumes on job websites will get you absolutely nowhere. If you want to succeed in this industry you have to hustle. Starting now.

its not really about not doing my research, its about not knowing where to start and not wanting to something that will get me nowhere. I would rather exert energy where it has even the smallest possibility of getting me somewhere. So when you say start mailing application, I am genuinely confused--WHERE are people mailing applications? I go on firm websites and its all about oci or email to HR. I am not looking for biglaw, I am looking for small or medium sized firms or else accounting firms that hire attorneys --I have applied to accounting firms with no luck.

[Anonymous User]

A real suggestion? Do your research.

Law is hard work, life is hard work, and it actually takes a good amount of effort to succeed. You can't just ask the world "what now?" and hope someone will do the work for you. Figure out what you're interested in (immediately), start networking in that area (like yesterday), start mailing applications by the dozens. Many, if not most, of your classmates have been interviewing, sending applications, networking, and devising backup plans for months now. Blindly dropping off resumes on job websites will get you absolutely nowhere. If you want to succeed in this industry you have to hustle. Starting now.

its not really about not doing my research, its about not knowing where to start and not wanting to something that will get me nowhere. I would rather exert energy where it has even the smallest possibility of getting me somewhere. So when you say start mailing application, I am genuinely confused--WHERE are people mailing applications? I go on firm websites and its all about oci or email to HR. I am not looking for biglaw, I am looking for small or medium sized firms or else accounting firms that hire attorneys --I have applied to accounting firms with no luck.

This is literally what doing your research MEANS. Go to NALP and Martindale. Find firms you're interested in. Go to their websites. Look people up. Contact them. Network with them. Go to ABA events in tax law in your area. Talk to tax professors. Talk to other professors. Talk to your career center. Talk to alums who work at small/medium firms. Ask them out for coffee. This is "research". Literally. This is a job search, this is what it looks like. And it takes time and effort (btw MOST of your job search energy will be wasted, so if you're not willing to invest wasted energy I wouldn't even bother looking), so get started now.

[Curiosity13]

t2 in nyc...top third. I cant say I have done my homework, havent really searched aggressively or anything more than passive emails to alums. I feel behind the curve now...what should I do???

What is it that you'd like to do after graduation? (What area of the law?)

[Another]

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[Keith Lee]

This was very helpful: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 23&t=87297

That link lays it out really well. Don't waste time "researching" through websites and the like. Unless you are the best of the best, no one is going to cold hire you. Even then, people prefer to hire those they already have a connection to.

A) Reach out to your personal network. Family, friends, etc.

B) Reach out to your second tier. People that if you call and leave them a message, they'll return your call.

C) Go to your local Bar's socials and events. Meet people. Have a goal of really connecting with two people there. Get their cards. Follow up.

Take them to lunch. Grab coffee. Ask about them. What can you do for them. Not the other way around. You want to be perceived as a resource. Always giving and trying to help. Not "me me me me." There's nothing more annoying.

Stay in touch with them every couple monts, even if you get a job. You must constantly be growing your network. The most surefire way to remain employed is to have a a large referral network or a book of business.

Having the above also grants you freedom. Freedom to go to another firm, start your own, whatever.

To be a successful lawyer, it's as an important skill as anything you learned in law school.

[Bronx Bum]

I can't stress to you enough how much you need to be hitting the books. You have time. Focus on bringing your gpa up, even if it's a small amount. Your focus should be on your grades.

[Uncle.Joe]

I can't stress to you enough how much you need to be hitting the books. You have time. Focus on bringing your gpa up, even if it's a small amount. Your focus should be on your grades.

Is this a joke?

[piccolittle]

Where is your careers services office in all this? Go talk to them!

Also, I really like http://www.lawstudentjobs.net. Has stuff for new grads as well as summer internships.

[ndirish2010]

I can't stress to you enough how much you need to be hitting the books. You have time. Focus on bringing your gpa up, even if it's a small amount. Your focus should be on your grades.

People who troll these boards posting intentionally unhelpful comments are really pathetic.

[Anonymous User]

If it is not obvious, last semester grades will likely mean nothing. You need to work your contacts and pursue firms in your area of interests. Ask for informational interviews if possible. Doing these things just up your odds something viable may be passed on or open up. This forum is full of similar advice. You need to be aggressive since there are a huge number of people in the same boat though many flounder not knowing what to do.

[los blancos]

I can't stress to you enough how much you need to be hitting the books. You have time. Focus on bringing your gpa up, even if it's a small amount. Your focus should be on your grades.

People who troll these boards posting intentionally unhelpful comments are really pathetic.

[Bikeflip]

On a personal level, don't forget to hit the gym or do some other physical activity to keep your stress level down.

[Agent]

At this point, I expect that you'll need to focus on networking and job hunting tactics that your CSO probably didn't talk about. Guerilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of Your Dreams isn't a terrible place to start.

[the lantern]

How are you a 3L and still know so little? Have you made it through three years without absorbing any knowledge or information? I would tell you to take advantage of the network you built during law school (supervisors, profs, etc.), but something tells me that isn't going to be that helpful for you.

I would also keep in mind that it is January and you won't even be able to work as a lawyer until October or so, so don't freak out like it is the end of the world.

I'm good job-wise but here is what I would do if I needed to find a job still. 1) I would email my mentor through the Spanish speaking bar and set up a lunch meeting to get some info from her (not only will she give me leads but she also has hiring power at her small firm); 2) email supervisor at my externship last semester, do same thing; 3) set up meeting with my favorite professor, ask for leads and ask her to make phone calls on my behalf; 4) set up meeting with other professor who likes me, do same; 5) talk to all my friends on L Rev board (who probably already have jobs) and get leads from them; 6) start going to more mixer events that I usually skip (e.g. criminal defense bar, inns of court, etc.); 7) look up conferences nearby on practice areas I'm interested in and register for them; I'm interested in PI, so I'd be on PSJD every day applying to every new job that comes in; 9) apply to every job I'd accept on my school's internal job boards; 10) contact lawyer friends in other areas and ask for leads/phone calls -- I have a few friends from high school/undergrad who are lawyers.

And that is just the start. Really though, you should be doing this all through law school because you need these relationships already in place ahead of time.

[Anonymous User]

If you did not have 2L experience in a decent law firm, your odds at a decent law firm are extremely small. You may want to consider government or state court clerkship. The law firm train has pretty much left the station except for small firms.

[Anonymous User]

If you did not have 2L experience in a decent law firm, your odds at a decent law firm are extremely small. You may want to consider government or state court clerkship. The law firm train has pretty much left the station except for small firms.

Isn't gov. just as hard as biglaw? Am I missing something, I always hear a group of people say on TLS that if you get no biglaw, then gov. is the back up. Yet, another group, including my career services, says gov. is nearly impossible unless you are at the very top of the class.