How to Land the Best Entry-level Legal Jobs

Most law students feel that they will land a job during on-campus recruitment, but the jobs offered by these law firms are not enough. The average amount of students that will get jobs during an on-campus drive is about 40%. The other 60% will have to seek a legal job on their own. Do not worry, as it is not as tough as it seems if you approach the challenge in a strategic manner.

1. Through Your Law School Placement Office - Local law firms will send your law school placement office job notices whenever there are vacancies. About 25% of the students will land a job by applying to these jobs. To succeed here, you need to be diligent and targeted. Apply to a minimum of 10 jobs a week when you are still in school; and about 30 after you graduate. Ensure that each application is tailored for the attorney job and company you applying to. Yes, it is time-consuming and cumbersome, but this is what will put you above the crowd.


2. Network With Alumni - Alumni will always lend you a hand. In the legal field more than 40% of people get legal jobs through networking. Make it a point to contact about 10 people per week and sustain the contact. Networking means you contribute something; hence, always be ready to be of any type of assistance to anyone in your network.Stay in touch with brief emails about your grades, achievements, or even personal matters that would matter professionally. An email once a week or fortnight is good. Always be brief, friendly and make the reading interesting. Try finding out important dates - birthdays, anniversaries, etc. - and wish them appropriate greetings on these days.


3. Find a Mentor - This might not be easy, but it is very much worth the trouble. Do not go after the big names, for there are too many in line for that. Rather, find your own "diamonds" by investigating the careers of experienced local attorneys. Once you have found 5-10 such attorneys, make yourself useful to them in any manner possible. Latch on to the person you warm up to and work hard to be useful. Take up all the jobs he is willing to hand over to you; make sure you go the extra mile on each one. Whenever there is an opening that might fit you, this mentor will definitely think of you. He will also promote you on his network, and in the legal field a good majority of law jobs are landed this way.