law school: March 2006 Archives

This evening I was chatting with a friend of mine when the subject of summer jobs came up. He told me that he STILL has yet to acquire gainful employment for the summer and he's incredibly frustrated. I understand his frustration. He's in the top ten or fifteen percent of the class, on moot court, in a clinic, and incredibly intelligent. He did a full round of OCIs last semester, had probably ten screening interviews, one callback, and no job offers. He's had several interviews since then and still no luck. He announced to me today that he would be trying to write on to law review for next year because he 'can't get a job' so he obviously needs SOMETHING else to stand out, make him a more attractive candidate, etc.

I couldn't help but think "Not being on law review ISN'T your problem". Sure, a good number of the people he's competing with for these gigs ARE on law reivew, but I don't think thats going to help him. It will only make his resume look even more like everyone else's. What he needs is passion, excitement, enthusiasm, maybe a new interview strategy. For someone with his qualifications, at least as they appear on paper, to be having this much trouble finding summer employment, I have a hard time believing it has anything to do with how his resume looks. This guy is mellooooow - way mellow. To the point of seeming apathetic, even though he's not. I can't help but think that this must come across when he interviews. I can't think of why else he hasn't found employment yet.

I'm not saying I'm an expert at the interview process, but seeing as I'm one for one internship wise, I must have done SOMETHING right. When I had my interview for my summer gig, I went in there having made the decision that I was going to be myself (well, the professional version of myself). No faking interest in things I wasn't interested in, but also, no holding back enthusiasm for the things I was. I have a feeling that I came across as incredibly dorky and wide-eyed and naive, but it worked. And I didn't project myself as someone that I'm not. They know what they're getting in me and I feel very comfortable knowing that.

I want to sit my friend down and tell him "look ... you're ranked a zillion times higher, your GPA is probably a full grade point better ... but you need to listen to me... find something you're excited about and follow it. Employers can see right through that fake bullshit. And for the love of god, don't do law review just because you feel like you NEED to."