Short term job ideas Forum

[Anonymous User]

I am finishing up a clerkship in September, but then I have a little over 4 months to kill before my next job starts. Is there anything that I can do for 4 months to make money and fill that gap in a way that wont look weird on my resume? (Unfortunately, I cant afford to take a 4 month vacation.)

Relevant Stats: Top 2% at a T20; two clerkships: ND/CD Cal. & 2/9/DC Cir.; spent a year as a lit associate at a V10 between the clerkships (so I will be a 4th year after this clerkship).

[RaceJudicata]

No possibility of staying on at clerkship for another few months? Or starting at firm a few months early? Or a combination of both?

[objctnyrhnr]

My idea might be a bit out of line with standard Tls sentiment and therefore radical, but you should just embrace the time and travel. Take out a several thousand dollar loan to do it (or put it on a CC or whatever). You have your next job, it’s rare that in this profession you’ll have this kind of opportunity with respect to open time and security at the far end. I did something similar and remain (several years later) very happy that I did it.

[LBJ's Hair]

I would seriously just chill the fuck out. Read books, go to the gym, drink with your friends after work, whatever. No one will question the resume gap, and there aren't any short-term gigs you can do that will pay you "real money" to actually make a temporary gig worth it. You're going to be making hundreds of thousands of dollars in BigLaw. Let's say you can actually get a full time job for 4 months, which you likely can't. 40 hours a week x 15 weeks x $20 an hour (let's say; no idea) = $12k, pre-tax.

A few years from now, you would *gladly* pay the firm $12k to take 4 months off, no questions asked. MBAs pay literally hundreds of thousands of dollars in forgone earnings, tuition, and vacation money to do this for two year. Sadly, your firm won't give you that opportunity. Unless you're fired (or get that sweet MBA), you will likely never get an unbroken 4 months off again.

[Auxilio]

This doesn't usually pay, but if you don't want to just take a vacation, maybe considering working for a campaign in Iowa or something for a few months? It's the right time.

[QContinuum]

I echo the consensus ITT to just enjoy the time off. No one will care about a four-month gap down the road. It's unlikely you'd find a short-term job that'd both 1) look good on your resume and 2) pay you enough to make the hassle worth it. You might be able to get short-term work as a contract attorney, for example, but that'd 1) look bad on your resume and 2) pay peanuts, relatively speaking.

It's possible to do resume-enhancing but unpaid work - campaign work, as Auxilio mentioned, is one possibility, or you could look into things like NY's Volunteer Assistant AG program (https://ag.ny.gov/legal-recruitment/vol ... ey-program). But again, these are unpaid positions.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. Thanks for all the replies/advice.

The backstory and a related question: I am an officer in the Army National Guard, and I just found out that I need to activate for military service in January 2020 for about 4-5 months. Like I said above, my current clerkship ends in September 2019, and I have an offer to go back to my V10 firm afterwards, but we haven't discussed a start date and the firm doesn't know about my upcoming military obligation. I asked the question above under the assumption that the firm wouldn't take me for 3-4 months, only to have me up and leave for 4-5 months (after which I would return to the firm). Is this a valid assumption? Is there any chance the firm would just let me work for 3 months, leave for my military obligation, and come back after? Is it worth asking? (I don't want to burn bridges/come off as difficult, especially considering I may need the firm to be accommodating of my military service in the future if I end up having to deploy for a longer period). (I know USERRA protects me somewhat, but I suspect that firms have crafty ways to get around it). I'd appreciate any advice/input.

[Lacepiece23]

OP here. Thanks for all the replies/advice.

The backstory and a related question: I am an officer in the Army National Guard, and I just found out that I need to activate for military service in January 2020 for about 4-5 months. Like I said above, my current clerkship ends in September 2019, and I have an offer to go back to my V10 firm afterwards, but we haven't discussed a start date and the firm doesn't know about my upcoming military obligation. I asked the question above under the assumption that the firm wouldn't take me for 3-4 months, only to have me up and leave for 4-5 months (after which I would return to the firm). Is this a valid assumption? Is there any chance the firm would just let me work for 3 months, leave for my military obligation, and come back after? Is it worth asking? (I don't want to burn bridges/come off as difficult, especially considering I may need the firm to be accommodating of my military service in the future if I end up having to deploy for a longer period). (I know USERRA protects me somewhat, but I suspect that firms have crafty ways to get around it). I'd appreciate any advice/input.

I think you should absolutely ask. I'm sure they won't care. Having a military vet looks good on the firm and since it's a V10 there's tons of work to go around. I'm sure you could just do some document review or something that does not involve you being staffed on the case.