Almost everyone I have spoken to over the past several months has said that applying to job postings is virtually futile because employers are receiving hundreds of applications for every entry level attorney position that is advertised. Unless you are able to apply the moment something is posted your odds of being called in for an interview are small. This leads me to believe that those hours I was going to spend drafting the perfect cover letter and revising my resume would be better spent in other ways. Now this isn't to say I have abandoned job applications all together. For instance, yesterday I spent several hours applying to two jobs that I felt would be a fabulous fit for me. However, I am quickly realizing that this probably will not be the way I will find my first legal job.
In the past week I have started a more hands on and aggressive legal job search strategy that I am calling "organic networking." Now, this doesn't mean that I am running around in a slick suit forcing my business cards on random people while asking them for work. Instead, I am trying to involve myself in the local legal community as much as I can. For example, this "work week" I spent attending three networking events for two different local bar associations. At each event I attempted to befriend (NOT IMPRESS) as many attorneys as possible. Try to remember that attorneys, no matter what their age or seniority, are people who want to be liked. Ask them about their interests and talk to them about normal daily life activities in addition to professional topics. The people I met ran the gamut from newly admitted attorneys, to partners at firms, retired court administrators who were able to give me dirt on local firms and judges, and even a well known local judge. I told everyone I met about my interests and that I was looking for work. Although I did not find out about any openings this week I did get a lunch invitation from a judge, a lead on part time work while walking to my car in a parking lot, and a budding friendship with a young lawyer who shares my interests and may be in a position to hire me in the future.
In addition to attending local bar association "networking" events I attended a CLE training hosted by a local non-profit where I plan to volunteer some time. During the training I made sure to ask a lot of questions of the panel so that the judges and attorneys who were hosting the event would remember me next time I saw them. I have also joined a few social groups for young professionals that are not law specific (checkout www.meetup.com) including the local chapter of my undergraduate school's alumni network. Since I never know where my next legal job lead will come from I am always trying to keep a pulse on what is going on in my community.
After every single networking event I make sure to sit down at my computer with all the business cards I have collected. I then add them into my contacts database, along with notes that state which event I met them at and what we talked about. If applicable I also follow up with some of my new contacts by email and add them on LinkedIn. In the past week alone I have added over 5000 people to my LinkedIn network. This, in turn, has allowed me to access more information about attorneys at local firms who I may want to contact to ask about opportunities.
Now this might seem like a lot of work considering it did not directly and immediately lead to information about a specific job. However, I had a great time meeting people and learning about the local legal community and I am sure these contacts will become useful down the line. Plus, I learned a ton of inside information about how resumes are screened, how senior attorneys want to be contacted, and what changes to make to my resume. I plan to share the tips I have learned from local attorneys in my next job post. Stay tuned!
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