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Hi. I am a 1L that just got rejected for a judicial internship with an Los Angeles state judge. Since I am fairly new and was competing against other 2Ls for the position, I'm not entirely sure of the protocol here. Do I respond to the rejection e-mail with something like "oh hey, but thanks for meeting me and giving me interview experience yada yada" and continue brown-nosing just in case I meet her again in the future?

I had sent a thank-you e-mail after our interview so I just don't want to seem obsessed or weird.

-clueless 1L

Don't respond. Be thankful that you got a rejection letter at all. Apply again next year.

Scotusnerd wrote:Don't respond. Be thankful that you got a rejection letter at all. Apply again next year.

Another thing is that she said:

"Unfortunately, I have chosen another candidate; however, I am hoping that you will apply for an externship for the Fall Semester of the next academic year, as I think you would do an excellent job."

Was she saying the latter part just to be nice? Should I apply for fall? Or am I setting myself up for some more humiliation? I know, I know, I'm a 1L and my journey isn't supposed to be humiliation-free but I'd just like to know how judges work.

Dude, relax. Apply next year. End of story.

Being rejected for a job isn't humiliating. It'll happen hundreds of more times before the end of 3L. Just apply again.

Anonymous User wrote:

Scotusnerd wrote:Don't respond. Be thankful that you got a rejection letter at all. Apply again next year.

Another thing is that she said:

"Unfortunately, I have chosen another candidate; however, I am hoping that you will apply for an externship for the Fall Semester of the next academic year, as I think you would do an excellent job."

Was she saying the latter part just to be nice? Should I apply for fall? Or am I setting myself up for some more humiliation? I know, I know, I'm a 1L and my journey isn't supposed to be humiliation-free but I'd just like to know how judges work.

I know where you're coming from. It's uncomfortable to have gone into an interview and to be rejected because you wonder what went wrong. Don't think like that, though. This happens to everyone and it doesn't mean you did something wrong. There are tons of people applying for very few positions

Don't respond to the email. It's a courtesy response. Reapply next year, though.

okinawa wrote:Being rejected for a job isn't humiliating. It'll happen hundreds of more times before the end of 3L. Just apply again.

i keep all of my rejection letters and display them prominently, to fuel my fire.

I disagree with most people here.

If you had direct contact with the judge, and you think he (or his assistant) personally sent it, it absolutely can't hurt to say "Thank you so much for the opportunity. I really enjoyed meeting you. Blah blah blah. Best wishes."

Keep it short, keep it simple.

But if it seems to be a mass response or an automatic email, you shouldn't respond.

I agree that small statement isn't a bad idea if you've had contact.

Apply for the externship if you want it. You don't have to. Wait a bit until you know that the fall externship will open up (talk to career services about how to approach it if you don't know), and then apply for that. But, take heed of this advice: don't live and breathe off of the judge's every word. No one wants to hire a suck-up, and you will appear as one if you worry as much as you are right now.

Have you never applied for a job before? wtf.

dr123 wrote:Have you never applied for a job before? wtf.

What, and you were never a newbie before? This shit is not obvious to someone who hasn't experienced it. You can screw yourself over any number of ways by just wanting to be a nice guy and be helpful, but rubbing somebody the wrong way. I don't know about you, but OP seems like a nice fella, just a bit clueless. I was there once, and I suspect you were as well.