10 Key Components of a Successful Post-Bar Exam Job Search Strategy

Transcription

1 10 Key Components of a Successful Post-Bar Exam Job Search Strategy 1. Identify your Employment Targets A successful job search strategy begins with the identification of geographic preferences, preferred employment setting (law firm, government agency, public interest organization, etc.) and legal practice areas of interest. 2. Schedule a counseling session with a CSO Career Counselor Take advantage of the services and resources of the CSO. Working one-on-one with a CSO Career Counselor will help you generate ideas and identify helpful resources, as well as provide feedback on resumes and cover letters, and enhance your interviewing skills through a mock interview. 3. Develop a Personalized Job Search Strategy There is no cookie cutter job search strategy for recent graduates. You must develop a personalized approach in order to be successful. Avoid mass mailings and instead selectively target employers who meet your interests and career aspirations. The USC Law School Small & Mid-Sized Law Firms Job Search Guide & Firm Directory offers helpful instruction on how to conduct a proactive job search beyond responding to job postings. 4. Participate in the Graduate Volunteer Grant (GVG) Program Future employers want to see practice-ready candidates. Graduates participating in the GVG Program can hone their skills in order to be a more attractive candidate. For more information, please contact careers@law.usc.edu. 5. Contact a Legal Temporary Staffing Agency Temporary, contract and project-based positions are a great way to gain valuable experience and earn money as you continue to look for a permanent post-graduate position. See the attached list of legal temporary staffing agencies. 6. Check Job Postings on Symplicity and other job listing sites While Symplicity is the primary source for job postings for recent graduates, you should also explore additional websites, but be careful of websites that charge a fee. In addition, recent graduates interested in government and/or public interest work should refer to the attached list of web-based job boards. Lastly, recent graduates should consider applying for part-time law clerk positions as a way to gain valuable legal experience, earn money and get a foot in the door at a potential full-time employer. 7. Expand your network Reach out to family, friends, classmates and other law (and undergrad) alumni. Reconnect with former employers and solicit referrals to their colleagues and peers. Set realistic goals for networking meetings try to meet with one new person each week. Meet with a career counselor, and visit the Information for Alumni section of the website and the USC Law Portal for tips and strategies for conducting an effective networking campaign Sign up for LinkedIn & Join the USC Gould School of Law Group A great way to expand your network is by joining LinkedIn ( In addition to connecting with existing contacts such as family, friends, former colleagues and classmates, you can use some of the site s features such as groups to identify new contacts. Furthermore, a detailed LinkedIn profile can serve as your online resume viewable to networking contacts and potential employers. The CSO has compiled a LinkedIn reference guide that can be found on the CSO Portal website - You should also join the USC Gould School of Law group to gain access to 2,000+ alumni already on LinkedIn. 9. Request a list of USC Law graduates that match your employment targets The Development & Graduate Relations Office at the law school can run specific lists of graduates based on geography, employment setting, and/or legal practice areas. They can be reached at alumni@law.usc.edu. In addition, The USC Law School Small & Mid-Sized Law Firms Job Search Guide & Firm Directory and the West Legal Directory on Westlaw, are helpful resources for identifying USC Law School alumni. 10. Attend bar association events/professional associations Join and attend bar association and professional association events in your geographic or practice specialty areas. Please review the attached Bar Association Guide for more information.

2 Agencies for Temporary Project Work (updated August 2014) Corestaff Services 2800 Casitas Ave. Los Angeles, CA Tel (323) Fax (323) Gibson Arnold & Associates, Inc. 888 West 6 th Street, Suite 550 Tel (213) Fax (213) HIRE Counsel 800 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 450 Los Angeles, CA Tel (213) Fax (213) Inside Edge Legal Staffing Services 777 S. Figueroa Street, Suite 4950 Tel (213) Contact: Tim Colbert Kelly Law Registry 617 W. 7th Street #504 Tel (213) Leigh & Associates Limonite Ave., #3E-541 Eastvale, CA Tel (855) Providus 350 S. Figueroa St. Suite 750 Tel (213) Fax (213) Relativity Legal Solutions Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1250 Los Angeles, CA Phone: (310) Fax: (310) Contact: John Rosati, 96 jrosati@relativitylegal.com Robert Half Legal Wilshire Blvd., Suite 900 Los Angeles, CA Tel (310) Fax (310) Special Counsel Los Angeles 445 S. Figueroa St. Suite 2270 Los Angeles, CA Tel (213) Fax (213) Orange County 2302 Martin St. Suite 150 Irvine CA Tel (949) Fax (949) Update Legal 1901 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 1450 Los Angeles, CA Phone: (310) Fax: (213)

3 Job Posting Websites GENERAL Craigslist Indeed Daily Journal classifieds: LawCrossing*: EmplawyerNet*: * Fee based websites GOVERNMENT JOBS Federal: California State: Los Angeles County: PUBLIC INTEREST JOBS PSJD: Idealist: dhr.lacounty.info OTHER ONLINE RESOURCES

4 BAR ASSOCIATIONS BY GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION Southern California: Beverly Hills Bar Association Los Angeles County Bar Association-LACBA is the largest volunteer bar association in the nation with over 24,000 members and has specific sections you can join, including but not limited to tax, family law, intellectual property, litigation, labor and employment, etc. Orange County Bar Association Pasadena Bar Association San Bernardino Bar Association San Diego Bar Association San Fernando Valley Bar Association Santa Barbara Bar Association Ventura County Bar Association Northern California: Alameda County Bar Association Palo Alto Area Bar Association Sacramento Bar Association San Francisco Bar Association BAR ASSOCIATIONS BY AFFILIATION Southern California Armenian Bar Association Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles Black Women Lawyers Association of Greater Los Angeles California Minority Counsel Program California Association of Black Lawyers

5 BAR ASSOCIATIONS BY AFFILIATION Southern California California Women Lawyers Hispanic Bar Association Orange County Italian American Lawyers Association Japanese American Bar Association of Greater Los Angeles John M. Langston Bar Association Korean American Bar Association Lesbian and Gay Lawyers Association of Los Angeles Mexican American Bar Association Philippine American Bar Association South Asian Bar Association Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association Women Lawyer s Association Los Angeles Northern California Asian American Bar Association Charles Houston Bar Association Italian American Bar Association of Northern California Korean American Bar Association Queen s Bench Bar Association (Northern California Women s Bar Association) San Francisco La Raza Lawyers Association South Asian Bar Association

6 OTHER USEFUL BAR ASSOCIATIONS American Bar Association American Intellectual Property Bar Association Association of Corporate Counsel California Bar Association Federal Bar Association HOW TO UTILIZE A BAR ASSOCIATION Think of participation and membership in a bar association as an easy way to enhance and expand your professional network. Memberships are offered at a reduced cost for new or recently admitted attorneys and provide an excellent opportunity for you to meet and speak with attorneys that are not already in your network. Here are a few tips on how to best utilize bar associations: Job Opportunities: Some bar associations have job boards and post job opportunities on their websites. Mentorship Program: Take advantage of the mentorship programs that various bar associations offer. Some have formal mentorship program where they match attorneys one-on-one with mentors. Attend networking events: Whether it is an informal happy hour, formal wine and cheese event, bench/bar mixer, or holiday party, attending these events can give you a chance to practice your personal pitch, learn from different attorneys, and use them as a future resource. Volunteer to assist at an event: Many organizations will allow you to attend the event for free in exchange for volunteering. Whether it is for the annual fundraising dinner, a CLE course, a conference or a symposium, this is often a great way to meet judges, law firm partners, or lawyers who practice in the area in which you are interested. Attending a CLE course, conference or symposium in the area in which you want to practice shows initiative. It is also something that you can mention in an informational interview or cover letter to a prospective employer. Volunteer for a pro bono opportunity: Many bar associations perform pro bono work through monthly legal clinics or partnerships with non-profits. Serving as a pro bono attorney keeps your legal skills sharp and also allows you to meet other volunteer pro bono attorneys from various firms and practice areas. You may list this pro bono activity on your resume. Sign up for the newsletter: Many associations publish a newsletter ed to its members providing information about news updates, upcoming events, and volunteer or job opportunities. Join a committee or section: The Barristers sections (attorneys under 35 or practicing law less than 10 years) of several local bar associations serve as helpful gateways for recent graduate members. Further, these bar associations have practice-specific sections and committees. Reach out to section leadership and offer to serve on a committee or task force. Bar associations serving diverse populations also have numerous outlets for getting involved. Committee or section involvement provides you with the opportunity to work closely with other practicing professionals who could provide job referrals or serve as a reference. Useful links to other organizations and websites: Bar associations usually provide links to articles, organizations, and other websites that may be of interest to you.