Finding a Job as a Lawyer
Life in a tiny town sure has its way of making things seem either unreachable or totally easy. Needless to say, I thought finding a job as a lawyer would be uncomplicated and straightforward after college.
As a child and before settling on one idea, you think of all kinds of professions you could pick from once you grow up, nonetheless, life has a way of changing things for you. As a poor child, I always knew I wanted to be an attorney like television’s Perry Mason (Raymond Burr).
Law school can’t prepare you for everything. As an adult, I’ve moved away from that little town I grew up in and found myself in the crowded city life. This is certainly an eye opening experience. The people are different, the food is different… heck, everything is different from what I knew. Here, finding a job as a lawyer is going to be difficult.
Hundreds of people apply for one position and the competition is steep. If you weren’t top of your class, this task could prove even more challenging. What makes the search for a position easier is the ability to network online. What’s more is that you can apply for jobs and even do your background checks on the companies you wish to work with while sitting at PJ’s Coffee House.
Connecting with social media sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Blogger (Google+) and even Facebook will help you stay in touch with like-minded people. In addition, your search for a entry level position takes on a broader prospective.
Getting those recommendations through LinkedIn can boost your hiring potential inasmuch as following other law professionals on Twitter. Dismissing social media as a means of enriching a job search is a costly mistake that many people make.
One friend suggests that I volunteer my skills and knowledge in the community through the pro Bono project or public defender’s office. Researching a case is such an crucial aspect of the job and if I can free up time for the public defender, I could earn a multitude of brownie points.
At the end of the day, this could make finding a job as a lawyer simpler as I will meet key people who will likely spread the word about what a grand attorney I am going to be.
As it turned out, working for free paid off. The right people took notice of me and my need to succeed. The drive and level of dedication I displayed impressed them enough to give me a chance to earn a spot in their office. Finding a job as a lawyer wasn’t as difficult as I thought, all I had to do was be myself.