If you’re currently in law school, you’re probably worried about how to maximize your career potential once you graduate. Everyone knows that jobs for new lawyers right out of school are highly competitive, and there are many law students who find themselves graduating without a job lined up right away. According to The Barnes Firm NY, in addition to great grades and references, potential hires must be exceptional in many other ways – “team players, have a high level of professionalism, and bring a friendly, positive attitude to work each day.” With all this in mind, here are some tips that will help you have the best potential possible when you start looking for a job after law school.
1: Achieve Excellent Grades
The first and seemingly simplest tip on this list is also one of the most demanding. Most major, high-level law firms are looking for hires who graduate in the top ten percent of their class. If you have your heart set on a large, major firm, you’ll have to be prepared to study. Even for small firms, excellent grades will make you stand out from the large number of applications they will inevitably get.
2: Forge Connections Old and New
One of the other big parts of being in law school is the opportunity to network with your classmates, professors, and the myriad of personal and professional connections that you will forge during your time at school. First, look over the connections you already have – the classmates in your class group texts, the professors you had positive experiences with last semester, the lawyer at a networking function who gave you their business card – and reach out to reconnect. Then look for ways to make new connections, whether through networking events or clubs and bar associations. Don’t be shy about your career ambitions and desires, but don’t let that dominate the conversation either. Being someone who stands out both as a person and as a future professional will help you to be someone who crosses peoples’ minds when they come across a position that needs to be filled.
3: Consider Doing Pro Bono Work
Many bar associations will offer their members ways to get involved in pro bono work. Getting involved in pro bono work will make you stand out as a more experienced graduate, allow you to network with people who work in your desired field, and will give you mentors who can guide you along your journey. There are also pro bono firms that will allow you to volunteer, which will give you valuable real-world experience and connections to that firm.
4: Use Your School’s Career Services
Every law school will have a career services office with counselors who will be invaluable to you as you approach graduation. They will know many things that you can’t necessarily see from your position, such as industry trends and potential openings, and they will be able to give you an honest opinion about what work they think you will be best suited for. Your career counselor is an invaluable resource and can help support and jumpstart your career.
5: Always Be Flexible
There are many ways your career can go after law school. There are the traditional routes that cannot be undervalued – keep your LinkedIn profile and your resume updated, search out job openings and apply for any you seem suited for, reach out to your network and inform them of your availability. But there are also a myriad of other jobs that often look for legal expertise. Human resources, government jobs, nonprofits, and the business world often look for people who understand the complex language of law and how to navigate legalities. These alternative paths can be very fulfilling and should not be ignored. And always remember that the first job you get out of law school doesn’t have to be the job you work for the rest of your life – with a law degree and license, many doors will open once you get a few years of experience under your belt.
