Transcript Slide 1
Career Services Office presents EVENING / SECOND CAREER STUDENTS: How to make the most of your experience How Do I get Legal Experience when I already have a full-time job? • Evening students face a special set of challenges – Typically employed full-time on with a busy course load, seeking legal experience – Generally unable to devote summers to legal employment – May be in a position that pays more than a first year associate and need to consider a temporary trade down in salary. • Legal employers expect you to graduate law school with practical legal experience – Employers want to know that you can apply the skills that you developed in your law school classes – That when you are hired, you can hit the ground running Options for Evening Students • Clerk for a Firm Full-Time while in School • Pro Bono & Public Interest Opportunities – Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Project – Legal Aid ( Nassau, Suffolk & NYC)- Weekend Arraignments – The Resolution Assistance Program ( RAP) with the Housing Part of the Civil Court of NYC – Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts • Research Assistant for a Professor • Project Work – – – – – Take CLEs Write an article for a bar association publication or law-related website Volunteer to research an issue for the local bar association Draft a journal article or note Volunteer for attorneys or professors • Explore Opportunities with your current employer • Externships/Clinics The Resume • • • • • • Review CSO Resume/Cover letter Tips Handout As a non traditional student you may want to modify your presentation to highlight and emphasize the special skills and experience that will most interest potential employers. Typically limited to 1 page, unless you have a great deal of “relevant” experience. Special Tips for Evening Students – List your Education 1st • Important if you have substantial non-legal work experience and are looking for a legal position. • Extracurricular activities and academic honors in law school should be included in this section Discuss Transferable Skills in your job descriptions – List words with which lawyers can identify ( negotiated, taught, advocated, etc..) List Licenses and Professional Affiliations The Cover Letter • One Page. • First example of your writing skills so it needs to be flawless! • Avoid “Dear Hiring Partner”-find a name • Indicate why you are interested in that employer and why they should be interested in you • Tailor it to the specific employer –or at least to the type of employer you are writing to The Horror that is the Interview • An interview can make or break a job offer • You must know what the employer does and how you fit in • Be prepared! Have an interview prep session with a CSO counselor Typical Interview Questions • Why did you decide to change careers and attend law school? • Why are you enrolled in the Evening Division? • Why aren’t you participating in more activities such as law review or moot court? • How will your past education or experiences benefit you in the practice of law? • What are your transferable skills? • How will you feel being supervised by someone who may have graduated college or law school after you? RESOURCES • • • • • • • • • CSO Blog JACOB (symplicity) Martindale.com PSLAWNET.ORG Job Fairs Informational Interviews Bar Associations ( Network, CLE’s…) Alumni Office Reciprocity