Mention prior connection with this person in cover letter? Forum

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Burple

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Mention prior connection with this person in cover letter?

Post by Burple » Mon Jul 15, 2013 2:40 pm

Hi guys, I'm applying for jobs. The best experience I have is through a criminal law clinic in law school. I was very good in the class. Unfortunately, I did not get any trial experience. That has been my Achilles heel in the interview process.

I interviewed with one particular DA and Chief Assistant. One of them had been a defense attorney and a judge. I answered the hypotheticals in a way that no one had done before, and they couldn't hide how impressed they were. They had even started selling the area to me... until they found out I lacked trial experience. I didn't get the job, but the DA e-mailed me and suggested that I get into contact with another DA who routinely hires interns to work in their office. I 'm guessing this particular DA allows interns to handle their own felony cases.

I was like yay! Okay, I thought this was going to be easy. I called their office. They put me into contact with his gatekeeper. At first she was cheerful. She said, "Yes, we do take interns." :) Then she told me to e-mail my information. I did and called back a couple weeks later to check up. She was less than enthusiastic that time. She told me to call back later. I did, and she gave me the feeling that I could get an internship that time. She said that they'd had 4 new hires and told me to call back on April 20th, and "We'll see if we can't get you an internship." She has a southern accent. I did call back on April 20th, and she said, "I don't even know if we're going to have interns this year." (I started talking to her about this in January, mind you). She then said that both the DA and the Chief Assistant would be in the office at the same time the next day, and that I should call back then so that she could finally ask them about having an intern. Here, I was thinking, "Let me get this straight. I've been calling you since January, and you've not even asked one simple question?" I did not say that to her, though. I called back the next day. No answer, so I stopped calling. I felt it was obvious that she didn't want to deal with me.

Anyway, now, I see that they have an opening for an ADA. I wasn't going to apply, but then I thought what the heck? The job announcement directs us to e-mail our resumes to her. Should I mention my communications to her in the cover letter, or should I just send my information as normal?


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