One internship for 2 years or two internships for one year Forum

[ezjojo30]

Assuming you missed out on the OCI big law boat and are stuck in house would you rather stay at one large f500 company for two years (during school year and summer 2L +3L years) or would you rather do 1 year at one company and a second year at another? Ive battled with the decision, both are in similar areas and compensation is comparable. On one hand staying put for two years shows some security, commitment, and good experience but working for two separate companies can potentially diversify my experience. What do you guys think? End game is hopefully corporate transnational work somewhere, but at this stage in the game ill take what I can get during 3L year/after the bar.

[emkay625]

I would pick whichever option is most likely to lead to an offer of full time employment upon graduation. Does the company you'd work for for two years routinely offer folks in this internship a full time gig once it's over?

[ezjojo30]

That is the kicker neither offer full time employment upon graduation just the typical reference letter and recommendations.

I am looking at which option provides me with the best resume boost and attractiveness to future employers.

[Anonymous User]

I was able to leverage an externship and internship with the same federal agency into a firm offer out of 3L OCI.

What helped was that I was able to spin my experience as a genuine interest in unpopular practice areas, where firms needed people. I'd argue that showing a commitment to a particular practice area is better than showing commitment to a company or diversifying experience.* Many firms still worry that someone won't like the firm, and will jump ship at the first chance to do something else. Showing commitment to what a firm does reduces that risk in their eyes.

For example, if you worked at the EPA 1L summer, then worked at NOAA over 2L spring, and then worked at the NRC 2L summer, you would have a better shot at a environmental non-profit or law firm with a focus on environmental law (hypothetically speaking, of course) than a V10 needing bodies in capital markets.

The caveat here is that what I'm talking about is still difficult to pull off, and I'm not even sure how I managed to do it.

*That is, among choices where you have no guarantee or likelihood of a full-time offer.