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So I'm a 3L, top 15-20%, at a low T1 school; senior board on a secondary journal, judicial extern for a federal judge. I struck out HARD at 2L OCI, mostly because I didn't know about mass mailing timelines and our career office was useless. I summered with two firms in my home state, one of which I haven't heard from, and one of which decided not to hire anyone at all. I've had several interviews since, but dings from every single one. I've applied to join the local Inn of Court and I go to a ton of school networking events.

I have an OCI interview on Friday with a firm that is, honestly, above my weight class, and I don't know why they're bothering to talk to me (maybe I'm an OCI space filler?). I'm applying to anything in the world that's looking for 2019 graduates, including clerkships, but no luck there either. I've been told my resume is fine, but I'm beginning to doubt that.

My home state is a really specific market, and it's a dying market. I'm already registered for the bar here, but I don't actually want to work here. I'm thinking very hard about taking the bar in a UBE state (New York, probably), which might be best for my job search since it covers a lot of ground in terms of licensing. However, I don't even know that being licensed in another state would convince them I'm looking to move, when nothing has been convincing enough so far.

I'm probably going to be waiting tables post-bar so I can qualify for income-based repayment of my loans. I have come to accept that. I suppose my biggest question is: 1) is there something I can be doing to be employed by graduation that I'm not doing already?, and 2) do you think my plan to take the UBE is a good move for finding a job?

1) is there something I can be doing to be employed by graduation that I'm not doing already?

Make a permanent assprint on one of the chairs in the career services office. Seriously. They're usually lazy, but not incompetent. Schedule a weekly or twice weekly meeting with your counselor as a standing appointment on their calendar, and sit there until they give you something to do to get a job. Do what they say, and come back the next session for your next step. They should be leveraging alumni contacts, adjunct profs, firm contacts, online databases, and a whole bunch of other source info to get you opportunities. Make clear to them that you're willing to hustle, but that you're paying enough for your degree that you expect them to provide you with the guidance and contacts necessary to network effectively, and that you're gonna keep showing up until you have an acceptable offer in your hand.