How to Handle the 1L Job Search: Persist in the Face of Long Odds
The following article is part two of a 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 persisting in the face of long odds to get a 1L job that pays and could become your permanent job. Without further ado, please enjoy part 2 of the series:
2. Persist in the face of long odds to get a 1L job that pays and could become your permanent job
I was a bit of a hysterical 1L. I knew I wanted to work in private practice, and it made me uneasy that I might have only one significant chance at landing a job at a larger law firm through OCI (which occurs at the end of 1L summer). I also really needed to earn enough money at least to make it through the summer, so I opted to forego some of the early opportunities in December and January. To be clear, I did not have high hopes for landing one of these jobs, given the statistic that most 1L’s do not get paid employment during the summer, but I wanted to exhaust all possibilities before giving up.
As a result, I broadened the scope of my search, and I applied for summer jobs in a wide variety of law firms and corporations all over the country. I received some screening (stage 1) interviews in January and February with law firms, but by April, I still had not received a callback (stage 2) interview with any of these law firms. I started to develop a backup plan. I accepted an opportunity to do some legal work at my law school, part-time but paid. But, out of the blue, one law firm (in a different state) invited me to go for a callback interview soon afterward. To go to this interview, my law school’s career office said that I had to back out of the part-time job I had accepted. It was a huge risk (I would have had to find some other job if this didn’t pan out), but I did it anyway (“High-risk, high-reward,” I thought.). I ended up getting the job and I was officially a 1L summer associate at a firm with over 750 attorneys, even though it was in a different geographic location from my law school. I am also returning to this firm for my 2L summer and, hopefully, permanently after that.
What I really want to illustrate with this story is that there are certainly these kinds of possibilities out there, but they are not easy to find, and you may have to be willing to pass up other, more likely possibilities. This can be a perilous approach to the 1L job search, as it could leave you scrambling for a summer job in April. It can also be time-consuming and difficult to manage with your classes.
Although it required me to be flexible in terms of geography, I felt compelled to knock on every door and explore every avenue. I recognize that this approach may not be appropriate for those who need to be in one geographic region (for networking, for family, etc.), those who rightly feel more confident with their prospects at OCI, or those who are open to alternatives to private practice. But the benefits of this approach are that you could end up with an incredible learning experience and start building valuable working relationships during your 1L summer. Even if you don’t get a job in a law firm, you will get much better at articulating your career goals by having to describe them when you apply and interview.
I also want to mention that I found PracticePro because I was conducting such an extensive search for 1L opportunities, and I am forever thankful for the advice and support I have received from Niki and Julie during this critical time. If you are not doing what everyone else seems to be doing (that is, focusing all your energies on OCI if you are going into private practice), you might start to wonder if you are sabotaging your future. It is at these moments that a second opinion from Niki or Julie can really help. It really is your own journey, whatever you decide to do with it, and the more information you gather, the better your decisions will be. So don’t be daunted by the 1L job search – stay focused on what you want and take a calculated approach! You are sure to find something you did not expect to find!
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.