Overview
The Career Services Office can and should be utilized in different ways by law students as they progress towards their Juris Doctor degree. Students in the first year have a differing need for career services than do second or third year students. The following is meant to serve only as a guide or general awareness to productive uses of the services available. This is not meant to limit in any way the use of the Career Services Office by any student.
First Year Students
The National Association for Law Placement (NALP) states in its Principles and Standards for Law Placement and Recruitment Activities that first year students and employers should not initiate contact with one another prior to December 1 of the first year of study. Furthermore, employers should not interview or make offers to first year students before that date. This principle was adopted to assist both students and employers in an orderly and academically appropriate approach to initial legal employment.
Fall Semester
- Begin preparing your resume.
- Determine which student activities, organizations or memberships would benefit your professional interests and job search--sign up and participate!!
- Start the decision making process regarding what type of work or professional environment you prefer.
Spring Semester
- Finalize your resume.
- Visit the Career Services Office to familiarize yourself with the resources available to you.
- Check the Job Board regularly for employment and career services opportunities.
Second Year Students
The second year is an important time in the planning of the type of career you wish to pursue. One way to help in the decision-making process is to contact professors, law school graduates, or others who work in fields that interest you. These networking activities can provide you with valuable information as well as contacts with potential employers. In these informational interviews, it is important to remember to be professional in your approach and activities.
Fall Semester
- Update your resume.
- Draft a cover letter for your off-campus job search.
- Identify and seek permission to list your contacts as references.
- Purchase your recruiting/interview wardrobe.
- Prepare a writing sample for those employers requesting it.
- Contact the Career Services Office for individual consultation regarding your resume, interview skills, or general tips for your job search.
- Decide what type of employment you plan to seek for the summer.
- Check the Job Board for employment and on-campus interview schedules.
- Sign up for interviews in which you are interested at the Career Services Office.
Spring Semester
- Continue to check the Job Board.
- Continue the interview process.
- Attend Career Service Programs regarding legal and non- traditional types of employment.
- Obtain employment for the summer!!
Third Year Students
Your last year of law school! This is the culmination of years of goal setting, study, and achievement. The Career Services Office can help you focus your job search and provide you with information that can assist in obtaining the type of employment you desire. It is important to let the Career Services Office know what your plans are so that you may be contacted if professional or geographic job opportunities arise.
Fall Semester
- Develop and implement a yearlong strategy to obtain the job you want.
- Update your resume with your employment experiences.
- Update and add to your recruiting/interviewing wardrobe.
- Analyze your job seeking strategy from last year. Did it work? Does it need to be altered?
- Focus on your area of interest.
Spring Semester
- Check the Job Board for current openings and up-coming interviews.
- Follow through on any employment opportunities of interest to you.
- Continue your independent job hunt utilizing the many services available to you.
- Get the professional position you have worked so hard to achieve.
