So I was really hoping to test some crazy advice you've received on how to get the first post-school law job. But alas, you have been playing hard to get. Very hard. So... I guess we'll start with this, as promised in my "A Teaser" post. As noted, I received this bit of advice from career services during a doc review info session. But to be fair, one of my friends did send this to me before. I guess they knew I was desperate, and a girl.
In all fairness again, I think this article is a great starting point for things we should be doing, and while it's a girls guide, it is not gender specific from what I can tell. But I do think a lot of this should be done earlier than 3L or post-grad. While the reality is that most law students have enough other things to worry about (getting good grades, getting on law review, getting a boyfriend only to be cheated on by said (now hopefully ex)boyfriend and having to deal with the fact that you two chose to sit next to each other in every 1L class), this is a big one that we should have paid more attention to earlier. Also, while the tips here are promising, some really will not pan out for many students. More below.
OK, number 1 - Accept that this is scary and may be frustrating.
I gather if you're in the same position, you have likely come to terms with your feelings on being a jobless J.D. If not, lie down on the couch and read. I have no future at the moment (I can't even get a part-time job as a barista, and I was really counting on getting that beer wench position), no way to pay the bills and nowhere to live next year. So, scared? You bet. I've applied hundreds of places, had a dozen interviews and no viable offer. There are a lot of reasons why I may be in this position, and all of them are frustrating. Frustrated, check. Ok, now we know how we're feeling. I don't like to stay in depressed land for too long, so let's move on.
Numero dos - Brainstorm ways to generate income.
Well I must say, I am very proud of that new mother who made oodles of money writing. I'm not a new mother, but I would sure love it if I got paid for writing this blog. Anyone want to follow this blog and send me money to keep doing this? Yeah? Or even food, like with the Julie and Julia blog (that movie always makes me hungry)? I can't promise I'll bone a duck (heh) but I do make a mean boeuf bourguignon. And I have to eat. No? Well, maybe one day. For now, my writing doesn't seem to be making me any money.
So how else can I make money? Well, obviously a law job would be nice. But this tip seems to be a bridge, something to get us by between graduation and that first job. Something law related would be nice, but wouldn't that just be a law job then?
Ok, let's assume it's not a law thing then. Well, you can always make some money by selling things you don't use to someone who wants them. I've recently discovered the wonders of craigslist in accomplishing this. But this will probably not generate that much income. Plus I am hoping that this tip was not meant to just make us sell all of our old N64 games, Yu-Gi-Oh cards and IKEA furniture sets. We'll need something to play with and sit on when we're unemployed and bored.
I guess this is looking at what we're good at outside of law (or inside) and how to exploit that skill in a way to make money that doesn't necessarily equal a law job. I'll have to think about this. It seems like I could mix this with the "find your passion" advice. Just not my law passion? I don't know, I'm still murky on the effectiveness of this one, but I'll keep trying to think of ways to make extra money during my ten minute bar prep lecture breaks. That and running to the vending machine to soothe my nerves with Funyons and a Rice Krispies Treat. Mmmm. See, this is what happens when you don't send me stuff to make bouef bourguignon.
I get that this tip is important. We need to make money. But preparing for the bar is a full-time job, and so is trying to find our first law job. If we add on trying to find an in-between job, it seems like something is going to get shirked along the way. I mean, I have certain skills and assets that I could exploit as a stripper, but I don't know if that's what O'Melveny and Myers or the Fed is looking for. Besides, working all night is not going to help me study for the bar, and not being able to get rid of all that glitter is going to do wonders for my law interviews I am sure. I can only imagine what it would be like to go into an interview and recognize the lap of the person interviewing you. Please describe for us how you recently handled being put in an uncomfortable position at work.
THREE! Loan Repayment options.
Well, if I go with income based and I don't have a job, I don't have to pay anything back - yippee!! No. But there are options for those making less money (income based or income contingent). Working in certain non-profit or public service jobs may also qualify for loan forgiveness after ten years. All good things. Ok, so make sure you check this one. Talk to someone competent on loans and loan repayment options (this might not necessarily be the financial aid person at your school) and make a plan, or at least know when you need to start actually dealing with this bundle of joy. Still not sure how this is getting me a job, but it is helping me get a handle on my financial future, which is good.
Word to the wise - don't discuss future money problems with friends who have a law job already, especially one that daddy gave them. Take my word that it is super fun to hear them complain about all of these expenses they could have, but the firm is paying for their iPhone, and their data plan, and their health and car and not knowing when to shut up insurance. And how could they ever begin to deal with this stuff without the firm's help? Take my word for it and do not engage in such conversation with your friends. You want to keep your friends. They might pay you for your baseball cards one day when you're hungry for Ramen.
Number 4 - Pass the Bar.
We ain't there yet. But these fun bar classes are really making me feel confident. Nothing like taking a pretest in a class you got an A+ in and now getting a 35%. Law school left me highly unprepared for the bar. It makes you wonder, what exactly did law school do?
If it's anything like the LSAT, the GRE or the MPRE, my advice is to stick to a study plan (that's what we're paying these companies for) and make sure you do practice questions. A lot of them. Besides that, do not burn out. Set aside time to go to a concert, to play Putt-Putt, or to go to the shooting range if you desire a slightly more cathartic activity. Just make sure to do something social and fun - don't lose perspective on the bigger picture of living your life. We've been told to treat it like a full-time job. And I think that is doable while still being able to live your life. Of course during some of that free time we need to continue to look for a law job. So again, I would not recommend overdoing it on trying to find a non-law job (assuming law is what you want to do, which it should be if you're spending the time and money on the bar exam).
Ok, that's my take on the first four of these. Time to go review a torts outline. Oh hey, remember when Bar Review was a fun, awkward Thursday night at a local bar where you got to watch drunk law students try to hook up with other drunk law students, while you drank Irish Car Bombs and mystery drinks made by the bartender? Yeah, those were the days of fun, alcohol-laden bar review. Now it's just coffee-laden bar review. And yet I still feel equally drained and craving greasy Asian Buffet the next day. If this keeps up, I'll need to work in some kind of workout regimen to offset the daily five plates of lo mein, General Tso's, and butter pecan ice cream.
~~ ~~ ~~
Still to come (a.k.a hold on to your pants but not your breath, I'd like you to actually read these when I post them)
5 - Know what you want and tell everyone. I want to make bank. Clarification: I want to go to the bank with a check that I can deposit, spend on necessaries, and still have a little left over for karaoke. I'll work on getting this more precise.
6 - Get help with your resume. No, don't make stuff up, this isn't National Honors Society applications. I mean really, so many people I know lied on their honors society applications, and then they got a stupid white carnation inviting them in and I didn't. They could've at least waited until last period to do that so my face didn't have to be splotchy the entire day. Well, we're past those days now... right?
7 - Strategic informational interviewing. This is where I will have to turn my SAP into a SAP. Brace yourselves.
8 - Take people you've worked with out for coffee and ask for help. I've actually done this one. With moderate success. I'll tell you more later (have to leave you wanting more).
9- Talk to professors who seem to like you. Well, they all like me. But really, I've done this one too, and have gotten some good and some ridiculous advice this way. Again, I must leave you wanting more. This one will not disappoint (as if any of my posts would disappoint).
10 - Attend events at the Bar Association. Good thing I already broke out of SAP at 7. Party hats this time. And take it easy on the whiskey and ginger ales.
11 - Pick up a pro bono project with a mentor. What? Uh, I'll get back to you on this one.
12 - Get strategic. Shoot, I can't just throw darts at job posting sites to see which ones to apply for? I can't just send out a million cold letters? I've always wanted to try the stair method. Ok. Seriously. We all have been trying to be strategic, but maybe there are better ways or new things we should consider in our attempts at finding a job.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Don't be that person (who hides the flashcards)
Law school is a unique experience. We end up going through hell, getting worked to death, and then just being plain bored while in a small group. And within this group we each have our own cluster of friends that we spend our law school time and free (aka drinking) time with. These are the ones we will miss at random moments in the coming months when we're at a bar and remember something ridiculous our torts professor said, and they're off studying for another state's bar. Some we will stay close with because we bonded over this terrible experience and survived (and we happen to still live near each other). Some of these we may never see again, but will always remember the day we threw our civ pro books across the room after learning that Pennoyer was pointless.
And then there's the other cluster, the one we avoid. The ones we have been competing against for three years. The ones who steal the evidence flashcards and hide them behind a toilet in the sixth floor bathroom. The ones who take any chance to tear you down if it seems like you've gotten a leg up on something. God forbid you get that award (or internship or fellowship or organization position) you've been working so hard for. They will secretly take a chunk out of your heels so you fall like an idiot when you try to proudly strut down the hallway with some sense of accomplishment. Fall on your face. Break your nose. And skin your new tights. And rip the slit in your skirt so far that the only thing you have to be thankful for is that you even decided to wear tights that day. All while people point and laugh. The ones who cheat on first year exams and then ask how it feels to not be on law review. These are the ones who on graduation day we clap fervently for as they walk across the stage because that might be the last time we see them.
After graduation we assumed we wouldn't see a few of our war companions or our Benedict Arnold's again until our Law School Reunion 15, 20 years from now. Oh, if only.
I had a job interview yesterday. I was pretty pumped for it. One, it's an interview for a big girl law job. Two, it's something I would really enjoy. Three, it's paid and doesn't require me to live in East Bumblefuck. I got there early to scope out the surrounding area. You know, get a feel for the coffee shops and delis that I would become intimately familiar with during my tenure at this position. You gotta eat (and preferably not always at Rally's). And of course drink lots of coffee and chai tea lattes. So, when it was close enough to my interview time to not seem desperately early, I headed into the office building. Up the elevator. Anticipation and fear. What if it's a great opportunity but I hate it? But then the doors opened. It was beautiful. Minimalist. Clean lines. Comfy chairs that don't appear comfy at first glance. A gorgeous view of the city. There were even architecture and modern art books on the coffee tables. This, I thought, is where I belong. This is my work home.
The receptionist checked me in and said they were running about an hour or so behind. That I should take a seat and they'd call me when they were ready for me. To enjoy the coffee and pastries in the meantime. At this point I was coffee'd out, so I just took a seat. Seemingly alone. Then a guy and a girl came back from the restroom area. They were both scheduled to interview before me. They both graduated with me. They hid the goddamn evidence flashcards. I immediately put all of my attention into an upside-down architecture book.
We three sat ignoring each other. Well, they talked. They ignored me and I ignored them. After one of them got called in, the person scheduled to interview after me arrived. Not. Possible. The heel breaker. The nice to your face and then stab you in the back if you have an inkling of success. WHY?! She talked to both of us briefly. Asking if we'd gotten our evidence grades back yet. If we had interviews anywhere else. If we got into Order of the Coif. If we'd also gotten a car and a cruise for graduation. Then a fourth arrived, thankfully from another school or another graduating class (an unknown competitor). The second evidence thief got called in and the heel breaker stopped talking. Finally I was called in and was able to show the interviewers why I would be perfect for the position. I felt like I knocked the interview out of the park. But there was a lurking fear as I left the building that I couldn't quite place my finger on.
It's no secret that many, if not most, law grads are unemployed immediately after graduation. It's also no secret that we will apply for most jobs that pop up in front of us on our school's job websites. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that just as we competed in law school for the A's, we are still competing, just the stakes are now higher. As much as we might hate it, we are competing for the same jobs, and will likely end up in the same county bar association.
While we may assume we are in friendly competition, this may not be the case. You don't know what the other interviewees said about you during your interview. All you can do is your best during the interview, and not give your colleagues ammunition to use against you. This is one reason why it's important not to be the person who cuts other people's shoes. Or hides the flashcards. You don't want to be 'that person' who everyone remembers as a dick from law school. Because partners will ask their junior associates about former classmates the firm is considering hiring. Some might not say anything, or say that the person was a dick in a pc way, but you don't want to risk pissing off the person who will be blunt with the partner or the judge or the U.S. Attorney that you used to cheat in law school or that you cut people down when you were jealous.
Follow the advice we got at orientation - don't be that guy (who hides the flashcards). Or it could be even harder to get a job/keep a job.
~~ ~~ ~~ Note ~~ ~~ ~~
This also made me think about the cluster of law students who are our friends - our war companions. What happens when we have to interview against them? It's hard because we want our friends to get jobs, and not just any job but one they would enjoy. But with the scarcity of law jobs these days, we will inevitably end up competing for a job that you and your best friend or you and your SO may both really really want. And of course you're going to encourage the other to still go for the position even though you submitted your application materials first. And you'll wish them luck and get a drink with them after and courteously and consciously not discuss the interview. But it's awkward. Your needs and interests come first, and these may not always line up with reassuring your friend that it's ok to apply for the same job. Sometimes you really want the position and wish they wouldn't apply because they make it statistically more difficult for you to get the position. Or you have the same qualifications, and it just rests on whose personality the employer likes better (and you might be a SAP). Or you'd rather not have to sleep on the couch for a month.
When you're competing against your mortal enemy, your best friend, or your boyfriend for the same law job, you're gonna have a bad time.
And then there's the other cluster, the one we avoid. The ones we have been competing against for three years. The ones who steal the evidence flashcards and hide them behind a toilet in the sixth floor bathroom. The ones who take any chance to tear you down if it seems like you've gotten a leg up on something. God forbid you get that award (or internship or fellowship or organization position) you've been working so hard for. They will secretly take a chunk out of your heels so you fall like an idiot when you try to proudly strut down the hallway with some sense of accomplishment. Fall on your face. Break your nose. And skin your new tights. And rip the slit in your skirt so far that the only thing you have to be thankful for is that you even decided to wear tights that day. All while people point and laugh. The ones who cheat on first year exams and then ask how it feels to not be on law review. These are the ones who on graduation day we clap fervently for as they walk across the stage because that might be the last time we see them.
After graduation we assumed we wouldn't see a few of our war companions or our Benedict Arnold's again until our Law School Reunion 15, 20 years from now. Oh, if only.
I had a job interview yesterday. I was pretty pumped for it. One, it's an interview for a big girl law job. Two, it's something I would really enjoy. Three, it's paid and doesn't require me to live in East Bumblefuck. I got there early to scope out the surrounding area. You know, get a feel for the coffee shops and delis that I would become intimately familiar with during my tenure at this position. You gotta eat (and preferably not always at Rally's). And of course drink lots of coffee and chai tea lattes. So, when it was close enough to my interview time to not seem desperately early, I headed into the office building. Up the elevator. Anticipation and fear. What if it's a great opportunity but I hate it? But then the doors opened. It was beautiful. Minimalist. Clean lines. Comfy chairs that don't appear comfy at first glance. A gorgeous view of the city. There were even architecture and modern art books on the coffee tables. This, I thought, is where I belong. This is my work home.
The receptionist checked me in and said they were running about an hour or so behind. That I should take a seat and they'd call me when they were ready for me. To enjoy the coffee and pastries in the meantime. At this point I was coffee'd out, so I just took a seat. Seemingly alone. Then a guy and a girl came back from the restroom area. They were both scheduled to interview before me. They both graduated with me. They hid the goddamn evidence flashcards. I immediately put all of my attention into an upside-down architecture book.
We three sat ignoring each other. Well, they talked. They ignored me and I ignored them. After one of them got called in, the person scheduled to interview after me arrived. Not. Possible. The heel breaker. The nice to your face and then stab you in the back if you have an inkling of success. WHY?! She talked to both of us briefly. Asking if we'd gotten our evidence grades back yet. If we had interviews anywhere else. If we got into Order of the Coif. If we'd also gotten a car and a cruise for graduation. Then a fourth arrived, thankfully from another school or another graduating class (an unknown competitor). The second evidence thief got called in and the heel breaker stopped talking. Finally I was called in and was able to show the interviewers why I would be perfect for the position. I felt like I knocked the interview out of the park. But there was a lurking fear as I left the building that I couldn't quite place my finger on.
It's no secret that many, if not most, law grads are unemployed immediately after graduation. It's also no secret that we will apply for most jobs that pop up in front of us on our school's job websites. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that just as we competed in law school for the A's, we are still competing, just the stakes are now higher. As much as we might hate it, we are competing for the same jobs, and will likely end up in the same county bar association.
While we may assume we are in friendly competition, this may not be the case. You don't know what the other interviewees said about you during your interview. All you can do is your best during the interview, and not give your colleagues ammunition to use against you. This is one reason why it's important not to be the person who cuts other people's shoes. Or hides the flashcards. You don't want to be 'that person' who everyone remembers as a dick from law school. Because partners will ask their junior associates about former classmates the firm is considering hiring. Some might not say anything, or say that the person was a dick in a pc way, but you don't want to risk pissing off the person who will be blunt with the partner or the judge or the U.S. Attorney that you used to cheat in law school or that you cut people down when you were jealous.
Follow the advice we got at orientation - don't be that guy (who hides the flashcards). Or it could be even harder to get a job/keep a job.
~~ ~~ ~~ Note ~~ ~~ ~~
This also made me think about the cluster of law students who are our friends - our war companions. What happens when we have to interview against them? It's hard because we want our friends to get jobs, and not just any job but one they would enjoy. But with the scarcity of law jobs these days, we will inevitably end up competing for a job that you and your best friend or you and your SO may both really really want. And of course you're going to encourage the other to still go for the position even though you submitted your application materials first. And you'll wish them luck and get a drink with them after and courteously and consciously not discuss the interview. But it's awkward. Your needs and interests come first, and these may not always line up with reassuring your friend that it's ok to apply for the same job. Sometimes you really want the position and wish they wouldn't apply because they make it statistically more difficult for you to get the position. Or you have the same qualifications, and it just rests on whose personality the employer likes better (and you might be a SAP). Or you'd rather not have to sleep on the couch for a month.
When you're competing against your mortal enemy, your best friend, or your boyfriend for the same law job, you're gonna have a bad time.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Getting your kicks the illegal way
So I've begun the quest to find my passion. Last night it manifested itself. Look how pretty. Oh, and it felt even better. Alas, the graduation money isn't quite making this a reality yet. And without any certain future income (sadly beer wenching seems to be off the table for the moment), I figured my money should be saved for now. Trust me, does not feel good man.
And something that happened today actually made it feel worse. An illegal job offer.
Backtracking for a second. Call me crazy, but I enjoy research. I was a history major, so I guess this shouldn't come as a shock to people who know me. Digging through old archives and newspapers and cartoons on Jack the Ripper? Staying at the library 24 hours straight with a stack of books so high you can build a fort (and enjoy your seventh latte of the day in private)? Yep, that's the stuff great college experiences are made of. Or at least mine was. Law school brought new research. I had to burn MLA and learn the dreaded Bluebook. That reminds me, I still need to send in a letter to the editor about those inconsistencies I found in the Bluebook. Silly Harvard kids and their nineteen editions and still not perfect. And who sends out email rejections? Sorry. I digress. Research. Ok, I'm the strange kid who likes being in the library. Yes, where the books are, NOT the computer lab. Books? Yes, legal research can still be conducted in books. I like to create fun Westlaw terms and connectors searches. That's right. Not Westlaw Next and not natural language. What can I say, I'm a purist (some might say stubborn or severely confused, maybe masochistic).
Research could be considered a 'law passion' of mine. With this background, I about jumped for joy when I saw a position on my school's job posting site for a part time research and writing position at a medium firm. The location was far away, but who doesn't love warm weather? After three years, I wanted to get back to living without four seasons. Anyway, I crafted a superb application and sent it in. This was Friday, right after graduation.
Today I get a phone call from the firm. OFFERING ME THE JOB! Yeah. Right? Never fear, it's only a part time position. Still not gainfully employed. I can still test out the less than stellar advice we've been getting about finding a full-time permanent position in the law where we won't lose our souls. So, I was excited. Part-time job. I can make some money. Hone my craft a little bit. And still make a fool of myself on the internet. But a question popped into the back of my head - what's their Westlaw plan? This is an important question to ask and understand the answer to if you want to keep a job.
"No plan. You have to provide your own resources for research." "Oh, ok. Well, I don't have a Westlaw account, but I can use the library. Books." "Yeah.... books aren't going to cut it. If you get access to Westlaw or a legal database let us know. But for now, thanks but no thanks. Bye now."
Wait. What just happened? I just had a job offer. I'd woken up at 11:00 and gotten a phone call with a job offer at 11:30. This was supposed to be a good day. I was getting ready to shkoff some cold pizza for brunch. Now they're taking the offer away? Because I can't pay for my own Westlaw account? Now I want to shkiaff the pizza. Shitty. (Sorry about the lingo, I'm upset and can't get Italian food out of my head. The French is appropriate).
Wait. This posting was for part-time work - - during the school year or post-grad. This got me thinking. No student has their own access to a legal database. I mean, maybe somewhere someone shelled out the money to have their own account, but that's ludicrous. And more to the point, none of us jobless J.D.'s are in the financial position to be pouring thousands of dollars to have our own Westlaw account just to do some part time work until the full time law job comes along.
Ok, so if we assume (which I think is safe here and should not result in being surrounded by asses) that no law student or recent law grad can afford to acquire their own Westlaw account, what are hirees expected to use for this firm? Oh. I used to have access to a Westlaw account. An academic Westlaw account. Are they expecting students to use their academic accounts? They'd have to, right? Either that or another firm or government entity's account where the student is also working part time. That's a whole other issue I'm not even going to touch. But the academic accounts?
Do they know we are training to be lawyers? Just to be clear, using an academic legal database account to conduct research for a law firm is a direct violation of the terms of use of that account. It's illegal and it's a violation of the professional code of ethics. So now I've not only lost the only semblance of a job offer I've had in the past nine months, but I've lost it because I could not and would not violate the law. Lovely. Hooray for my ethical decision (I did pass the MPRE). But now what? And what about current law students? I'm not sure that they would all be aware that accepting this type of position would be a violation of the law and ethics that could prevent them from being admitted to the bar. Call me crazy again, but that seems like a big shkiaffin' deal.
Has anyone else faced this problem? If you're a current law student, would you take the position? Or do you report them? This job was posted by your school for law students from your school. And accepting the position could render looking for a law-related passion moot.
At the end of the day, I didn't get my kicks. No new Les Paul to play with and no law job. I'll have to keep looking for my passion in another, legal (and law-related maybe) place. In the meantime, bar prep. Or Halo.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
A teaser
A quick teaser of what's to come. Of course it's easy to write about the gloomy situation. But I'm not stopping there.
First: Finding my passion. This most clearly manifested itself to me during a recent law review alumni/student member mixer. We went around our group and discussed where each of us would be working. Big firm. Big firm. Judicial Clerkship. Big firm. Nada. Still looking. "That's ok. You just need to find your passion. Find that, and everything will fall into place. You'll find the perfect job if you know what you're passionate about." Ok, that's paraphrased. It was a law review mixer with free alcohol. The whiskey and ginger ale in my hand, and my fancy no-pockets dress, prevented me from pulling out my tape recorder. But the point remains. Find your passion, and it'll all work out. So that one gets tackled first. After all, who doesn't love passion?
Second: At a recent career services event about doc review jobs, this was printed out and handed to each student. The first step, "Accept that this may be scary and frustrating," is pretty much what my first post was aiming at. Our situation sucks. But there it is and we need to deal with it. I think this article is a great idea and may help reassure some of us jobless J.D.'s. Unfortunately, not every step is as helpful as it might appear. And I still reckon that following all of these may not end up with an employed Dany in August. I will go through which ones I've already tried and why they didn't work. And because I'm not always right, I'll then tackle the rest.
Third: Carpe diem. I'm looking forward to this one. This was mentioned at my graduation. Plus it's in one of my favorite movies. Being afraid of heights (and this blog experience being geared at me finding a job), I think skydiving is out of the picture. Plus I haven't gotten a groupon for that in awhile. But I will find something equally thrilling and sexy for me to try and write about.
Fourth: You. Ok, I'm not trying you. I'm testing things for you. Tell me what advice you've been told. Something you tried and it didn't work. Something you're too socially awkward penguin to try. Something you're skeptical of. Or just something ridiculous. Like I said, I need a distraction from bar prep. I want this to be a great last summer vacation. And it better be my last summer vacation. I need a full-time law job by the end of this, and last I checked we don't get to go to summer theatre camp once we enter the law.
First: Finding my passion. This most clearly manifested itself to me during a recent law review alumni/student member mixer. We went around our group and discussed where each of us would be working. Big firm. Big firm. Judicial Clerkship. Big firm. Nada. Still looking. "That's ok. You just need to find your passion. Find that, and everything will fall into place. You'll find the perfect job if you know what you're passionate about." Ok, that's paraphrased. It was a law review mixer with free alcohol. The whiskey and ginger ale in my hand, and my fancy no-pockets dress, prevented me from pulling out my tape recorder. But the point remains. Find your passion, and it'll all work out. So that one gets tackled first. After all, who doesn't love passion?
Second: At a recent career services event about doc review jobs, this was printed out and handed to each student. The first step, "Accept that this may be scary and frustrating," is pretty much what my first post was aiming at. Our situation sucks. But there it is and we need to deal with it. I think this article is a great idea and may help reassure some of us jobless J.D.'s. Unfortunately, not every step is as helpful as it might appear. And I still reckon that following all of these may not end up with an employed Dany in August. I will go through which ones I've already tried and why they didn't work. And because I'm not always right, I'll then tackle the rest.
Third: Carpe diem. I'm looking forward to this one. This was mentioned at my graduation. Plus it's in one of my favorite movies. Being afraid of heights (and this blog experience being geared at me finding a job), I think skydiving is out of the picture. Plus I haven't gotten a groupon for that in awhile. But I will find something equally thrilling and sexy for me to try and write about.
Fourth: You. Ok, I'm not trying you. I'm testing things for you. Tell me what advice you've been told. Something you tried and it didn't work. Something you're too socially awkward penguin to try. Something you're skeptical of. Or just something ridiculous. Like I said, I need a distraction from bar prep. I want this to be a great last summer vacation. And it better be my last summer vacation. I need a full-time law job by the end of this, and last I checked we don't get to go to summer theatre camp once we enter the law.
It'll All Work Out
Don't worry. It'll all work out. Things will fall into place. You'll end up where you're supposed to be. Have you applied for unpaid internships? Have you even applied anywhere? You're not getting anything because you're not trying hard enough. Stop being lazy. There are so many opportunities for lawyers. You can be anything!
Just find your passion. Then it'll all work out.
If you just graduated with a J.D., jobless, then you heard something to this effect at least three times on graduation day. Not to mention at 3L luncheons, alumni events, career service events, and from family and friends. Surely this phrase is meant to comfort us. To instill in us the drive to carry on and prosper. As if without this tidbit of advice we juris doctorates might not know we should continue to apply for jobs. Of course we want to find a legal job after all this time and money. But 'it'll all work out' is not the right advice.
Following advice is part of what got me here. You can't make a life out of dancing, it's just a hobby. You're smart, you should go to college. College grads are special and should aspire to save the world. Shaping the law will help you save the world. You should go to law school. (What else are you going to do with a liberal arts degree?)
So you want to succeed at law school? Here's what you do: 1) excel at legal research and writing, 2) get onto law review, 3) become close with your professors, 4) get varied and prestigious internships, 5) get a CALI award or two, 6) maybe do a moot court, 7) graduate with honors, and 8) find a way to distinguish yourself. Check, check, check, check, check, check, check, check. Phew, got 'em all. Law school success! But wait, law school success no longer equals a job at the end of your legal education.
There was a time when intelligent people could go to law school and not have too many problems finding jobs. Of course they got rejection letters. But come August, the majority had paid legal positions. These are the professors we look up to, the alumni we seek out, the attorneys we interview with, the grandparents, aunts and uncles we sit with at Thanksgiving dinner. These are the baby boomers and they lived in a different time. Look around. The market is saturated. The economy sucks. There are too many lawyers. There are ever more law school graduates. There are far fewer law jobs. And yet we jobless J.D.'s are surprised. We shouldn't be. And besides, it's not the end of the world.
Some people will say it was our fault for not doing the research, or the law school's fault for not portraying accurate job placement data, or the economy's fault for not having enough available positions for all of us graduating law students. But in the end it doesn't really matter whose fault it is. It matters that we stop pushing students towards law degrees, increasingly high debt, and a job market that just can't accomodate them. There are jobs out there other than the ones listed in the Game of Life. And we should learn more about them before we are 27 with a law degree, bachelor's and master's degrees, and a pile of debt, down-playing resumes to try and get a job as a barista and a beer wench just to makes ends meet until 'it all works out.'
This is the situation we are in and it sucks. We need to realize that it sucks and be honest about it. When you told people you were considering law school, did anyone tell you that you shouldn't go? That you should really think about it? That there aren't jobs? No. If it was anything like my experience, you heard about all the wonderful opportunities lawyers have. About your cousin who works in Switzerland, or a friend of a friend who clerked on the Fifth Circuit and is now a partner at a big firm. You don't hear about the barred barista or the thousands of jobless J.D.'s upon graduation these days. What will you tell people who ask you whether they should go to law school?
Now this blog is not a sounding board for whining about the woes of graduating without a job. The situation sucks, but we can deal with it. This blog is meant to shine the light on the reality of most graduating 3Ls: we are jobless J.D.'s who must now spend two months studying 10 hours a day in order to pass a bar exam, wait three months, and then wait for a job to come along where we can finally utilize this $100,000+ license. This blog is meant to dispel the good advice from the bad advice so that we can move on with our lives. And in the process maybe it will help those who think that law school equals a well-paying job upon graduation realize that those days are past.
So, starting next week, amidst the excitement of starting bar prep (hooray!), I will be following the advice we've been given. I need a distraction from learning everything I was supposed to learn in the past three years anyway. Who knows, maybe some of it will work. So tell me what advice you've been given, and I'll test its veracity. For now, we'll start with find your passion.
Find my passion and it'll all work out? Well then. If you say so.
Just find your passion. Then it'll all work out.
If you just graduated with a J.D., jobless, then you heard something to this effect at least three times on graduation day. Not to mention at 3L luncheons, alumni events, career service events, and from family and friends. Surely this phrase is meant to comfort us. To instill in us the drive to carry on and prosper. As if without this tidbit of advice we juris doctorates might not know we should continue to apply for jobs. Of course we want to find a legal job after all this time and money. But 'it'll all work out' is not the right advice.
Following advice is part of what got me here. You can't make a life out of dancing, it's just a hobby. You're smart, you should go to college. College grads are special and should aspire to save the world. Shaping the law will help you save the world. You should go to law school. (What else are you going to do with a liberal arts degree?)
So you want to succeed at law school? Here's what you do: 1) excel at legal research and writing, 2) get onto law review, 3) become close with your professors, 4) get varied and prestigious internships, 5) get a CALI award or two, 6) maybe do a moot court, 7) graduate with honors, and 8) find a way to distinguish yourself. Check, check, check, check, check, check, check, check. Phew, got 'em all. Law school success! But wait, law school success no longer equals a job at the end of your legal education.
There was a time when intelligent people could go to law school and not have too many problems finding jobs. Of course they got rejection letters. But come August, the majority had paid legal positions. These are the professors we look up to, the alumni we seek out, the attorneys we interview with, the grandparents, aunts and uncles we sit with at Thanksgiving dinner. These are the baby boomers and they lived in a different time. Look around. The market is saturated. The economy sucks. There are too many lawyers. There are ever more law school graduates. There are far fewer law jobs. And yet we jobless J.D.'s are surprised. We shouldn't be. And besides, it's not the end of the world.
Some people will say it was our fault for not doing the research, or the law school's fault for not portraying accurate job placement data, or the economy's fault for not having enough available positions for all of us graduating law students. But in the end it doesn't really matter whose fault it is. It matters that we stop pushing students towards law degrees, increasingly high debt, and a job market that just can't accomodate them. There are jobs out there other than the ones listed in the Game of Life. And we should learn more about them before we are 27 with a law degree, bachelor's and master's degrees, and a pile of debt, down-playing resumes to try and get a job as a barista and a beer wench just to makes ends meet until 'it all works out.'
This is the situation we are in and it sucks. We need to realize that it sucks and be honest about it. When you told people you were considering law school, did anyone tell you that you shouldn't go? That you should really think about it? That there aren't jobs? No. If it was anything like my experience, you heard about all the wonderful opportunities lawyers have. About your cousin who works in Switzerland, or a friend of a friend who clerked on the Fifth Circuit and is now a partner at a big firm. You don't hear about the barred barista or the thousands of jobless J.D.'s upon graduation these days. What will you tell people who ask you whether they should go to law school?
Now this blog is not a sounding board for whining about the woes of graduating without a job. The situation sucks, but we can deal with it. This blog is meant to shine the light on the reality of most graduating 3Ls: we are jobless J.D.'s who must now spend two months studying 10 hours a day in order to pass a bar exam, wait three months, and then wait for a job to come along where we can finally utilize this $100,000+ license. This blog is meant to dispel the good advice from the bad advice so that we can move on with our lives. And in the process maybe it will help those who think that law school equals a well-paying job upon graduation realize that those days are past.
So, starting next week, amidst the excitement of starting bar prep (hooray!), I will be following the advice we've been given. I need a distraction from learning everything I was supposed to learn in the past three years anyway. Who knows, maybe some of it will work. So tell me what advice you've been given, and I'll test its veracity. For now, we'll start with find your passion.
Find my passion and it'll all work out? Well then. If you say so.
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