10 Tips for Landing J.D. Jobs – from the National Law Journal
by Ashley Matthews, PSJD Fellow
It’s no secret that looking for legal employment in today’s market is tough.
In fact, job-hunting is like a full-time job in itself. If you’re serious about landing a legal job, you are more than likely searching sites like PSJD and Idealist every day (maybe multiple times a day). You’re probably networking like crazy. If you’re still in law school, you may even be stalking your career services office and Symplicity’s job bank.
There are thousands of other law students and lawyers doing that exact same thing, but there are other ways to help yourself land the legal job of your dreams. American University Washington College of Law’s Walter A. Effross wrote a great National Law Journal article, “10 Tips for Landing J.D. Jobs for Law Students and Graduates,” focused on providing specific practices for maximizing your credentials, networks and career opportunities. Here are a few tips from the article that may be of particular relevance to public interest law students and lawyers:
#5: If you’re more comfortable communicating face to face, consider attending the ABA’s Annual Meeting in August…
The 2013 Annual Meeting will be in San Francisco from August 8-13th. Effross writes, “These conferences, which rotate among major cities, present unequaled opportunities to gather substantive information; to participate in the cutting-edge drafting projects of specialized committees; to meet an extraordinary range of practitioners, regulators and judges; and even (as several of my students have discovered) to secure job offers.” Right on, Prof.
#8: Consider submitting your legal writing to a state or city bar journal, or creating a blog to showcase your ongoing involvement with a particular issue.
Getting published is a great way to prove your commitment to a specific practice area. It’s also one more way to stand out while applying for competitive jobs.
#9: You might form a student or practitioner group that, in organizing and recruiting speakers for a symposium, combines traditional publishing with blogging and networking.
Networking events can be boring, and cold-calling potential employers can be frightening. This tip is a great way to do both while avoiding the awkward feeling of not knowing what to talk about. Starting your own student group or putting together a panel shows initiative and will force you to get out there and meet people in your chosen field.
#10: It’s never too early in your legal career to review the seven-page, 63-item “Obama Administration Questionnaire,” which is easily found online.
Want to apply for clerkships, federal or state intelligence positions, or maybe even political or judicial appointments one day? This slightly controversial questionnaire may be helpful in letting you know “the categories of activities that could someday jeopardize your applications,” Effross warns. It may be worth a look.
Click here to check out the rest of Effross’s tips!