3L Strategies3L Strategies

How to Get a Job with Your JDHow to Get a Job with Your JD

The EconomyThe Economy

Nearly every day, news breaks of another legal employer reassessing its personnel needs to more closely align with decreased client demand, budget constraints, and/or a “sponsored” workforce.

Take Control of Your Career Take Control of Your Career DestinyDestiny

Be pro-active and realisticBe pro-active and realisticPrepare Now – Be Your Best Self Prepare Now – Be Your Best Self

AdvocateAdvocateRe-AssessRe-AssessTransferable SkillsTransferable SkillsResourcesResources

Professional Tool KitProfessional Tool KitBuild Your NetworkBuild Your Network

Every student has two Every student has two choices…choices…

You canYou can Sit back and wait, assuming that this Sit back and wait, assuming that this

job market doesn’t and wont’ apply to job market doesn’t and wont’ apply to you or will go away if you ignore it you or will go away if you ignore it long enough; long enough; OROR

Take deliberate, positive steps to Take deliberate, positive steps to position yourself well as a lawyer-position yourself well as a lawyer-leader no matter what happens leader no matter what happens around youaround you

Step 1 – Self-ReflectionStep 1 – Self-Reflection

What do you want?What do you want? What are your strengths?What are your strengths? What are your values?What are your values? The more clarity you have, the better The more clarity you have, the better

you will be able to set realistic goals you will be able to set realistic goals and empower your network to assist and empower your network to assist you.you.

Tough EconomyTough Economy

It will happen again…It will happen again…– Show your tenacity, persistence and Show your tenacity, persistence and

resilienceresilience To practice or not to practice law?To practice or not to practice law? What you do now will not be your What you do now will not be your

“forever” career opportunity.“forever” career opportunity. What can you do now?What can you do now? Market your strengths!Market your strengths!

Strengths = Transferable Strengths = Transferable SkillsSkills

LegalLegal – research, writing, oral – research, writing, oral advocacy, negotiation, mediation, advocacy, negotiation, mediation, analysis, contracts, etc.analysis, contracts, etc.

AdaptiveAdaptive – problem-solving, work – problem-solving, work ethic, professionalism, time ethic, professionalism, time management, multi-tasking, etc.management, multi-tasking, etc.

TechnicalTechnical – computer proficiency, – computer proficiency, foreign language, web development, foreign language, web development, etc.etc.

Step 2 - Job ResearchStep 2 - Job Research

What else is out there?What else is out there? SymplicitySymplicity OCPD staffOCPD staff AlumniAlumni Lawyers in your networkLawyers in your network Friends & familyFriends & family Publications: Publications: IBJIBJ, , Indiana LawyerIndiana Lawyer, etc., etc.

Beyond Law FirmsBeyond Law Firms

Higher educationHigher education IU, Ivy Tech, Community CollegesIU, Ivy Tech, Community Colleges www.higheredjobs.com Chronicle of Higher EducationChronicle of Higher Education Private high schools and college prep Private high schools and college prep

schoolsschools

Have you considered…Have you considered…

Naval Surface Warfare Center Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane(NSWC) Crane– Contract SpecialistsContract Specialists– EnvironmentalEnvironmental– LogisticsLogistics– http://

www.crane.navy.mil/defaulthome.asp

Non-ProfitsNon-Profits

Fundraising is hot right now!Fundraising is hot right now! Think like a lawyer:Think like a lawyer:

– Building relationshipsBuilding relationships– NegotiationNegotiation– ContractsContracts– Wills, estates, trustsWills, estates, trusts– TaxTax

Public InterestPublic Interest

Volunteer with Legal Aid or another Volunteer with Legal Aid or another public interest organization to build public interest organization to build upon existing skills and learn new upon existing skills and learn new ones.ones.

Volunteer in chambers of a local Volunteer in chambers of a local judge, whether at home or in the judge, whether at home or in the place of your future employment.place of your future employment.

Volunteer with state or local Volunteer with state or local government.government.

Health Care ArenaHealth Care Arena

Human ResourcesHuman Resources AdministrationAdministration ContractsContracts ProcurementProcurement LogisticsLogistics ComplianceCompliance

Federal Government

273, 000 Mission-critical jobs to be filled through 2012 – Partnership for Public Service

– #3 Enforcement and Compliance – 31,000– #4 Legal – 23,500

www.usajobs.gov Presidential Management Fellowship Honors Programs Final Semester in DC

Earn Money Post Graduation Earn Money Post Graduation

FellowshipsFellowships Contract Law FirmsContract Law Firms See OCPD Online Resources for a listSee OCPD Online Resources for a list Register for multiple temp firmsRegister for multiple temp firms Other temporary options…Other temporary options…

Think LocallyThink Locally

Volunteering could lead to contract Volunteering could lead to contract work and full-time employment.work and full-time employment.

What’s in your area?What’s in your area? Go to the local Chamber of Go to the local Chamber of

Commerce.Commerce. Attend Chamber events.Attend Chamber events. Become involved in preferred Become involved in preferred

geographic area.geographic area.

LexisNexis Associates Serving LexisNexis Associates Serving Public Interest Research Public Interest Research

(ASPIRE)(ASPIRE) ASPIRE provides complimentary LexisNexis access to ASPIRE provides complimentary LexisNexis access to

deferred fall associates pursuing public interest work.deferred fall associates pursuing public interest work. They are now expanding eligibility to They are now expanding eligibility to allall 2010 graduates 2010 graduates

pursuing verifiable public service (non-profit or charitable) pursuing verifiable public service (non-profit or charitable) work.  This includes:work.  This includes:

(1)    Deferred fall associates pursuing public interest work (1)    Deferred fall associates pursuing public interest work during their deferral periods,during their deferral periods,

(2)    2010 graduates who elect to pursue public interest (2)    2010 graduates who elect to pursue public interest work while searching for law firm employment, andwork while searching for law firm employment, and

(3)    Those 2010 graduates who pursue public interest (3)    Those 2010 graduates who pursue public interest work as a continuing profession.work as a continuing profession.

Complimentary LexisNexis access will be provided Complimentary LexisNexis access will be provided throughout these graduates’ public interest employment throughout these graduates’ public interest employment periods, up until September 2011 maximum.  periods, up until September 2011 maximum. 

Interested graduates may sign up now at Interested graduates may sign up now at www.lexisnexis.com/aspire.  . 

Step 3 – Goal SettingStep 3 – Goal Setting

Set up reasonable job search goals.Set up reasonable job search goals. Be organized.Be organized. ““Finding a job is a full-time job!”Finding a job is a full-time job!” Give yourself action steps and Give yourself action steps and

deadlines.deadlines. Be persistent and patient.Be persistent and patient.

Step 4 – Re-Tool

Revise cover letter Update resume Practice interviewing Solicit letters of recommendation and

references

STEP 5 - NetworkingSTEP 5 - Networking

Remember that you are in the Remember that you are in the

““relationship business”!relationship business”!

Communication is KeyCommunication is Key

Periodically update contacts with Periodically update contacts with new, relevant information about you:new, relevant information about you:– Articles/notes writtenArticles/notes written– Involvement with symposiumsInvolvement with symposiums– Particularly high gradesParticularly high grades– Other leadership roles or personal Other leadership roles or personal

accomplishmentsaccomplishments– A summery of your summer workA summery of your summer work

Stay abreast of positive happenings at Stay abreast of positive happenings at your former employers, and let them know your former employers, and let them know that you know of the great things taking that you know of the great things taking placeplace– Press ReleasesPress Releases– Deals ClosedDeals Closed– Recent VictoriesRecent Victories– Articles written by attorneys in your Articles written by attorneys in your

expected practice areaexpected practice area Routinely review newspapers and legal Routinely review newspapers and legal

publications, and forward on “articles of publications, and forward on “articles of interest” to contacts with a quick personal interest” to contacts with a quick personal note.note.

Check-in with hiring Check-in with hiring partners/recruiters to remind them of partners/recruiters to remind them of your self-sufficiency and reiterate your your self-sufficiency and reiterate your enthusiasm.enthusiasm.

All of this paints a positive picture of All of this paints a positive picture of an individual who is engaged, an individual who is engaged, prepared and ready to work.prepared and ready to work.

Out of Sight = Out of Mind !!Out of Sight = Out of Mind !!

Your To-Do ListYour To-Do List

Network with alumniNetwork with alumni– Indiana Law and IUAAIndiana Law and IUAA– Are you a member of the alumni Are you a member of the alumni

association at your undergrad (Masters, association at your undergrad (Masters, PhD) school?PhD) school?

– Job shadowJob shadow– Informational interviewInformational interview– VolunteerVolunteer

Join local and/or state bar associationsJoin local and/or state bar associations

Personal NewsletterPersonal Newsletter

Send a newsletter via post or emailSend a newsletter via post or email Your pitchYour pitch

– I’m in my final year of law school…I’m in my final year of law school…– What are you looking for?What are you looking for?– What do you do well?What do you do well?– Can you introduce me to others?Can you introduce me to others?– Ask for help.Ask for help.

Business CardsBusiness Cards

OCPD – University PrintingOCPD – University Printing Vista Print onlineVista Print online Kinkos, Word templateKinkos, Word template Name, JD, phone, emailName, JD, phone, email Keep it professionalKeep it professional Important toolImportant tool

AdviceAdvice

Let OCPD help you!Let OCPD help you! Don’t be a well-kept secret.Don’t be a well-kept secret. Get out there and meet people.Get out there and meet people. Think about what you want.Think about what you want. Know what you do well.Know what you do well. Be persistent and patient.Be persistent and patient.

RememberRemember No matter how well you plan…you don’t No matter how well you plan…you don’t

always have control.always have control. Think Strengths Not Weaknesses.Think Strengths Not Weaknesses. It’s not always about It’s not always about YouYou when you don’t when you don’t

get a job.get a job. Persistence trumps talent.Persistence trumps talent. Make excellent mistakes.Make excellent mistakes. Leave an imprint.Leave an imprint. Have courage.Have courage. Stay positive!Stay positive! Change your mind…it’s OK.Change your mind…it’s OK.