1L POLL: when are you sending out cover letters & resumes? Forum

[dood]

...

[OperaSoprano]

Finals come first. Anyway, I hope to find something through NYU's famous public interest fair, and that is still some months off. I'll apply to a few nonprofits I would most love to work for, and focus on working hard for one of my school's public interest summer grants. I believe eligibility is based on the number of hours we put in fundraising so that most, if not all, PI students can get something. But finals absolutely come first.

[ihatelaw]

im waiting to be done with finals. im hoping to work at a nonprofit or be a research assistant so its not as big of a deal to wait i guess. the nyu public interest thing + researching other public interest jobs can all wait till after civil procedure has finished with me.

[Anonymous User]

I had pretty good grades and wanted to capitalize on them before this semester's grades (which I anticipate will be worse!) come out, and I've sent out a few cover letters and resumes to firms, judges, PI stuff, USAO, and DA offices. I've gotten a few interview offers already, and some places say they expect to be done with hiring by early January.

[revolution724]

I'm sending them out nowish. Whenever I get a chance.

[wiseowl]

i sent one wave out the 1st, will send a 2nd wave over holiday break, then if all else fails, a 3rd wave in January

observations:
1)already heard back from 5-6 firms and none of the answers were yes
2)i should have spent the time studying

[Anonymous User]

i sent one wave out the 1st, will send a 2nd wave over holiday break, then if all else fails, a 3rd wave in January

observations:
1)already heard back from 5-6 firms and none of the answers were yes
2)i should have spent the time studying

I really feel the opposite about this. Although I've had like 30 odd rejections from firms, I have 4 interviews next week with judges and one with a firm. I also don't think it affected my finals studying at all.

[misformafia]

How do you guys have time for this? Finals own my life until the 15th!!

[Anonymous User]

How do you guys have time for this? Finals own my life until the 15th!!

Honestly, becasue I started working on it with some friends in October and did some stuff over the summer.

[Oban]

Acording to the people i've talked with, you should have already sent everything out by now(except for judicial positions)

[Renzo]

They're all sent already. Got them out the first week in December, but I only sent out about 20. If none of those come through, I'm looking for an RA job.

[wiseowl]

i should mention i only sent to firms. other "waves" will be judges and in-house.

im operating under the premise that if a judge offers you you'd better accept, and im trying to at least give the firm thing a shot before i do that.

[misformafia]

Acording to the people i've talked with, you should have already sent everything out by now(except for judicial positions)

Dear god.

[Anonymous User]

Acording to the people i've talked with, you should have already sent everything out by now(except for judicial positions)

Yes. For federal. Some state courts want them later, and one federal district doesn't want them until grades, minus one judge....

[agumon]

I thought the main factor on whether you get summer employment was first semester grades? Could someone explain why you'd send out resumes/cover letters when you can't put your class rank?

[Anonymous User]

I thought the main factor on whether you get summer employment was first semester grades? Could someone explain why you'd send out resumes/cover letters when you can't put your class rank?

Some hiring happens before grades come out.

[wiseowl]

I thought the main factor on whether you get summer employment was first semester grades? Could someone explain why you'd send out resumes/cover letters when you can't put your class rank?

Some hiring happens before grades come out.

You want hiring before grades come out.

[Renzo]

I thought the main factor on whether you get summer employment was first semester grades? Could someone explain why you'd send out resumes/cover letters when you can't put your class rank?

Some hiring happens before grades come out.

Are you just clumsy with the anonymous button, or are you actually afraid someone will find out you are looking for employment?

[Anonymous User]

I thought the main factor on whether you get summer employment was first semester grades? Could someone explain why you'd send out resumes/cover letters when you can't put your class rank?

Some hiring happens before grades come out.

I don't know if that will happen ITE. One data point FWIW:
My target market is small, I have a permanent address there and several other connections to it on my resume, covering a few years. I can't imagine many other T10 students target it, and randomly looking at attorney profiles shows mostly local JD's. I am about as good of an applicant as a 1L can be without grades: T20 UG, tough major, solid WE.

I have sent resumes with tailored cover letters to 12 firms in the past week. I have gotten 5 responses so far: 2 saying there are no openings, 1 saying there are no openings outside the diversity clerkship program, and 2 saying "send grades, then we'll see." I don't know what it was like in years past, but I don't expect to get a serious look from anyone until grades come out.

Edited to update.

[Anonymous User]

I thought the main factor on whether you get summer employment was first semester grades? Could someone explain why you'd send out resumes/cover letters when you can't put your class rank?

Some hiring happens before grades come out.

Are you just clumsy with the anonymous button, or are you actually afraid someone will find out you are looking for employment?

I am the same person who says they have 5 interviews (and now 6). I would rather that not my identity be revealed, as I am a common poster and I don't want to look like a douchette.

[Renzo]

I am the same person who says they have 5 interviews (and now 6). I would rather that not my identity be revealed, as I am a common poster and I don't want to look like a douchette.

Fair enough. Who am I to question, when I'm sitting on a big pile of "unfortunately..." letters.

[Anonymous User]

I am the same person who says they have 5 interviews (and now 6). I would rather that not my identity be revealed, as I am a common poster and I don't want to look like a douchette.

Fair enough. Who am I to question, when I'm sitting on a big pile of "unfortunately..." letters.

I have about 35 of those. And I got 7 today. It is literally the only thing that came in the mail. It is OK...something will come along.

[Renzo]

I am the same person who says they have 5 interviews (and now 6). I would rather that not my identity be revealed, as I am a common poster and I don't want to look like a douchette.

Fair enough. Who am I to question, when I'm sitting on a big pile of "unfortunately..." letters.

I have about 35 of those. And I got 7 today. It is literally the only thing that came in the mail. It is OK...something will come along.

Yeah, I have two "we'll be in touch" emails to keep me warm at night. I only sent out about 20 apps, all to long-shot jobs. Hoping one comes through, but if not I've got a fall-back plan.

[revolution724]

I thought the main factor on whether you get summer employment was first semester grades? Could someone explain why you'd send out resumes/cover letters when you can't put your class rank?

Some hiring happens before grades come out.

Might depend what you're doing. I didn't send grades to anyone. I applied to about 25 places. I have an internship.