Sample Networking Materials. Prepared by Virginia Rowthorn, Managing Director, Law & Health Care Program

Transcription

1 Sample Networking Materials Prepared by Virginia Rowthorn, Managing Director, Law & Health Care Program to set up informational interview based on referral 1. Subject Line: UM Carey Health Law Student: Informational Interview Request Dear Mr./Ms., I am a second year health law student at University of Maryland Carey School of Law. I have taken Health Care Law & Policy and Administrative Law and am particularly interested in learning more about the Health Occupations Prosecution and Litigation Division of the Office of the Attorney General and, more generally, about health-related positions in the AG s office. I m not looking for a position now but hoping to learn more about the types of positions out there as I prepare to enter the employment market. If you would be willing to meet for a cup of coffee at your convenience or schedule a brief call, I would be most grateful. So that you can learn more about my background, I ve attached my resume. Thank you so much, Jane Q. Student 2. Subject Line: Professor suggested I contact you for an informational interview Dear Mr./Ms., On the advice of, I am contacting you to ask if you might be willing to meet me for a brief informational interview to tell me a little about what you and your organization do and to give me an idea of potential opportunities in your field for when I do commence my job hunt. I am a third year law student at UM Carey Law and am working toward the Health Law Certificate. I have externed/interned at and. I am also a student attorney in the clinic. I am attaching my resume so you can learn a little more about me. If you had a few minutes to meet in the next few weeks in person or on the phone, I would be most thankful. Best, John Q. Student

2 3. Dear Mr./Ms., I am a 1L/2L/3L at UM Carey Law, and I was referred to you by Professor when she learned of my interest in health law. I am very interested in the field and would love to get your insight on how to make myself more marketable to firms with a strong health law practice. If you could spare 15 minutes for a brief meeting in your office or a phone call at your convenience, I would appreciate the opportunity to get your advice for a student in my position. Please let me know if there is a convenient time to reach you, and I will follow up by phone next week. Jane Q. Student to set up informational interview - no referral Dear Mr./Ms., I am a second year health law student at University of Maryland Carey School of Law. Having taken Health Care Law & Policy and Fraud & Abuse, I have become very interested in the type of law practiced by hospital in-house counsel. I learned online that you are an alum of the law school and work in an in-house counsel position. I hope you don t mind this cold to ask if you might be willing to meet me for a brief informational interview to tell me a little about what you and your organization do and to give me some idea of potential opportunities in your field for when I commence my job hunt. If you would be willing to meet for a cup of coffee at your convenience or schedule a brief call, I would be most grateful. So that you can learn more about my background, I ve attached my resume. Thank you so much, Jane Q. Student **Other phrases to stick in the s above as appropriate: I really want to learn more about your health law practice and the career path that you took. I d really appreciate any advice you have for a student interested in health law and how to best market myself in a down economy. I d love to get your thoughts on the firms in Baltimore/DC/ that are doing the best work in health law. Conversational Starters 1. Suggested questions to ask your networking contact:

3 How did you become interested in this area of the law? What part of your job provided the most challenges? What changes have you seen in your practice area over the years? How do you acquire clients (if in private practice)? Are there any lifestyle considerations I should be aware of? If you could start all over again, would you choose the same path? Are there any personal attributes that you feel are crucial to success in this field? What kinds of course work, additional training, and practical experiences will make me most marketable in your field? What do you think of my experiences to date? How can I improve my experience and resume? Are there any professional organizations or publications that I should look into to learn more about the field? (taken from Careers in Health Law, Singer et al, ABA Publication) 2. Questions at networking event when you need to approach stranger: Hi, I m John Doe. I m a 1 st year student here. Are you an alum of the law school or health law program? Do you practice health law now? Hi, I m Jane Doe. I m a 2 nd year student at University of Maryland Law School. You must be a health lawyer if you re here. Do you practice locally? Hi, I m John Doe. I m a 1 st year health law student. Are you an alum of the law school? Do you come back to the school often? Cover letters Great cover letter samples for law students of all years here: Thank you notes **(it is wonderful to send a thank you note via snail mail, especially after an informational interview when you have more time to respond. is satisfactory especially after internship/externship interviews as long as you personalize the to the recipient and the position. Avoid any evidence of cutting and pasting.) 1. Thank you To: [email protected] From: [email protected] Subject: My recent interview with your office Date: February 15, 2014 Dear Ms. Lawyer:

4 Thank you for taking the time to interview me yesterday for a first-year summer internship position in the Attorney General s office. I enjoyed hearing about your recent court battle regarding the use of ventilators in public health emergencies. I also appreciated your insights into the daily tasks and responsibilities of attorneys in your office. Please pass my thanks along to Ms., who was very hospitable in showing me around the office. I remain very interested in a summer internship/position and look forward to hearing from you soon. John Q. Student 2. Thank you Dear Ms. Smith, Thank you for taking the time to meet with me yesterday to discuss my strong interest in the internship at the Health and Human Rights Center. I enjoyed learning about the organization s recent efforts to protect access to health care among Medicaid patients in Baltimore. As a health law student, I am particularly interested in access to health care and how health lawyers can make a difference in that area. Our conversation yesterday further strengthened my interest in working for HHRC this semester. Please let me know if I can provide you with additional information. Thank you again for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you soon. John Maryland 3. Thank you letter Dear Ms. Jones, Thank you for taking the time to speak with me about the available position at the Food Research and Action Center. I was fascinated to learn about the broad range of projects the Center undertakes and the impact it is making in the area of food safety particularly. I know that I would enjoy working with you and the other people from the Center with whom I met yesterday. Please let me know if I can provide you with any additional information. Thank you again for your consideration.

5 Jennifer Student Questions you may be asked in job or internship/externship interview: Tell me about yourself. Answer in concise, one-minute-or-less, focused answer. Prepare in advance. Why are you interested in practicing health law? Other there is no standard definition, you should know what health law is, that there are many areas of health law, and why you re interested in this area of health law. Why are you interested in our firm/organization? Again, provide a focused answer based on having done prior research regarding the organization and its work. What can I tell you about the firm/organization? Have some questions ready (see below). Do you think your law school grades are a good indication of your abilities? Have an answer for this question or one like it. Questions you can ask in job or internship/externship interview: What is the law firm/corporation/organization looking for in an ideal candidate? What type of work should I expect to do? Will the work be litigation or transactional in nature? (don t ask this if it s obvious) How are work assignments distributed to interns/associates? Will I interact with all of the attorneys in the department? Non-attorneys? How much client interaction can I expect to have? What types of clients do you work with? (for internship/externship): Can I attend staff meetings or other meetings/presentations that attorneys in this office attend?