Fresh Graduates Need to Adopt the Right Strategies to Get Hired at a Law Firm
You worked hard to get into a good law school and worked even harder to graduate. You also kept up with extracurricular activities at clubs, committees, and journals to get a well-rounded education. Finally, you became licensed to practice law.
Having spent a considerable amount of money to complete your education, you now want to get a job at a law firm as soon as possible, especially with fresh bills piling up. But finding employment in your field has been harder than you had anticipated. Fortunately, there are some strategies that can help your cause.
#1 Talk to Your School
Check the career services department at your law school for help. They’ll offer guidance and may even help you find employment in your field. Remember, many law schools have good long-standing relationships with some law firms. If anything, your law school’s career services department can tell you what law firms hire students from your school.
#2 Go Online
Visit an employment-oriented networking site like LinkedIn to look for alumni from your law school. Connect with them for advice and leads on openings. Many will be happy to help. If anything, you can use such platforms to find employers that hire from your school. Likewise, use job-hunting websites that specialize in legal work to connect with potential employers.
If you’ve identified a small law firm where you’ll be a good fit, then don’t hesitate to take the initiative. Directly contact someone at a leadership position at this firm with an email or a message on LinkedIn explaining why you’re an excellent potential employee.
#3 Improve Your Résumé
Even without legal experience, you can develop a sharp-looking résumé. As a graduate, you know how to do legal research, draft reports, review contracts, and prepare legal documentation. These are valuable skills for a law firm. Highlight your ability to communicate, work in teams, solve problems, organize tasks, develop reports and more on your résumé.
#4 Write a Personalized Cover Letter
Many modern law firms look beyond your grades. Aside from your skills, they want to know if you’ll be a good fit for the company. Before applying for a job, go through their website and social media pages to understand their company culture. You can gain more insight from friends or acquaintances working at the company. Use the information to write a personalized cover letter that showcases your skills and work personality.
#5 Think Outside the Box
Many law firms prefer to hire candidates with legal experience. To gain an advantage, consider volunteering part-time at a law firm for vital hands-on legal experience. Alternatively, sign up for a shadowing program to gain some valuable insight. This experience will also look good on your résumé.
#6 Try Professional Help
One of the best ways to get hired at a leading firm is to get professional help from a legal recruitment firm that’s reputable, experienced, trustworthy, and led by lawyers. Such a firm will have the expertise to finetune your resume, match you with the right jobs, and prepare you for interviews.
While finding a good job in the legal field can seem challenging, it’s certainly doable. Adopt the right strategies and partner with an excellent legal recruitment company to improve your chances of matching with the right firm quickly and easily.