Membership in clubs & its impact on employers? Forum

[bb8900]

How much do you guys think being the president of clubs on campus (like the law & business club, or IP club, or the like) have an impact on when a hiring partner looks at your resume?

Do you think it shows initiative or do you think partners don't give a sh*t?

Lastly, do you think it significantly helps for meeting potential employers/connections?

[thesealocust]

How much do you guys think being the president of clubs on campus (like the law & business club, or IP club, or the like) have an impact on when a hiring partner looks at your resume?

Do you think it shows initiative or do you think partners don't give a sh*t?

Lastly, do you think it significantly helps for meeting potential employers/connections?

They don't give a shit and it won't matter at all.

[WanderingPondering]

I was hoping this thread was about country club memberships.

[sambeber]

How much do you guys think being the president of clubs on campus (like the law & business club, or IP club, or the like) have an impact on when a hiring partner looks at your resume?

Do you think it shows initiative or do you think partners don't give a sh*t?

Lastly, do you think it significantly helps for meeting potential employers/connections?

They don't give a shit and it won't matter at all.

I largely agree, but I will say this. I think that if you don't have demonstrable experience or interest in the type of law you're planning on telling employers you're interested in, membership or leadership in groups on campus can help you build your "narrative" to a certain extent come interview time. Not that this necessarily helps you get the job, but it can make answering the "Why X?" question easier and more coherent. I suspect this is more applicable to smaller, more niche practice areas -- say, environmental work or trusts & estates. All that said, it's probably not worth it to take on a significant time commitment.

[Agent]

Holding an elected position may also signal that you're not a complete jerk or social outcast.

[Lwoods]

Holding an elected position may also signal that you're not a complete jerk or social outcast.

Yeah. If it helps at all, it'll be at the margins. I'm the president of one org, treasurer of another, and on the board of a third.

Nobody mentioned my involvement with the org I'm president of, probably because my resume signals I'm interested in that type of law in other, more unique ways. One of the others is SALDF (animal rights org), and I was asked a question about that at a callback, but that's probably because it's easy to make a connection through a conversation about loving puppies.

I think it could help you get a screener over someone with similar grades and work experience but no leadership experience just because it shows (1) you're likable enough to be elected to something and (2) that you take initiative. It won't help you outperform your credentials, though, just maybe keep you from underperforming.

ETA: From a networking standpoint, though, it's awesome. I've been able to network with numerous attorneys in my field of interest through my position. It's a conversation starter.

[Cavalier]

It could lead to a good conversation in an interview, which is always a plus. But hiring committees don't care about those things when evaluating candidates.

[Anonymous User]

my partner at the summer law is in a pretty exclusive club full of bankers. I think the club's entry fee alone is 100k USD something. Apparently that helps him a lot with his business development activities.

[de5igual]

being president of whatever club means nothing; however, being a member of certain clubs opens up opportunities that non-members wouldn't have (e.g., diversity 1L SAs, diversity fairs)

[eav1277]

my partner at the summer law is in a pretty exclusive club full of bankers. I think the club's entry fee alone is 100k USD something. Apparently that helps him a lot with his business development activities.

if you can drop 100k on membership, you prob didn't need much help to begin with. lol

[LawIdiot86]

Unless you're trying to telegraph an affinity group, club membership has no bearing whatsoever.

[2LsAPlenty]

I would think being president of a business club or society shows some commitment to business law and that you have some leadership initiative and skills.

[unc0mm0n1]

How much do you guys think being the president of clubs on campus (like the law & business club, or IP club, or the like) have an impact on when a hiring partner looks at your resume?

Do you think it shows initiative or do you think partners don't give a sh*t?

Lastly, do you think it significantly helps for meeting potential employers/connections?

They don't give a shit and it won't matter at all.

Disagree. I wanted to work internationally and showing a true interest in the practice by being on the journal I was on along with my clubs probably made me stand out a little bit more than someone who was like " I want to be in London because I like Big Ben".

[A. Nony Mouse]

Journal =/= clubs.

[Icculus]

How much do you guys think being the president of clubs on campus (like the law & business club, or IP club, or the like) have an impact on when a hiring partner looks at your resume?

Do you think it shows initiative or do you think partners don't give a sh*t?

Lastly, do you think it significantly helps for meeting potential employers/connections?

While I would agree tha 99% of the time it doesn't matter, I know for a fact that a friend of mine ended up getting his SA because of a club he was involved with. It did not happen through OCI though, he met with some partners at a firm after OCI while organizing an event for said club, they got to talking, he ended up with a call back and offer.

Edit: this is obviously the exception, but it shows how club membership can help in making contacts outside of OCI.

[unc0mm0n1]

Journal =/= clubs.

Yeah, my bad. Sometimes it feels like a club though esp. with all the politicing during election time.

[dood]

How much do you guys think being the president of clubs on campus (like the law & business club, or IP club, or the like) have an impact on when a hiring partner looks at your resume?

Do you think it shows initiative or do you think partners don't give a sh*t?

Lastly, do you think it significantly helps for meeting potential employers/connections?

They don't give a shit and it won't matter at all.

lol ditto.

[dixiecupdrinking]

I think it's good to have something to talk about. I wouldn't want to go into OCI with no activities on my resume, especially if you've never held a real job. If things you've done in law school have given you any experience or insight into what you might like to do, then it can be a good conversation piece. That said I don't think anyone really cares about it substantively.