Please share your success stories about how you found a great job after struggling. I’m a new lawyer and have been struggling to even get interviews now and losing hope. Just want to hear positivity.

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A friend of mine went from having nothing (mediocre grades, no job, no place to live, mostly broke, fleeing from a violet situation) to having a Vault 15 job, a clerkship, a big house and married in 5 years. She didn’t have any tricks; she was just too stubborn to give up. You know how capable you are. Any situational setback is just temporary.

likeupliftinghelpful

Thank you for sharing! Your friend really killed it out there.

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1L: had to find a job that paid to pay off unexpected emergency surgery in the fall — ended up working as a research assistant for min wage on a project that had literally nothing to do with the law.

2L: picked up a part time job (still paying off medical bills). Applied everywhere but couldn’t find a job until late spring. The firm dropped me during finals week (called to tell me they didn’t need the help any longer). Begged for a job at the my school’s clinic. Got it but could not afford rent for the summer and my loan application was denied (lack of income). Returned home and blasted out emails to every small firm and legal clinic in the area offering to work without any compensation. No call backs. Knocked on doors with my resume. Nothing. Applied at temp agency to make enough money to return to school. Every week turned up nothing — said I was over qualified. Did odd jobs/manual labor around my neighborhood. Barely made it back for final year.

3L: worked 3 part time jobs to afford bar prep/application costs (in addition to journal position and 15 cr hrs). Reached out to everyone I could think of and applied nonstop. Graduated with nothing but kept in touch with a adjunct professor who works in a niche area (loved the class). Continued applying while studying for the bar. Waiting for results I figured that I would never be an attorney, so I send out applications for jd advantaged jobs for over 2 months. Not a single call back. Followed up once a month with the adjunct prof — he only responded half the time. Passed the bar. Still no job, but was able to get a lot of advice from people I had reached out to on LinkedIn about their area of the law. About 2 weeks before getting sworn in I get a sudden email from the adjunct prof telling me to send my resume to this email address within the next hour for an entry level in house position. 2 rounds of phone interviews later, they invite me to come in person. I interviewed the day after being sworn in. That same night, I received an offer.

Do NOT quit! Do not take a job you know you’ll despise due the pressure of just finding *something*. You might have to get creative/specialize, but no matter what stay flexible.

You can’t control your circumstances, but the right employer will recognize your grit and passion. You WILL make it!

likeupliftingsmart

Wow! This was inspiring to read CC1! Thanks for sharing ❤️

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Finding a job unfortunately takes time and right now, it's definitely extra difficult. You're going to be ok, you just gotta hustle. I got zero OCI interviews and had to find a job on my own. I ended up in-house after graduation thanks to my efforts and networking Now, I take pleasure in knowing that all the firms who thought I wasn't good enough for them now kiss my a$$. I keep a running mental list of people/firms who've insulted/rejected me so I can avoid giving them business. I hope you find yourself in that position someday.

My suggestions for job searching:

- Use phrases and keywords in the job description otherwise it won't get past the screening software. Seriously, if portions of the job description accurately describe what you have done, I would consider cutting and pasting into your resume. Again, it's about getting past the screening tool.

- A good tip I recently got is to add a one liner about each firm or company you've worked at. Example from my resume: XYZ Company is a global financial services company with operations in 50 countries and 150,000 employees. Also, another opportunity for keywords and it will help give context to the human who eventually reads it.

-Update your LinkedIn profile with brief descriptions about what you did at your jobs. Include an "about me" that is punchy and descriptive. Include keywords for the types of work or jobs you want to do so recruiters can find you.

-Turn on the "open to job opportunities" function and fill out your preferences. The more info you have out there, the more likely a recruiter will find you.

-Before you apply to a job, see if someone in your LinkedIn network works there or knows someone who works there. They may have the ability to send you an internal referral link and /or send your resume directly to the hiring manager or HR.

-Have someone review your job app before you apply.

Good luck! Hustle hard. 👊

likeupliftinghelpful

To be fair A7, Counsel is simply agreeing with their decision not to work together. They didn’t hire Counsel, and Counsel didn’t hire them.

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Hang in there! If you aren't getting interviews, have a friend look at your resume and cover letter to get fresh eyes on it. It might be helpful to reach out to your network for opportunities that haven't been posted and to your law school for guidance depending on how many years out you are. My friends always say I'm excellent at job hunting and I think it's just because my resumes and cover letters clearly convey my strengths and what I'm bringing to the role. Feel free to dm me if you'd like for me to look yours over, I help my friends with theirs.

likehelpful

Thank you for your advice and for offering to help!

I don’t have a struggle story, but I found I received a better response to applications when I made a more professional package. Used nicer paper with a well thought out cover letter. Make it unique.

You can always think about opening your own shop. Most bar associations have a small/solo practice group - try reaching out to them for guidance if you decide to go that way.

likesmarthelpful

Thank you for the advice!

I was so unhappy at my first law job, and wound up finding a new (and good) one so unexpectedly, in an area of law and type of office I never thought I would be in. I actually didn’t even submit a formal application to it! I just reached out to several of the attorneys there through mutual contacts and asked them to grab coffee, kept hustling to sort of put myself on their radar where they couldn’t ignore me 😂 And it worked! They gave me an offer about 2 months after I initially reached out (even after repeatedly telling me they weren’t hiring at the time). Not at all the way I was told to go about getting a job. But by comparison, I never got asked for interviews at any of the places I formally applied to.

I learned the hard way that career progression really is all about making those personal connections. So many of the other attorneys I’ve met have said they got their job through just knowing people. Often the jobs available aren’t even formally posted because they already have someone specific in mind or just made room for a person they thought would be a good addition to the team. Usually the attorneys ask each other if they know anyone who would be a good fit. No one likes hiring people they don’t know or who don’t have a solid reference from someone they trust. I realize now is a weird time to ask people out to coffee or lunch, but you could still reach out for video calls just to ask someone about their practice and career path. I think now is actually a great time to build authentic relationships in the field!

likehelpful

There are certainly exceptions, but that’s what I’ve seen across the board. Good luck! You will find something.

helpful

It took me almost a year after law school graduation (from a T 14 school) to find a job. I had good grades, etc. but it was right after September 11th and there were so many experienced attorneys out there that I wasn’t even getting interviews. I was so desperate that I applied to be a receptionist at legal aid for nine dollars per hour and did not get the job. I finally made friends with a lawyer from another law school online and we agreed to trade job listings posted on our school job boards. He was at a lower ranked school than I was, so when I applied for the jobs on his job board I had an advantage. I finally landed a job and remained loyal to that firm for a long time because they gave me a chance with nobody else would. I eventually made partner there. The key is to just not give up and be creative in finding a job.

likehelpful

Thank you for sharing your inspirational story!

I have a unique story. I was the infamous summer associate “no offer.” You wouldn’t believe it if you met me, none of my friends could either. It was big law, but regional, and a couple of us got screwed for dumb reasons. It had nothing to do with work product or personality.

Anyway, I was devastated. First time I had felt “failure” in my life professionally and I derived a lot of my self worth off of being successful professionally. I realized how bad that was once the rug was pulled out from under me. It wasn’t the accomplishments that made me successful, it was the qualities that made it possible to achieve such things that made me successful, and title or not, you have to remember to derive your self worth from who you are as a person, not from your title or job.

Huge life lesson. I applied everywhere. A no offer was like a scarlet letter. I customized cover letters and everything. Just tried to take it a day at a time. Ended up with a true boutique firm doing transactions which is the exact opposite of what I thought I’d do as a 1L who cared about grades, transferred to a t20, and did OCI. I thought I’d be in biglaw litigation! What a 180.

Have to say I LOVE IT. Comp has been at par or better than big law (special bonuses, close knit firm), and the experience I’m getting is unmatched, ie. former big law partners taking time daily to teach and mentor.

100-200 applications, half a year of ruined self-confidence, and half a year of picking myself back up before I finally hit my stride in the interview with this firm and the true me finally reappeared and it all just clicked!

Sorry this is long, it isn’t meant to be an ego stroke. I share it because that year of absolute defeat, searching, rejection, etc. was so tough. I think few things are harder to overcome than a big law no offer because everyone assumes you must be super weird or like threw up on a partner at a happy hour 😂😂 (and if you believe the rumor mill, some of those people STILL get offers.)

If I can overcome the scarlet letter and the absolute annihilation of my self confidence, you can overcome this and YOU WILL FIND A GREAT JOB!

Keep fighting, keep working hard, never give up.

I haven’t decided if I’ll ever go back to big law, because I have so much loyalty for this firm that believed in me. But I could if I wanted to, and that should give you faith that this is only just the beginning for your career, not the end!

GOOD LUCK FRIEND!

likeuplifting

Thanks for sharing! I didn’t get hired back (as well as other hardworking students) for covid reasons and now I’m worried but this did make me feel better

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I found my first law job by walking from firm to firm with my resume in my home town. That effort got me a summer job which became a post-grad job and eventually a partnership. Be positive, creative and persistent. And always pursue the things that are most interesting to you.

likesmart

The hustle is inspirational! Thank you for sharing.

Interviews are your opportunity to show of your listening skills. Obviously you have to sell yourself. But I have found that I have gotten every job I have applied for not by being the best, but by establishing a connection with the interviewers. I listen to what they say and attempt to establish a connection. Oh you like swimming? I heard.... (not a brag but something the interviewer will also find interesting)

likehelpful

I love these responses because they show how your first job doesn't have to be your last job. It's a long career.

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Gonna keep it short. I had no offers after graduating despite pretty good grades (local school though 🤷🏻). Got a job after taking the bar, presumably of the resume. Fit wasn’t the best. I applied so a ton of other jobs to no avail. Eventually got an interview in an area I was interested in. Interview went great, and I realized I wanted to work with the firm. Been great since. Hang in there. I had some dark/bad times before and during the first job.

likehelpful

I would send out 10-15 job applications out per day. I treated searching for a job, like a job. And I got a job quickly. Best advice I can give you is to treat finding a job, like a job. Wake up early, put in 6-8 hours per day into your applications. And you’ll get a job.

likehelpful

was top 10 in my class and went 0 for 20 in OCI. Kept trying. Kept reaching out. Very late In the process I got my one yes. And that’s all that matters. Think of it as trying to get laid. You don’t need everyone at the bar to say yes; you just need one. All of this will be worth it when you get your yes!

likesmart

A3 I was 0 for 12. Got one callback but no offer. I wasn’t anywhere near top 10, but it was still absolutely soul crushing. Right now I’m a staff attorney at a firm allowed to work only one a certain project, chomping at the bit to break into employment law. I hope I soon follow in your footsteps, corona be damned

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I graduated in 2010 when the legal economy was awful. Applied to a ton of jobs and ended up having to accept a part time Law Clerk position and moving back in with my parents. My first full time associate salary was only $40,000 at a PI firm but I got trial experience. I lived with my parents for a year and a half after law school before I landed a higher paying job that allowed me to move back out on my own with a roommate. 10 years later I am a partner at a firm and living in a high rise in NYC. Just be persistent and NETWORK! The people you meet over the years will be the ones that get you and keep you employed.

likehelpful

What an inspiring journey! Thank you for sharing

Flip side of sharing a success story: sharing a situation that could be worse. You could’ve been offered a job that grossly underpays in a field you can’t stand. You could spend years chipping away, hoping for a[n adequate] raise that will never come...learning all about an area of law you don’t care to be in. Five years later, you’re still making much less than you had ever hoped and don’t have the requisite experience in the fields you would actually like to practice in. Hang in there, and more importantly, don’t take something just because it’s been made available to you. You know your worth - make sure your decisions are on par with that.

likehelpful

Thank you for sharing this side! It’s very helpful in putting things into perspective.

I worked for a solo during law school. Loved the guy to death so stayed with him for ages, wasn't concerned about not getting a big firm summer associateship (though I tried). Realized that at the end of law school I disliked the clients the solo had, I wasn't learning anymore, and was stuck making $20k/yr. Talked to a bunch of people, wound up clerking for a state court judge, more than doubled my salary. Spoke to more people and landed a job at an AmLaw 100 firm.

My advice, theres no right way to do it. People put a lot of pressure on you to fit a mold and that sucks. Figure out what you want to do and ask experienced people for advice. It helps you learn in the meantime and will help you be happier and more content in the long run. The job will come, just work for it and jeep your sights on a goal.

likehelpful

Very helpful advice, thank you!

Ok ... will try to avoid sounding as though — because I have been practicing thirty years — I have seen everything but, of course, I have had obstacles to overcome and have also seeen plenty of friends and colleagues address theirs or not.

Most important is to maintain your confidence (didn’t say this was always easy) and to keep a consistent focus on providing value and making yourself more valuable in whatever area of practice you target. You have to work yourself into a position to provide value.

The market for your services is what it is when you enter it. Might not treat you well out of the box. But it is where you are. You will — most likely — be practicing for a long time. Your time horizon is much longer than the term of your current market conditions. Treat it that way. Have your own long-term plan and keep adjusting it periodically. YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. You will find friends and supporters as you go, but it will be much harder to get other people to believe if you do not first. You will make mistakes, probably lots of them. Try not to repeat them. Keep your head down. Keep grinding. And, do your best to balance your life. Much, much better if your partner/spouse is on the same page and you are all pulling in the same direction.

It’s ok to compare yourself to others — to measure your progress and, perhaps, motivate you — but you also have to keep in mind that you are walking your own path. You can only be successful in the long term if you are authentic too.

You worked very hard to get we here you are. Now, you need a plan that is far more tailored to you than your likely path through college and law school. The decisions are hard, and the consequences are real, but — if you stay focused — you can get from where you are to a great place.

Hope this helps. Not canned in any way. I’m a believer. Don’t be one of those losers who spends the rest of their life lamenting a JD. You can get to a great place from where you are now. Find it!

likesmart

Thank you for your wise words! What you said really resonated with me.

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I submitted over 500 applications across the country, had dozens of phone interviews, and multiple on-site interviews before I landed. Keep playing the game, and you’ll get there!

likehelpful

That seems to be the boat I’m in right now, so it’s motivating to here your success. Thanks!

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I had a pretty rough time. I was stubborn and non-traditional. I knew my niche area well and I wasn’t gaining any traction interviewing for the standard firm jobs. I worked pro-bono for a year at two 501c3 to gain the experience I wanted. Then hustled a virtual practice in my hometown, using connections to get one-off clients (while also temping through Robert half). Then I decided to move to the Midwest (not for job- for my husband), and worked probate admin for a year wanting to die. But finally, I got in at a startup tech company doing contracts. Worked my ass off and showed them my full value, they agree to pay for my limited (in-house) license for the state bar and promote me to their first in house attorney.
I think is really is all about hustle and relationships.
I was definitely nervous for a minute that I would never get my career started, but stay strong and focused! You’ll get it!

likehelpful

Thank you for sharing your journey!

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