How to Handle the 1L Job Search: Figure Out What You Want and Take Calculated Risks
The following article is part of a two-week series authored by Cameron Chan, one of PracticePro's wonderful Diversity Scholars. Cameron's bio is provided at the end of this article. Cameron offers two possible routes to nailing down a 1L summer position. This week he will focus on the option to pin down your 1L job early to save energy for the upcoming 2L job search and focus on your grades. Stay tuned for next week to read part 2 of the series about persisting in the face of long odds and hopefully getting a 1L job that pays. Without further ado, please enjoy part 1 of the series:
The 1L year is a transformative experience. On paper, it is only one-third of your time in law school, but it is, in fact, a giant leap towards your ultimate goal of working in the legal field. After you make it through 1L, you need to get some legal experience on your resume during the summer. Like every other aspect of the law school experience, it is a good idea to treat this job search seriously. I worked in private practice during my 1L summer, so my experience will come from that perspective, and my advice will not apply to everyone.
At my law school orientation, the dean said that our legal careers had begun on that day. I believe what she meant was that we had to have the right mindset, and I have spent a lot of time figuring out what the “right mindset” really is. This year, as a 2L, I am part of a student advisory board, and a recurring theme is that many 1L’s are daunted by cold calls, networking, and other instances where they are called upon to speak up. I think the concern that many people have is that each of these instances is a brand new opportunity to fall flat on your face, and falling flat on your face is usually a bad thing. But in law school, as long as you are not careless (unprepared) or unethical (cheating), falling flat on your face is no big deal. Persistence is all you’ve got, and persistence is how you improve. I believe this is true in life in general, but law school constantly reminds you of this.
Getting back to the 1L job search, I believe there are a couple of ways you can approach it. But first, you want to think about whether you want to explore different possibilities or work within one practice area/environment during your 1L summer. Once you have made that decision, you can either (1) pin down your 1L job early to save your energy for the upcoming 2L job search or (2) persist in the face of long odds to get a 1L job that pays and could become your permanent job. I believe there are advantages to both approaches, but you’ll want to make a calculated decision.
1. Pin down your 1L job early to save your energy for the upcoming 2L job search
Your grades in your 1L year are truly important. If you feel that the job search might become too much of a distraction, it can be a good idea to act early (December and January) to finalize your summer plans and get back to your schoolwork. At this time, there are plenty of opportunities. Although these are mostly in unpaid public interest jobs, your 1L summer job does not have to determine your future career path unless you want it to. You can find something interesting, lock it down, and look forward to the summer. You will likely have to conduct a search for a permanent job later on, but this approach will keep you focused for the time being and conserve your energies for later. But keep in mind that if you want to pursue a different path after your 1L summer, you should identify transferable skills for other interviews. At the end of the day, you want to be able to explain how your summer experience gave you skills that you can use later in your career.
The caveat to this approach, of course, is that you will not be paid during the summer. The reality is that this is less of a problem for some than for others. If you foresee that it will be a problem, you want to take steps to participate in any program your school may offer to provide grants to 1L students doing certain types of jobs during the summer or secure funding otherwise (additional student loans, taking a class over the summer to secure additional loans, part-time job during the summer, etc.). Ultimately, however, if summer finances are a problem, you may opt to spend more time on your job search to find something that pays at least as much as a summer grant (usually around $5,000 over the course of the summer). Throughout all of this, just remember that, even if you don’t get paid this summer, you are working towards a bigger goal. Think again about why you are drawn to legal work and why you find meaning in legal work.
When dealing with the 1L summer job search it's important to have someone to discuss your options with. PracticePro can help you troubleshoot, formulate a strategic plan, and provide ongoing support in executing it. PracticePro offers a free 20-minute consult to all law students. You can schedule your consultation here.
Cameron Chan's Bio:
As a child, I was fascinated by mechanical things, like cars and architecture, and I was very interested in geography, so I suppose it is no big surprise that I chose to study chemical engineering in college. Thinking about a career, I was inspired by my parents, who are immigrants and lifelong blue-collar workers. They taught me to work hard and to work smart. I chose law school because I liked the idea of developing into a more well-rounded professional and getting more value out of my degree by going into IP. When I am not busy, I enjoy experiences like traveling, trying new foods, and going to museums.