How to turn networking contacts into job interviews? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I went to a number of firm receptions in the past few months and have sent out a bunch of thank-you letters to attorneys I met. I hope to generate some job interviews from these contacts. At what point is it proper to ask for a recommendation from them? I feel really awkward to ask "can you forward my resume to the hiring partner?" Thanks in advance for any help!

[ClubberLang]

What were you thanking them for?

If there were any you clicked with see if they'll grab a coffee with you so you can learn about their practice. After a single reception meeting, it would be premature to ask for a referral. A lukewarm referral is unlikely to help. Make them want to help you.

[Anonymous User]

What were you thanking them for?

If there were any you clicked with see if they'll grab a coffee with you so you can learn about their practice. After a single reception meeting, it would be premature to ask for a referral. A lukewarm referral is unlikely to help. Make them want to help you.

There are a few people I had good conversation with. In the emails I just reiterated my interest in the firm/specific practice area. It is nowhere near the stage that they "would want to help me." Not sure how to achieve that (not a very sociable person at all)...

[FloridaCoastalorbust]

In a similar vein I've gone to a shitload of receptions in Chicago (1L at UC/NU) and am wondering how to parlay the contacts I've made into opportunities. I spoke with a consultant our school provides and she said I should get coffee with associates at any of the five or so firms I can see myself working for.

Is this strategy credited?

[Biglaw1990]

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[Anonymous User]

In a similar vein I've gone to a shitload of receptions in Chicago (1L at UC/NU) and am wondering how to parlay the contacts I've made into opportunities. I spoke with a consultant our school provides and she said I should get coffee with associates at any of the five or so firms I can see myself working for.

Is this strategy credited?

School-provided consultant? Doesn't your school have career advisers?

The firms are selling themselves to you at these receptions, not the other way around. Follow the consultant's advice. Figuring out what you want to do and where you want to do it is probably more helpful than trying to make as many contacts as possible. Quality over quantity. This works/worked out for me.

[yogotti]

I have put a lot into the coffee meetings with attorneys I have talked to at receptions or have other connections with. I think the idea is to get yourself known and prove you are not aspie, but a normal, everyday person that would not be a pain to work with. You can also ask questions about the firm, the life, what to do in school.

The more people know your name and face and can say something nice about you, hopefully the better your chances are.

I am not a super-social type, but you can google some stuff on informational interviews, ask somebody you met to meet you for a coffee, and talk to them about their job. People like to talk about themselves and what they do. It is not as hard as it seems. Ask open-ended questions. I have done a lot of, "I have heard that corporate law is different from litigation in xyz manner, would you characterize that as accurate?" "What was your experience with (OCI, summer associate, finding a mentor, finding your practice area)?"

You can also ask for other people you should reach out to, or may want to talk to. I was seriously concerned that noone would want to talk to me, but everyone who I have previously met and then reached out to has been receptive.

It is also a good way to get a feel for the type of people that do different practice areas and if your personality fits with theirs, which I have heard is quite important considering you will be working a lot of hours around these people.

[Anonymous User]

I have put a lot into the coffee meetings with attorneys I have talked to at receptions or have other connections with. I think the idea is to get yourself known and prove you are not aspie, but a normal, everyday person that would not be a pain to work with. You can also ask questions about the firm, the life, what to do in school.

The more people know your name and face and can say something nice about you, hopefully the better your chances are.

I am not a super-social type, but you can google some stuff on informational interviews, ask somebody you met to meet you for a coffee, and talk to them about their job. People like to talk about themselves and what they do. It is not as hard as it seems. Ask open-ended questions. I have done a lot of, "I have heard that corporate law is different from litigation in xyz manner, would you characterize that as accurate?" "What was your experience with (OCI, summer associate, finding a mentor, finding your practice area)?"

You can also ask for other people you should reach out to, or may want to talk to. I was seriously concerned that noone would want to talk to me, but everyone who I have previously met and then reached out to has been receptive.

It is also a good way to get a feel for the type of people that do different practice areas and if your personality fits with theirs, which I have heard is quite important considering you will be working a lot of hours around these people.

fully support everything here. The coffee/lunch strategy is how I went from median at a T-40 to big law in DC with multiple biglaw offers. I am not special. Just met with lawyers and asked them about their jobs. I focused on undergrad and law school alums.

[1styearlateral]

All great advice here. Keep in mind, maintaining those relationships/connections is just as important as making them. Going into a reception or coffee meet-up strong and then not continuing interaction with that person does you no good. You need to be in a position so that when the partners sit down to decide who to hire, your resume is on top because you're 1) fresh in their minds and 2) someone they like and know personally. Just think: People are more likely to help out their friends over strangers.

I've never done it but I would definitely try inviting a partner/connection out to a round of golf, tennis, etc. I would imagine that would also be a good way to meet more people to build your network.

[RaceJudicata]

While not tangible, there is incredible value in going to these events/making connections for two purposes (outside of leading to a job):

1. Talking points - you learn a lot making these connections and will sound more knowledgeable in an interview as a result.

2. Practice. Most of us suck - or at least aren't great - at interviews. But all of us think that we are. Going to these events gives you subtle practice and comfort when speaking to attorneys in an interview setting.

[gaddockteeg]

I'm the self-proclaimed master (not really) at this. Got multiple offers way above my LS school stats due to proper networking.

The key IMO is to keep the conversation as far away from directly asking for a job as possible. These people get hit up for jobs tons of times and in the back of their head they know that's your'e after. Once you ask them for it, they feel like you're using them and nobody likes to feel used.

So like everyone else says, never ask for anything directly job related. Just ask for advice or just keep in touch. "Hey, thanks for the advice about Civi Pro, you were right, International Shoe is the worst." "hey thanks again for the advice, by the way, should i take internship A or internship B if I want to get into your practice area X?" "hey thanks again for the advice, I'm intervieweing at X Y Z, if im interested in your practice area X, what do you think I should know or be aware of?". I used to follow up with connex all the time and I honestly still do. Many of the people I connected with during 1L are now people I consider mentors.

Keep this up, and the right time will come. You can't rush this process.

[Anonymous User]

It's great that you're making these connections now. In my experience attorneys like to help students out whenever they can, especially when we (law students) are just getting started. Keep in touch with these connections. Meet with them for coffee. Talk to them about their practices, and once you figure out what you're interested in, let them know. Tell them that you're interested in xyz practice area, and would love to get their thoughts on that practice area in the city you're targeting or the firms you're considering/interested in. Only do that after you've built up a relationship and feel comfortable. I've met attorneys that right out of the gate tell me to send my resume to them, I've met others that after meeting up once or twice recommend me to get in touch with someone else. The point being FOLLOW UP. I've met several attorneys for coffee, and one of the first things they tell me is that they're impressed that I follow up because they often get emails from students saying thanks and asking to meet, but never follow up.

Using this strategy, I got numerous interviews (and eventually a job offer) at law firms way above my grades from middle of the pack at a T-25. Just take time to get to know these people and make them feel appreciated. I consider some of the attorneys I connected with 1L year to be mentors now, and they have even taken me out for drinks and dinners to celebrate my offer-- one of them even introduced me to his family and another told me to get in touch with them if I ever want a job. I have met other attorneys who simply reply with one word emails. It runs the full spectrum and it turns into a bit of a numbers game.

The point is take time. Invest in your network, don't think of these contacts as sources for job interviews, but think of them as sources for information. The information can sometimes be who is hiring and what the interviewing attorneys will ask.

[Magic Hat]

This is excellent and I would keep it up. I would also be hesitant to call it networking.

Networking is building relationships outside of the traditional power structure, eg associate/law student.

Networking is getting placed in the same foursome as an engineer who has a lot of clients who need an attorney with your particular services. Or with a big law partner who you impress with your drive and cigar lighting skills and who will think of you in a few months when a lateral position opens up.

[Anonymous User]

Being on the other side of this - where I've referred people who got interviews and eventually offers, and declined to refer other people - all I can say is that the answer for me tends to be grades and pedigree. There's this myth that networking is some magic thing that will give a bottom 10% Cooley student a chance at Wachtell, but that's not really the way it works IME. It makes the rich (those with good credentials) far richer but it doesn't really help those with poor credentials, absent a few people who get lucky here and there. It can also help people moderately overshoot their credentials, but it isn't going to salvage a wreck.

That's not to say that it doesn't ever help anyone, and your mileage my vary, but most people are by definition not top 5% social butterflies. I go to many of these firm receptions as a representative of my firm and it's rare that someone really makes a (positive) lasting impact. Most of the time I'm left with maybe a couple of resumes, if the event is of that type, or more often just nothing at all. I'm not saying I wouldn't ever refer someone who didn't already meet my firm's standards, but it'll probably require a little something more than 5 minutes of chit chat at a reception. When it works for other people its often finding a (non-law related) common ground between the two people and using that to forge a connection.