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Application requires demonstrated interest in x subject. Is 1 course on the subject wroth mentioning?

Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 2:22 am
by Anonymous User
I'm writing a cover letter for a job that says people with demonstrated interest in x subject are preferred. I have very little demonstrated interest in x. However, I did take a class directly on subject x in law school, and scored above median, but didn't get CALI. Is that worth mentioning in the cover letter?

Re: Application requires demonstrated interest in x subject. Is 1 course on the subject wroth mentioning?

Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 2:40 am
by Nekrowizard
Sure! I've never written a cover letter personally, but I remember OCS telling us to do stuff like that. They said that anything that demonstrates interest is good, especially since it's kind of hard to demonstrate interest in anything as a law student.

Re: Application requires demonstrated interest in x subject. Is 1 course on the subject wroth mentioning?

Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 3:46 am
by North
Nekrowizard wrote: I've never written a cover letter personally
:|

Re: Application requires demonstrated interest in x subject. Is 1 course on the subject wroth mentioning?

Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 4:18 am
by Nekrowizard
North wrote:
Nekrowizard wrote: I've never written a cover letter personally
:|
Well, what do you want? I don't want to cast my super-valuable OCS-cribbed info as my own experience.

Re: Application requires demonstrated interest in x subject. Is 1 course on the subject wroth mentioning?

Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 4:29 am
by North
Nekrowizard wrote:
North wrote:
Nekrowizard wrote: I've never written a cover letter personally
:|
Well, what do you want? I don't want to cast my super-valuable OCS-cribbed info as my own experience.
You've never written a cover letter? Did you hire interns to help you tackle OCI or something?

Re: Application requires demonstrated interest in x subject. Is 1 course on the subject wroth mentioning?

Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 4:42 am
by Nekrowizard
North wrote:
Nekrowizard wrote:
North wrote:
Nekrowizard wrote: I've never written a cover letter personally
:|
Well, what do you want? I don't want to cast my super-valuable OCS-cribbed info as my own experience.
You've never written a cover letter? Did you hire interns to help you tackle OCI or something?
They told us not to write letters during OCI. We just put in resumes. :\

Re: Application requires demonstrated interest in x subject. Is 1 course on the subject wroth mentioning?

Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 7:39 am
by hangingtree
Anonymous User wrote:I'm writing a cover letter for a job that says people with demonstrated interest in x subject are preferred. I have very little demonstrated interest in x. However, I did take a class directly on subject x in law school, and scored above median, but didn't get CALI. Is that worth mentioning in the cover letter?
Of course you should. It would never make sense not to.

But will it work to demonstrate your interest? We would have to know more, but definitely don't say something like: "I took X in law school and really enjoyed it." Say, for example, it was one of the most inspiring classes you've had in law school. Not advocating lying, but if you're serious about this job, at some point or another you'll have to pass the litmus test of being somewhat passionate about the subject in question.

Re: Application requires demonstrated interest in x subject. Is 1 course on the subject wroth mentioning?

Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 9:59 am
by Anonymous User
OP here. Thanks all. I'll include it.

Re: Application requires demonstrated interest in x subject. Is 1 course on the subject wroth mentioning?

Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 10:03 am
by Effingham
I can't tell if this is a vale type question or if you're still early on in law school, but what worked best for me when a job wanted a demonstrated interest was to focus on the philosophy? behind the subject - like with real estate, I am interested in being able to point to something as a tangible impact of my work (I'm sure you can do better than this one, just spit-balling), or with M&A/finance, efficient allocation of resources fascinates me, helping to facilitate that is really interesting and something I would like to be a part of, or with tax, companies and individuals are going to brush up against the legal system whether they like to or not, and I would like to help guide them through the ins and outs of the code so that they can create productive industry (this is poor too, but I'm hoping you get my drift).

It seemed like most lawyers, at least on the transactional side of things, seemed to think law school doesn't teach you much of anything relevant so they would rather have someone who is excited and enthusiastic about their work.