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When trying to network, is there advice as to how long a person has worked at a firm/in general before they can really be a valuable contact? For example, should I not put much effort into trying to network with 1st/2nd years?

Imo anyone who works there is valuable. Even the front desk secretary. An associate can give a recommendation for a candidate just as much as a partner can.

ausimpv wrote:Imo anyone who works there is valuable. Even the front desk secretary. An associate can give a recommendation for a candidate just as much as a partner can.

Yup, and first and second year associates are more likely to meet with you. I personally am not bombarded with people trying to hit me up for a job. I always take time out to meet, offer advice if it's a law student, and try to connect them with someone else.

JuliusCaesar wrote:When trying to network, is there advice as to how long a person has worked at a firm/in general before they can really be a valuable contact? For example, should I not put much effort into trying to network with 1st/2nd years?

Here's some unsolicited advice because I think it would have been useful for rising 2L jkpolk: strive to think of people as people. This is what worked for me as a recruit, works for me in recruiting and what makes the whole process more human.

In this case, when hanging out with 1st and 2nd years at recruiting open houses, treat the juniors as people and try to make personal connections. If you can bond over your love of $1 dive bar beers or your participation in the community orchestra, perfect. You will, baring having 10+ years of professional experience, likely have more more in common with the juniors than you will have in common with the partners (and the midlevels are too busy to do recruiting, almost as a rule). This is why you're likely to have better "connections" with juniors.

Friendly relationships develop on recruiting teams. The juniors who are doing recruiting are likely friendly with the people who make hiring decisions. Those juniors will remember the person(s) they liked and recommend accordingly. They will forget the "professional" with the "sterling resume" who didn't say anything during the entire open house. That's not to say that person won't get a callback during OCI, it's just to say they won't get the streamlined pre-OCI looks. Your goal is not to be the insufferable frat star as that will likely get you blackballed. Your goal is to be likable, sociable and invited to the afterparty.