Graduated jobless and landed a 6 figure salary
Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2013 3:16 pm
Hey all,
I just wanted to post something positive on this site since it seems like there is a lot of doom and gloom out there.
I went to one of the mid-tier schools in Texas. I performed mediocre in the first year and was not qualified for any of the biglaw OCI interviews. I interned at a couple of government positions over the summer. I graduated in the top 25%, was on law review, a moot court team, and won some big deal award my school gives to one graduate. I did not have a job lined up when I graduated. I had been mass mailing and doing all the job hunting tactics career development says to do my entire third year in school and I got a nothing bu reject letters.
After gradation, I worked as a law clerk at a plaintiffs firm, making crap money and having no health insurance. I stayed in touch with my professors, and one of them recommended me for a position at well respected boutique firm. They interviewed me, did a call back, and finally offered me a job with a 6 figure salary with lots of bells and whistles.
Graduating without a job sucks. You see some of your peers being able to make plans that you cant. The stress of paying back your student loans keeps you up at night. But, I got a damn good job. I have no family in Texas and I know no one in any other the biglaw firms, aside from the individuals I graduated with. But, I knew my professors, worked hard for them, and kept in touch after graduating. Professors can be a great resource and I feel as if they are easily overlooked.
I wanted TSL readers to know that it is possible to get a great high paying job after graduation without a clerkship. Feel free to ask me any questions you may have about the 3L job hunt.
Best of luck!
I just wanted to post something positive on this site since it seems like there is a lot of doom and gloom out there.
I went to one of the mid-tier schools in Texas. I performed mediocre in the first year and was not qualified for any of the biglaw OCI interviews. I interned at a couple of government positions over the summer. I graduated in the top 25%, was on law review, a moot court team, and won some big deal award my school gives to one graduate. I did not have a job lined up when I graduated. I had been mass mailing and doing all the job hunting tactics career development says to do my entire third year in school and I got a nothing bu reject letters.
After gradation, I worked as a law clerk at a plaintiffs firm, making crap money and having no health insurance. I stayed in touch with my professors, and one of them recommended me for a position at well respected boutique firm. They interviewed me, did a call back, and finally offered me a job with a 6 figure salary with lots of bells and whistles.
Graduating without a job sucks. You see some of your peers being able to make plans that you cant. The stress of paying back your student loans keeps you up at night. But, I got a damn good job. I have no family in Texas and I know no one in any other the biglaw firms, aside from the individuals I graduated with. But, I knew my professors, worked hard for them, and kept in touch after graduating. Professors can be a great resource and I feel as if they are easily overlooked.
I wanted TSL readers to know that it is possible to get a great high paying job after graduation without a clerkship. Feel free to ask me any questions you may have about the 3L job hunt.
Best of luck!