A Social Network for Lawyers

I recently saw a posting on LinkedIn for "A Social Network for the Lawyers." 

I took some time to peruse the main page of the website and thought it may be of some interest to you.  In order to use the entirety of the site, one must be willing to "sign up" with a valid email and password.  Although many of the resources found on this site can be found elsewhere, it is sometimes nice to have these types of resources all on one page.

 

http://litigationprofessionals.org/

ABA Business Law Section Opportunities!!!

The ABA Business Law Section offers two outstanding initiatives specifically for law students: 

 1. In its 27th year, theMendes Hershman Student Writing Contest is a highly regarded legal writing competition that encourages and rewards outstanding writing on business law topics. Application deadline: January 11, 2013

2. TheDiversity Clerkship program promotes diversity in the profession by placing outstanding law students from diverse backgrounds into clerkships in business courts across the country. Application deadline: December 28, 2012

Detailed information and application processes are outlined below. Apply today for one or both of these initiatives that can help to advance your career in Business Law!

A Major Career Mistake Capable People Make

Below is a very interesting article by Greg McKeown, a Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum who also writes a blog for Harvard Business Review.  In the article, The #1 Career Mistake Capable People Make, he illustrates something I think many high achievers (like law students and lawyers) struggle with throughout their career.  I'm not sure if it is the #1 mistake, but it can definitely have its consequences.  This article is a great read and something to consider before you take on multiple tasks at a time...

I recently reviewed a resume for a colleague who was trying to define a clearer career strategy. She has terrific experience. And yet, as I looked through it I could see the problem she was concerned about: she had done so many good things in so many different fields it was hard to know what was distinctive about her.

As we talked it became clear the resume was only the symptom of a deeper issue. In an attempt to be useful and adaptable she has said yes to too many good projects and opportunities. She has ended up feeling overworked and underutilized. It is easy to see how people end up in her situation:

 

Step 1: Capable people are driven to achieve.

Step 2: Other people see they are capable and give them assignments.

Step 3: Capable people gain a reputation as "go to" people. They become "good old [insert name] who is always there when you need him." There is lots right with this, unless or until...

Step 4: Capable people end up doing lots of projects well but are distracted from what would otherwise be their highest point of contribution which I define as the intersection of talent, passion and market (see more on this in the Harvard Business Review article The Disciplined Pursuit of Less). Then, both the company and the employee lose out.

When this happens, some of the responsibility lies with out-of-touch managers who are too busy or distracted to notice the very best use of their people. But some of the responsibility lies with us. Perhaps we need to be more deliberate and discerning in navigating our own careers.

 

In the conversation above, we spent some time to identify my colleague's Highest Point of Contribution and develop a plan of action for a more focused career strategy.

 

We followed a simple process similar to one I write about here: If You Don’t Design Your Career, Someone Else Will. My friend is not alone. Indeed, in coaching and teaching managers and executives around the world it strikes me that failure to be conscientious about this represents the #1 mistake, in frequency, I see capable people make in their careers.

 

Using a camping metaphor, capable people often add additional poles of the same height to their career tent. We end up with 10, 20 or 30 poles of the same height, somehow hoping the tent will go higher. I don't just mean higher on the career ladder either. I mean higher in terms of our ability to contribute.

 

The slightly painful truth is, at any one time there is only one piece of real estate we can "own" in another person’s mind. People can't think of us as a project manager, professor, attorney, insurance agent, editor and entrepreneur all at exactly the same time. They may all be true about us but people can only think of us as one thing first. At any one time there is only one phrase that can follow our name. Might we be better served by asking, at least occasionally, whether the various projects we have add up to a longer pole?

 

I saw this illustrated recently in one of the more distinctive resumes I had seen in a while. It belonged to a Stanford Law School Professor [there it is: the single phrase that follows his name, the longest pole in his career tent]. His resume was clean and concise. For each entry there was one, impressive title/role/company and a single line description of what he had achieved. Each one sentence said more than ten bullet points in many resumes I have seen. When he was at university his single line described how he had been the student body president, under "teaching" he was teacher of the year and so on.

 

Being able to do many things is important in many jobs today. Broad understanding also is a must. But developing greater discernment about what is distinctive about us can be a great advantage. Instead of simply doing more things we need to find, at every phase in our careers, our highest point of contribution.

 

I look forward to your thoughts below and @gregorymckeown.

It’s Time to Get Involved!

Here is a small article I wrote for the November 2012 South Dakota bar newsletter on how to become more involved in your community.  Not only does community involvement stimulate professional development and networking opportunities, it is also just a way to give back in a way that is important to you.  I hope you find it helpful. 

Happy Reading!

The Young Lawyers Board has an array of activities going on state-wide throughout the year and we hope all attorneys, new and veteran, take advantage of them.  But as a new admittee or young lawyer, one may ask, “how else can I become involved?”  This is a great question with a variety of answers, and the opportunities are endless depending on the amount of time you would like to volunteer toward becoming involved in your city, state, or even country.

City Level

A quick Google search of volunteer opportunities in Sioux Falls led me to a website with 343 current openings; the list had everything from non-profit board of directors’ members and Sunday school teachers to animal caregivers and math tutors. A small town may not have their volunteer opportunities posted online, but word of mouth has incredible power in a small town.  I would suggest talking to local non-profits, and churches or clinics to see if there are any opportunities available and let business owners know that you would be interested in helping out.  You will have offers before your know it.  Also, take advantage of any young professional groups where you live as they offer an extensive list of benefits including networking luncheons and humanitarian projects where you can meet new people and learn new skills.

State Level

Joining a bar committee is an incredible way to get involved with the state bar of South Dakota.  You can elect to join a committee based on your own practice and skill set, or join a committee completely different than your current work.  Committees range from administrative and criminal work to office technology and project rural practice.  There are also a wide variety of in-person CLE’s, helplines and conferences you can attend and participate in as a state bar member FOR FREE!  You can also pick a cause that is meaningful to you regardless of it being law related or not and contact them for potential volunteer opportunities in your area.  You may be surprised at what you find.  Another way to become involved on the state level is to run for a position in our state legislature. If you have a passion for the law and for working toward creating appropriate law for the state, the legislature may be your calling. 

National Level

Just as there is an opportunity to serve in the legislature at the state level, one could consider running for one of our three Congressional seats.  There are also significant opportunities through the American Bar Association.  There are hundreds of openings within the governance of the ABA as well as committee work.  I suggest you take a look at the ABA website to determine if you are interested in serving in any of those capacities:  http://www.americanbar.org/groups/committees.html.  The ABA also promotes volunteerism on a global scale and international opportunities to volunteer can be found through a variety of ABA committees and sections.  The JAG Corps is also a great program to consider through law school or after a few years of practice.  Each branch of the military has their specific credentials to qualify, but many accept applicants past 30 years of age.

 

As one can see, there are countless ways to become involved on multiple levels.  The list above hardly covers what is available to you.  Find an organization or a business that means something to you and allows you to make a difference in your community. 

DEVELOPING THE PLATFORM AND A PLAN FOR YOUR JOB SEARCH

Below is an article I was able to co-write with another Young Lawyer, Stephanie McCoy Loquvam, for The Young Lawyer.  There are a variety of resources on the article's topic at the bottom of this post as well.  Stephanie is an associate with Aiken Schenk Hawkins & Ricciardi P.C. in Pheonix, Arizona where she focuses her practice on commerical litigation.  Both Stephanie and I are members of the ABA Young Lawyers Division Member Services Team.

YOU CAN GET THERE FROM HERE: DEVELOPING THE PLATFORM AND A
PLAN FOR YOUR JOB SEARCH
 
Elizabeth Overmoe and Stephanie McCoy Loquvam
 
Job satisfaction is not happenstance. Most people who find their work personally meaningful have invested considerable time figuring out what they want to do. They spend time examining their values, interests and skills, and determining how these pieces can be best applied at work.
Deborah Arron, author of What Can You Do With a Law Degree?, believes self-assessment for lawyers involves finding the answer to three questions: “Who Am I?”, “What Do I Want?” and “What Am I Willing to Give Up to Get What I Want?” As you begin your professional journey it is important to ask a variety of questions, including the three mentioned above, to determine exactly what you want and need to support job satisfaction. This includes understanding what makes you unique (i.e., your values, interests, personality, skills).
 
VALUES ASSESSMENT.
Gaining an understanding of personal and work values is critical; they serve as criteria for judgments, preferences, and choices. Your values have been shaped by life experiences, including your upbringing, environment, gender, culture, socioeconomic status, and education. Making career and life choices that agree with core values is essential to satisfaction and happiness. Make sure to ask, “What are my values?” OR “What is important to me?” AND “What type of work best suits those values?”
 
KEEP YOUR INTERESTS IN MIND.
Your interests include activities you enjoy or want to do as well as subject areas that arouse your curiosity or hold your attention. The more pleasurable or appealing the experience is for you, the more inspired and motivated you will be to pursue it. Considering your coursework during school may provide you with some insight as to what you may enjoy as an area of practice. Also consider what you like to do during your free time. You may find that your interests lead you on a completely different career path than your degree, and that’s ok. But remember, while your interests reveal what you enjoy, you may not want to pursue those interests professionally because they may conflict with other interests or values.
 
YOU’VE GOT PERSONALITY.
John L. Holland, a career theorist, stated in his book Making Vocational Choices: A Theory of Careers, that job interests can be viewed as an expression of personality. Holland’s work focused on six personality types: realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, and conventional. Although an individual may exhibit features from all six personality types, one or two will be predominant. Holland explained that people tend to seek an environment similar to their personality type. When you work in an environment that is similar to your type, you are more likely to be satisfied with your job.
 
DETERMINE YOUR SKILLS SET.
One of the best ways to recognize your skills is to identify your past accomplishments. Think of at least five accomplishments that made you happy. These should be things you did well, enjoyed doing, and found energizing. Now, determine what skills you possessed in order to be successful. Were you the decision maker?  Did you delegate responsibilities and communicate effectively? Did you organize everything to increase efficiency? Did you earn the respect from colleagues by being a team player and motivating others? The resources identified at the end of this article have many tools to assist you in determining your skill set.
 
DEVELOP A PLAN.
Whether you are looking for your first job out of law school, considering the next “next step” in your career, or are ready for a career change altogether, assessing your skills, strengths, values, and needs provides a necessary foundation for developing a career plan. They should help you to understand your “big picture.” Use the following tips and tools to prepare your plan.
 
SET GOALS.
Your goal might be to get a job or it might be to land in the corner office.  However, mere aspiration is not sufficient. Short term (weekly or monthly) goals can help drive your job search. Such goals might include: “identify and apply for 5 positions per week” or “make at least 2 new contacts per week.” Long-term goals (3-5 years +) help to make sure that you are not losing sight of that big picture. Write down your goals, track your progress, and consider sharing with a trusted friend or mentor. We tend to be more active in pursuing goals when we have some measure of accountability.
 
ASSESS YOUR RESOURCES.
What are the key resources in your job search? What resources do you need to develop? Do you have a strong academic record? Valuable work experience? An expansive network? Your strongest resources should provide a foundation for your job search. By identifying weaker areas, you can also include goals and plans to increase your platform of resources.
 
TAKE ACTION.
Remember a job search and a career plan are much more expansive than responding to job postings, submitting applications, and drafting cover letters. It may include planning for relocation, developing additional skills, or finding a new practice area. Again, assessing your strengths, skills, values, and needs will help you prepare and develop the right plan.
 
Take a Tiered-Approach. One approach to planning your job search is to develop a tiered plan. In the first tier identify those jobs/opportunities/experiences that are at the top of your list, the ideal job, a practice area that excites you, etc. In the second tier consider jobs/opportunities/or experiences that you would like (but may not love). In the third tier identify your last-ditch efforts. These might include less favorable ways to meet your needs, but should provide opportunities to advance to your second and first tier choices.
 
Consider a Step-Plan. Some people are more comfortable with systematic processes than tiers. If you are creating a step-plan ask yourself for each step: What do I hope to accomplish? How long will it take? What resources will I use? How does it help me advance toward my goals? And, what next? Using your goals to clearly define each step of your process will help ensure that you are effectively and efficiently directing your efforts and that you don’t lose sight of that big picture.
 
Make a Contacts Roadmap. In his book, The New Lawyer Survival Guide, Vol. 1: From Lemons to Lemonade in the new Legal Job Market, Richard Hermann suggests creating a “Contacts Roadmap.” In summary, a Contacts Roadmap is a detailed business plan for your job search. It identifies your objectives, prospective employers, and your qualifications. Rather than maintaining your contacts roadmap merely for your own records, Hermann suggests that you share your roadmap with your contacts.
 
KEEP GOOD RECORDS.
Whatever plan or method that you choose, be sure to keep good records. Tracking the jobs that you apply for, the cover letters that you send, and the people that you meet can help you to stay accountable to your goals. It can also help you avoid duplicating your efforts and can help to manage your job search timeline.
 
BE REALISTIC.
This job market is unlike any that the legal market has seen in the past. It will take time. It will take creativity. But if you are willing to put in the work, you will be able to find your perfect job. However, your perfect job right now may not be your perfect job forever.  Chances are you will not land in the corner office in your first interview; that doesn’t mean that you won’t get there, or that you should stop trying. Understand that what you learn in the job search process is just as important as the result. While job searches will start and stop, your career development is a continuous path.
 
Keep an eye out for future articles in TYL aimed at assisting you with specific aspects of your job search and career development including developing your resume, pro-bono work, and nontraditional careers.
 
RESOURCES
www.strengthsquest.com
www.nalp.org
www.decisionbooks.com
http://www.law.harvard.edu/current/careers/opia/toolkit/self-assessment/selfassessment.
html
http://www.mcgeorge.edu/Students/CDO/Career_Handout_Series.htm
http://www.sfbsearch.com/section.cfm/ID/8
http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/news/blog/girls-guide-guest
http://www.lawyeravenue.com/2010/05/21/career-assessment-update-for-laid-offlawyers/
http://www.americanbar.org/publications/law_practice_magazine/2011/july_august/make
_the_right_move.html
http://www.nycbar.org/career-development/your-career-1/self-assessment
http://www.cba.org/cba/practicelink/careerbuilders_advancement/self_assessment.aspx#v
alues

 

CEB Blog: Another Resource Just for You!

The following blog has a wide variety of information available to its viewers.  The breadth of the discussion spans from news in different areas of the law to professional development, social media and the practice of law.  I encourage you to take a look!

 

http://blog.ceb.com/

South Dakota Project Rural Practice

Have you ever thought of starting up your own practice or working in rural South Dakota?  If so, then you should definitely check out the new website designed and created by lawyers for lawyers who are transitioning or beginning a small town practice in South Dakota.

http://sdrurallawyer.com/  

Equal Justice Works Loan Repayment Options

Check out this information I received from Equal Justice Works on law school loan repayment options!

 

Educational debt has become a crippling burden for far too many, especially for those who want to pursue careers in public service. Equal Justice Works provides in-depth information on loan repayment assistance programs and relief programs like Income-Based Repayment and Public Service Loan Forgiveness to help everyone pursue the career of their dreams.

As part of this continuing work, we’ve created a free manual that details how these programs work and covers the basics of student loans and repayment options.

Recently, in our weekly U.S. News blog the Student Loan Ranger, we took a look at the report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s report on private student loans, reviewed law professor Brian Tamanaha’s controversial new book Failing Law Schools and warned students about campus debit cards.

Every month, our free, live webinars provide a comprehensive overview of the debt relief options available for students and graduates – including Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Income-Based Repayment – and provide viewers with the opportunity to ask questions.

Our current webinar sessions include:

How to Pay Your Bills AND Your Student Loans: Utilizing Income-Based Repayment

Thursday, September 13, 3 - 4 p.m. EDT

Saddled with high student debt? This webinar reviews Income-Based Repayment, a powerful provision of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act that allows anyone with high debt relative to their income to reduce their federal student loan payments.

This interactive webinar will teach you:

• How to understand your federal loans
• How Income-Based Repayment works and if it is right for you
• How to sign up for Income-Based Repayment

Get Your Educational Loans Forgiven: Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Thursday, September 20, 3 - 4 p.m. EDT

For recent graduates with jobs in government or at a nonprofit, this webinar explains how to make sure you immediately begin fulfilling requirements to qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness so that your educational debt will be forgiven as soon as possible.

You will learn about:

• The importance of having the right kind of Federal Loans
• What you need to do to qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness
• How long it will take to have your educational debt forgiven

Drowning in Debt? Learn How Government and Nonprofit Workers Can Earn Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Thursday, September 27, 3 - 4 p.m. EDT

A must attend for anyone with educational debt planning to work or currently working for the government or a nonprofit. This webinar explains how you can benefit from the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, the most significant law affecting public service in a generation.

This webinar will teach you how to:

• Understand your federal loans
• Manage your monthly payments using income-driven repayment plans like Income-Based Repayment plan
• How to qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Keep in touch and up to date!

Visit the educational debt relief section of the website to find detailed and timely information on educational debt relief programs. Follow us on Twitter @EJW_org (#studentdebthelp) and Facebook to receive the latest news, updates and student debt tips.

Sincerely,

Isaac Bowers

Senior Program Manager, Educational Debt Relief and Outreach

Radhika Singh Miller

Program Manager, Educational Debt Relief and Outreach

ABA Criminal Justice Section Staff Writer Position

Please see the message below regarding a potential staff writer position with the ABA's Criminal Justice Section Young Lawyers Committee:

 

The ABA's Criminal Justice Section has just started a new committee: the Young Lawyers Committee. One of our Committee's new initiatives is to publish a quarterly newsletter targeted toward law students and lawyers in their first five years of practice. I will be serving as Co-chair of the Committee and also as the newsletter's Editor. For each issue, I would like to include a quarterly review of criminal opinions issued by the various federal circuits. Specifically, I would like to publish a "case summary" for each opinion, organized by circuit.

I am seeking several volunteer law students who would serve as "Staff Writers" for this project. These students would be responsible for monitoring the opinions issued by the particular circuit(s) to which they would be assigned. For each opinion that impacts criminal law, the writer would prepare a summary of the relevant facts and the holding of the case. Summaries should be approximately one paragraph long, with reasonable leeway for more complicated opinions.

I would like for you to prepare a mass email that you can send to your contacts to solicit interested persons. Forwarding this email would certainly be appropriate. One idea would be to contact the career coordinator for the ABA-accredited law schools who could then forward the message to his/her student body. I will leave the logistics to your discretion.

To apply, I have attached a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision. Applicants should review the case and prepare a case summary as described above. The summary should then be emailed directly to me at mddeanlaw@gmail.com. I will contact the applicants who have been selected shortly thereafter. I would like all submissions emailed to me no later than October 15, 2012.

Please contact me with any questions you may have.

Thanks,

Michael D. Dean

Co-chair

Young Lawyers Committee

Criminal Justice Section

American Bar Association

T: (765) 973-9263

FAX: (765) 973-9301

"You've got to find what you love."

Below is a youtube video of Steve Jobs' commencement speech at Stanford University in 2005.  It's motivating, yet realistic.  I suggest you take the time to listen to his speech.  It's that good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc

Steve Jobs lays out his speech in three "stories."

The first story is about "connecting the dots."  He discusses how you cannot attempt to connect the dots of your life looking forward; you "can only connect them looking backwards."  What an important message.  So many of us struggle, daily, to attempt to connect the dots of our life.  Where will we be in five years, or in ten, maybe even twenty.  Don't get me wrong, I agree in the importance of careful planning and having attainable goals, but sometimes I wonder if the anxiety and stress caused by attempts to "connect the dots" is wasted time and energy.  Best message I can take away from this story is to do your best but not allow yourself to hold on to the feeling of failure and despair when things don't go as perfect as you had planned.  Those misteps can lead to the biggest rewards. 

The second story Steve Jobs discusses is about love and loss.  He explains the difficulty he underwent he was fired from Apple and how devastated he was because he loved his job.  Instead of giving up, he developed two companies; NeXT and Pixar.  The success of these companies is known worldwide.  He remarked on this transition in his life, " Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love."  He continued with,  "Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it."  So true. 
 
The third story is about death.  I think the entirety of his speech relays a great message, but this "story" in particular really made me think about my life...and about yours.  He stated, "[F]or the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?'  And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something." 

I read an article a few days back that reminded me of his words.  The author of this article explained that there are two reasons why we don't change our current status to be able to do something that we love.  The first is that we aren't exactly sure what we would love to do every day.  The second, and more prominent reason, is fear.  Both are very legitimate reasons not to switch occupations or make some other type of life altering change; I have experienced both.  Steve Jobs explains this in his third story, he says that his fear of making a change was gone in the face of death.  "Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important."

Dress to Impress

Some students have asked what appropriate attire "looks like" for a legal internship interview.  I have a few pieces of advice but also wanted you to have a visual of what would be appropriate.

Beth's Advice for Interview Attire

1. Wear a business suit.  It doesn't matter what sector of the profession you will be interviewing for; you must wear a suit.  You are joining a profession that prides itself on a level of formality.  Wearing a suit for your interview will give your interviewer a first impression that you RESPECT the profession and respect that level of formality.  Also, make sure that your outfit FITS appropriately.  If you are having trouble breathing or you are constantly squirming around to pull something down or shift something around...it's too tight.  If you are constantly feeling the need to roll up your sleeves or are stepping on your pants...it's too big.  Employers notice this and get distracted by it during an interview.  Also, get your suit tailored to get the best fit.

2. Don't add anything obnoxious to your suit.  I am talking about ties, bright colored shirts, jewelry, and perfume/cologne.  Keep things simple.  You should allow your personality to be the only thing shining through during the interview.  Keep those cartoon ties handy for a theme party, not an interview.  Do not let your perfume/cologne overpower the room.  Keep your color selection fairly neutral (browns, blacks, grey, tan).  And keep your jewelry to a minimum.  

My best suggestion is if you question whether you should or should not wear something...don't.

3. You better be clean.  Hygiene is extremely important to any employer.  Prior to the interview please do the following: (1) Take a shower.  (2) Brush your teeth.  (3) Wear deodorant.  (4) Brush your hair. (5) Make sure your hands/nails are clean.  If you don't do these things, you have automatically placed yourself in the "DO NOT HIRE" list.  You have also started a reputation for yourself which will get passed from employer to employer that you were not clean and, therefore, inappropriate to hire for any firm/governmental agency/company/etc...

Here is a link to another blog posting on how to "look like a lawyer."  You will notice this blog goes into more detail than I have, but I agree with the post in it's entirety:

http://looklikealawyer.wordpress.com/2008/02/08/the-job-interview/

Prepare Yourself: The Interview

In order to prepare yourself for an interview it is important to think of the questions a potential employer will ask you and also to " work out" what your answers to those questions will be...

The ultimate interview starter is, "tell us a little about yourself." You should have a 30 second answer to this question prior to going into the interview, or at least a general idea of what you want to say. The answer to this question can sometimes set the theme or mood for the entirety of the interview. If you want the interviewer to know you are a family oriented person, make sure to discuss this. If you want the employer to know about a particular job you had in the past that really made in impact in why you are where you are, this is a great opportunity to talk about it.

Big piece of advice: don't get too personal. This is an interview, not a counseling session. You want the interviewer to get to know you on a professional level...nothing more. The last thing you want to do in an interview is make your potential employer feel uncomfortable. Getting too personal has a tendency to do just that. Think of your interview as a first date. What is the conversation like? You talk about your background, your family, your previous employment, your hobbies, etc... What topics do you avoid on a first date? You avoid the 4 B's (hopefully): Bible, Booze, Barack, and Bad Experiences.

Bible & Barack - You don't want the topic of conversation to spin to your religious or political beliefs because you have no idea what your employer's beliefs are...unless your job is working for a particular political/religious affiliation you should avoid these conversations.

Booze - don't talk about what you drink, the amount you drink, where you drink, who you drink with,...just don't go there.

Bad Experiences - An interview is a positive moment! Keep it that way. As soon as you complain or talk about how difficult your life has been, the interviewer takes that information and may come to the realization that you will just complain about this job and how difficult this job is, and won't hire you because of it. Don't put yourself in that situation.

Here is a list of potential interview questions that you should take the time to think about how you would answer them, taking into consideration the advice above:

What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
Why do you want this job?
Where do you see yourself in five/ten years?
What attracted you to this company/firm/agency?
Why should we hire you?
What did you like least about your last job?
What were your respondibilities at your last job?
Tell me about a difficult situation you encountered at a previous job and how you handled it.
Are you willing to re-locate?
What are you looking for in a starting salary?
Do you have any questions for me?

Finally, enjoy the interview! The interviewer may have had 50 applicants and is interviewing 15. Keep that in mind and know that you and your resume made the list. That is something to be very proud of!

Equal Justice Works Summer Internship Opportunities

Sam Mollet, a current second year student at USD was able to gain some very valuable experience through the Equal Justice Works summer internship program. Please read below how she describes the application and selection process as well as what she gained from the experience...

The application process for the Equal Justice Works internship was much easier than I had expected. The first step is deciding if you would like to apply for one or both of the internships. After I decided on the East River opportunity, I emailed my cover letter and resume to Cheryl Hanna. She made sure that the documents made it to the director of East River, Doug Cummings, and he contacted me to set up an interview time. He was very willing to work with my schedule and even came to the law school to hold the interviews, so it was more convenient for those who applied. After the selection was made, Cheryl contacted me again with a very detailed email about how to apply through the Equal Justice Works system. The information needed to apply was basic information and was easy to follow. There are a few things you have to keep track of during your internship hours, but it is not really as detailed as it seems to be. You are supposed to keep a log of the type of work you did during the 300, but you do not turn in that information. The log is mainly used to help answer questions for the exit survey after the 300 hours has been completed.

I feel like I learned a lot and was able to gain practical experience during my time at East River. I was able to take on as much work as I wanted and was able to go to court numerous times. I participated in client intake, conducted my own client interviews, and helped draft letters and documents. Also, I was able to complete my 300 on whatever schedule I chose. I worked full time and finished my 300 hours by the beginning of July, but the attorneys are also willing to work with part time job schedules or days off as they are needed. I would recommend this internship for anyone who wants to gain experience doing actual legal work in a relaxed, easy to learn environment.

The Contacts Roadmap

Are you attempting to figure out:

1. What you want;
2. Why you want it;
3. And who you know that can help you get it?

Below is the link to a book full of strategies to help you think through all of those questions and to organize the answers in a clear format. 

From Lemons to Lemonade in the New Legal Job Market: Winning Job Search Strategies for Entry-Level Attorneys

I am not the first person to discover the helpful hints of this book and I actually found out about it through a very interesting blog entitled "The Girls Guide to Law School."  Not only do I suggest you read her review of the book, please peruse her many posts on other areas of law school survival.

http://thegirlsguidetolawschool.com/02/cool-idea-for-legal-networking-make-a-contacts-roadmap/

Resume Writing: The "I Have Nothing" Conundrum

"I haven't really done anything to put on a resume."  Really?  I seem to hear this line...A LOT.  By the time we graduate law school we should be able to fill multiple pages with our accomplishments, do-gooder moments, and employment.  So, where do I start when a student walks into my office with this line?  We have a conversation...a sometimes very long, drawn out conversation, in which I am feeling more like a therapist than a career consultant, but in the end the conversation is very worth the time.  Hopefully, this "I have nothing" student has, at the very least, a very general template of a resume, although, at times, s/he may literally have nothing.  It is important for any person, whether your a student or not, to recognize achievement.  Just because you weren't a Rhode Scholar and 4.0 student doesn't mean you have no contribution to your own personal and professional development.

First and foremost, I want a student to tell me about who s/he is and how they ended up in my office.
 
Where are you from? 
Where did you go to high school? 
College? 
Graduate School?
What did you participate in while in school? 
What jobs have you had? 
Are you married?
Do you have any kids? How many? 
What do you do in your free time? 
Why did you pick that major in college?
Why are you in law school?  

As I ask these questions, I frantically am jotting down notes.  And, although this process may seem intimidating to the student at first, I begin to explain to them all of the things they can put down on their resume.  I grab a red pen and circle items I have written down that they should include on their resume and why.  Many students begin to realize just how incredibly unique and powerful their life experiences have been and that they can put those experiences down on a piece of paper.

Now comes the hard part... 

How do I organize all of this "stuff" onto one page (or maybe two)?  The editing phase of building a resume is brutal and can span over the course of several weeks.  Many students become frustrated that they haven't completed it in a few short hours, but it will pay to be patient.  It is important to take the time to review and revise multiple times.  Give yourself the time to do it right.  And feel free to send it to me along the way.

Facebook: The Online Resume

I remember when Facebook was in its infancy.  I was a consultant for my sorority and traveling all over the country.  Staying on touch with people back home was becoming a bit time consuming.  All of my friends were telling me I NEED to get on Facebook, even my mother was a strong proponet for the thing.  I eventually gave in to the hype and joined the popular world of social media.

Soon enough, I was receiving friend requests from those chapter women I was working with at the time.  And, soon enough, I realized the extremely negative impact Facebook was having on my initial impressions of them.  Pictures and quotations I wouldn't have the nerve to secretly send to my close personal friends were being found in my newsfeed daily.  I was absolutely horrified at some of the things these people were saying back and forth to each other. 

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind the occassional "naughty word" for some extra punch and I have been "tagged" in my share of photos that include items such as (gasp!) an alcoholic beverage or two.  But there is a line that we all must dance when it comes to what others will see and how that may affect our own life.

As I explained to women around the country through my travels, "you need to think of Facebook as your own personal online resume."  Yes, there are those professional platforms, such as LinkedIn, but the popularity of Facebook and it's wide use will make is susceptible to background checks by potential employers.  The last thing you want an employer to see is you tagged in an Facebook album titled, "Too Drunk to Remember..." with a wide array of pictures of you in compromising situations.  

Or think of it this way...You will eventually become "friends" with someone who may be able to get a job for you down the road.  But if you solicit their assistance after you have dropped the f-bomb 50 times in your status updates over the last month, good luck.  Some people may not mind that sort of crudeness, but others will be completely turned off or will not want to be associated with you and risk putting their own reputation on the line.

I understand Facebook and other social media sites were created for that very purpose; to be SOCIAL.  So many people who read this message will argue that it's not meant to be a professional site, and, therefore, they should not have to customize their social profile to be professionally appropriate.  That's fine if that's what you think, but I can guarantee you potential employers are looking, and they won't hire you if they don't like what they see posted. 

Hanging a Shingle

This is a great article/podcast from the ABA Journal on how to start your own law practice.  I hope you find it as informative as I did!

http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/podcast_monthly_episode_22/?utm_source=maestro&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly_email

Why Are You Here? The Importance of Self Assessment

Now that I have taken on the role of a career services specialist, it astounds me that so many of our students reach law school and have not, once, stepped into their undergraduate or high school career services office.  Nor have students discussed future employment plans with an academic advisor.  I say "now that I'm a career services specialist" due to the fact that I was among that overwhelming amount of students. 

I can't recall a single conversation taking place during my undergraduate years with a career coach or advisor that reached below an "on the surface" conversation of, "So what do you want to be when you graduate?"  I would give them an answer like, "I plan to go to law school and be an attorney."  They would hear my answer, say something along the lines of, "that's great," or "good luck with that," and our conversation would be over.  The question I yearn people to start asking as a follow up to the standard, "what do you plan to do when you graduate" is, "Why do you want to do that?" 

I think so many people heard the law school/attorney answer and automatically assumed I had it all figured out.  On the contrary.  I knew I wanted to be in a profession that helped people.  Well....that narrows it down.  Please don't take this post as me wishing I would not have gone to law school.  I am very grateful for my education, the people I met, and the connections I still have from law school.  I just wish someone would have sat down with me at some point in time and asked the question, Why?

So...here I am, wanting to ask you the question.  Why are you where you are?  But beyond the why, I want you to think of those things that make you truly happy.  Think about the kind of person you are.  Does your chosen profession allow you to do those things?  Will your degree assist you in eventually reaching your "dream job?"  I also want you to take some time for yourself and complete some self assessments.  Find out exactly what drives you, what causes you pause, what you absolutely detest doing, and what inspires you every day.  Until you sit down with yourself (or a career counselor/advisor) and ask those questions of yourself you may stroll through life never knowing exactly what you were placed on this earth to do. 

I found a few self-assessments online and find this one to be thorough and helpful.  I think if we all took the time to complete more assessments like this, fewer students would be coming out of school and saying, "Now what?" 

http://www.bgsu.edu/downloads/enrollment/file74450.pdf

Style Isn't Everything, But It's Something...

There are some fantastic resources on the web detailing how to write a cover letter; so many experts and non-experts explaining to students, potential employees and employers just what it takes to make it impressive.  I tried to compile some of my favorite pieces of advice regarding the overall template of your letter into today's entry, some of it came from others and some of it is my own, but I have a feeling there will be plenty more cover letter advice to come...

First of all, look at the style of your cover letter.  It should always follow a simple and "easy to read" format.  No one having to read these letters wants to feel overwhelmed just at the look of it.  You want your cover letter to portray a few things at first glance:

1.     You are professional.

2.     You pay attention to detail.

3.     You are someone worth interviewing.  

Choose a professional font, one that is, once again, easy to read.  There are a few staple fonts that are typically used for resumes and cover letters.  Times New Roman, Arial and Georgia are always safe choices.  Personality should shine through in your writing, not in your selection of font.

Next, 12-point font size is ideal.  I would suggest not deviating from this size font.  First of all, attempting to jam more information into your cover letter and bringing the font size below 12 is just a bad idea.  When an employer or recruiter has to strain their eyes to read it, I can guarantee you they will put it down.  You have to remember, employers don’t have to force themselves to read every single line you write, so the harder you make it for them the less likely they will be to read it.  As far as making the font larger to take up space...If you have written what you feel is the best cover letter you can and it only takes up three-fourths of a page, good for you.  If you are happy with the content, most employers will be too, regardless of whether it takes up a full page or not.  In fact, they may be grateful that it doesn't.

Another detail is to please select margins that aren't too close to the edge of the page (1 inch is always a good option). 

Before you begin writing "the bulk" of the letter, make it a point to try to keep your cover letter to ONE PAGE.  An employer doesn’t need your whole life story, nor does he or she want it.  And besides, this letter should be able to convey your personality in about ten seconds, and it is within those ten seconds that your employer may decide to interview you...or not.

Since you only have one page, try to think of ways you can conserve some space to really get your message across.  I have created my own letterhead, with my personal address, email, and phone number, and placed it in the header of my cover letter.  This saves room for the rest of the letter so that I don't have to take up space either at the beginning of the letter or under the signature line to include my contact information.  I have also seen people use the footer to include their contact information; either work.  

Make sure you place the date you plan to send the cover letter on the first line.  Sometimes it takes a few days to complete a well written and thoroughly thought out letter.  Your potential employer doesn’t need to know it took you eight days from beginning to completion to get that letter and resume to his/her desk.  Also, I suggest you write out the entire date (i.e., July 12, 2011), instead of using only the numeric form (i.e., 7/12/2011).  I think there is a professional touch to writing it out.

The person you are sending it to and their address should follow the date on your letter.  Some people elect to use a "regarding" line.  In our profession (legal) I think this is helpful.  

Do your best to find someone to address the letter to.  If you have to write "To whom it may concern" because the firm/office didn't include an individual to send it to it won't be the end of the world.  I have used "Dear (insert law firm) Hiring Committee as I think it had more of a personal effect and was actually addressing someone, or should I say something.  And I’m not going to lie, “To whom it may concern” sounds a little stuffy to me.  My advice, use it only as a last resort.

Next, make sure you have a great opening line; something that shows your personality.  Whether you begin your cover letter with a famous quotation you've always enjoyed, a story you can relate to the specific job you are applying for, or a personal connection you have with the company, make it unique and clever.  But as the video by Brad Karsh indicated in my last post, there is a fine line between clever and stupid, try not to dance on it.

Prior to sending my cover letter and resume out I always ask someone to just look at it.  Is it a comfortable length?  Is the font legible and big enough?  Most importantly, does the first line intrigue you to read further?  If the answer to any of these “first impression” questions is no, it’s back to the drawing board.

Here are a couple of links with more advice on cover letters.  I also suggest the templates available to you on Microsoft Word to get you started.  As you can see, there is a lot of thought that should go into the overall presentation of your cover letter.  It's always important to keep this in mind; style isn't everything, but it is something.

Templates to Follow – http://www.career.vt.edu/JobSearchGuide/CoverLetterSamples.html

A Paragraph Dissection – http://www.careerealism.com/cover-letter-mechanics-how-to-write-a-good-one/

Great Do’s & Don’ts - http://milton.patch.com/articles/cover-letter-do-s-and-don-ts

Happy writing!

Seminar at USD: So you want to be a professor?

The Graduate and Professional Student Association is sponsoring the following event for individuals interested in becoming a university professor.  Please register by following the instructions below if this is something you would like to know more about!

Do you want to be a university professor?

Curious about the worst mistakes you can make on an academic job interview?

Do you love Aramark pizza?

The Center for Teaching and Learning and the Graduate and Professional Student Association are collaborating to present a workshop on strategies for a successful academic job search. Come and enjoy food and fellowship as we develop a plan to help you rise to the top!

The workshop will be held on Thursday, March 22, from 5:30-7:00pm, in MUC 211. Pizza will be provided.

To register, please contact the CTL at <maito:CTL@usd.edu> or by calling x5411. Walk ins are welcome to attend!
GPSA Executive BoardE-mail: gpsa@usd.edu
Website: orgs.usd.edu/gpsa
Twitter: @usdgpsa
Join our group on facebook!

Basic Design Tips for your Resume

It has been estimated that employers will usually take only thirty-five seconds to look at your resume before deciding whether to keep or discard it. To ensure that you will make it past that initial screening, you should design your resume in such a way that employers can read the document easily and process information quickly.

 

Remember the Quadrant Test

One piece of information I think is extremely helpful in preparing your resume is to remember that readers typically read from left to right and from top to bottom when information is "balanced" (about an equal amount of text and white space) on the page.  Make sure your resume has this "balance."

First, divide your resume into four quadrants, as seen in the example below.

Each one of the quadrants should have approximately an equal amount of text. This "look" is very appealing to any reader so keep it in mind while drafting your resume.

 

Use Easy to Read Fonts

Make sure you choose a font that will be both appealing to the eye and legible.  Some of the more popular fonts include: TImes New Roman, Garamond, and Arial.  Some students elect to choose a different font for their name and titles (such as EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, and ACTIVITIES & INTERESTS).

The key to using fonts in your resume is to be consistent. For example, if you decide to use a particular font for a main heading, do so for all your headings, and use the same font each time. Generally, you should use no more than two fonts in your resume. Remember that you want to keep the reader so don't get "overly creative" in selecting fonts for your resume.

The 20-second Test

I love this trick.  When you feel you have created your best resume, have someone perform the 20-second test on it. Simply time your reader for twenty seconds as he or she reads your resume. What all did he or she learn about you? If your reader noticed within twenty seconds what you want employers to learn about you, then most likely you have created an effective resume. If not, try moving important information to the first quadrant, checking that you have used sans serif and serif fonts consistently, and limiting the tools for emphasis you use in your document.

Non-Legal Summer Experience

Some of you will just want a summer job that has absolutely nothing to do with the law.  Good for you!  Here is a website dedicated to "cool summer jobs."  They have everything from camp counselors and park and recreational workers to positions with non-profits and study abroad opportunities. I think this is a great resource for all students to check out.  I would suggest to look over the opportunities on this site as soon as possible.  Many of the closing dates for applying are in January and February.

www.coolworks.com

Enjoy!

Summer 2012

The following site has over 200 nationwide internships for law students.  What an incredible resource!

http://lawstudentjobs.net/?tag=summer-2012

LSAT Tutoring Opportunity

There is an opportunity for students to apply as LSAT tutors throughout the coming year.  The deadline to apply is May 15, 2012.

This information was also posted on C.O.Y.O.T.E.S.

Job Description: Part-time, year-round LSAT class teacher / LSAT tutor.

1. We seek talented law students and law graduates both locally and nationwide to teach LSAT classes and provide LSAT tutoring.

 

2. We only teach the LSAT. We offer live weekend-only classes as well as individual tutoring (both face to face and remotely.) We also offer admissions programs.

 

3. The hours are very flexible and can be scheduled around classes and other work commitments.

4. Relevant and/or helpful skills and experience include: Teaching experience of any kind; Public speaking experience; Energetic and outgoing personality; High LSAT score and a good understanding of the LSAT.

5. Compensation for new teachers starts at $29/hr. Bonuses can increase this to $33/hr. Experienced instructors earn $40/hr, up to $50/hr.

6. Apply on-line: http://www.getprepped.com/lsat-prep-job.html

To learn more about our LSAT prep classes and LSAT tutoring visit: http://www.GetPrepped.com

List of government agencies

Louisiana State University has created a list of all governmental entities with links to each of their websites.  This is a great resource for anyone looking into working for a governmental agency.  You can connect to this resource at the following website:

http://www.lib.lsu.edu/gov/index.html

Educational Debt Relief Webinars

Below is a link to the Equal Justice Works website for information on webinars to explain what options are available to students wanting loan forgiveness.  This website is very helpful in making sure students are informed on the type of loans that can be forgiven and the type of work that allows for loan forgiveness.  I suggest you take a look!

http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/ed-debt/post-grad/information-and-resources/informational-webinars

What is C.O.Y.O.T.E.S.????

As some of you already know, each student at the University of South Dakota School of Law has access to an online job bank and recruiting service known as COYOTES.  I will be utilizing this website to post potential internships for the 2012 school year and summer.  In fact, all of the professional and career development services are coordinated through COYOTES. It's the place to start, whether you're responding to requests for programming RSVPs; scheduling counseling appointments, mock interviews or on-campus interviews; researching employers, or conducting national job searches.


When you log in, you may notice that opportunities already exist; such as an unpaid internship with the Federal Public Defenders office in Sioux City or a 1L internship with Woods, Fuller, Shultz, & Smith, in Sioux Falls. In order to view these employment opportunities, click on the "Employment" tab on the left side of the screen and the page should refresh to reveal all of them to you. 
To access COYOTES, go to https://law-usd-csm.symplicity.com/.  You can also access COYOTES by going to http://www.usd.edu/law/cso.cfm and clicking on the COYOTES hyperlink.


You should be receiving an email shortly with your username and password.  After logging in, please be sure to fill in your profile.  If you are having trouble logging onto the site, please send an email to Dean Ericson.


Let me know if you have any questions!


~Beth

Step One: It's Time to Re-Evaluate

It’s the sad truth that many law students come to the end of their third year of school and think to themselves, “Do I really want to be a lawyer?” Don’t get me wrong, I think it is very important to question it, but at the end of three years and an investment of $50,000 to $200,000 in an educational degree I would hope you have an inkling, a suspicion, that you are on the right track. One thing I would hear time and time again as a law student questioning my decision is, “Hey! At least it’s a professional degree!” What is that suppose to mean?

Exactly. It means absolutely nothing to an individual who eventually elects not to use it.  So where do we go from here? It’s time to re-evaluate. On top of the studying, extra-curricular, volunteering, and anxiety over class recitation, I want each of you to evaluate what you would LOVE to do for the rest of your life. If it’s not related to the law at all, FANTASTIC! If it is, GREAT! This is an opportunity for you to reflect on your life and what’s important to you.

In my line of work we call this “person centered thinking.” I advocate for the rights of individuals with disabilities; making sure their voices are heard around a table of people makings decisions FOR them. With person centered thinking, an individual with a disability is given as much responsibility and independence in making a decision about their life as we can allow. It’s amazing to work with an individual you know has the potential to raise their own concerns, but has never been encouraged to do so, become their own advocate.  This philosophy causes me pause, because I think that we, as advocates for others, forget to advocate for ourselves.

I guess that is what I am asking of each of you, become your own advocate. Push everything else aside; family and friend influence, stress of financial difficulties, location for job security, etc…

Next, think about what you would tell a potential employer in a cover letter for your ideal job.

The following video is narrated by Brad Karsh, CEO of JobBound. Before you get started writing your cover letter I suggest you watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYvKyOQ58tA

Now, write your cover letter.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog!  My name is Elizabeth Overmoe. I am a graduate of The University of South Dakota School of Law and I am an attorney for a non-profit law firm located in Sioux Falls. I have recently been hired by the law school as a career services specialist.


I hope each of you was able to spend some quality time with family and friends this past holiday season!  Nevertheless, as law students, you are given the sometimes daunting task of always feeling the need to prepare for the next step.  That next step may be buying your books for this semester, looking and preparing for summer employment, or it may be requesting that bar exam application you've been putting off for the last few months.  Hopefully, this site will offer an abundance of resources and useful information to make one of those "next steps" easier; finding summer employment.
 
My part-time position will be dedicated to assisting the Law School Career Services Office (CSO) in all aspects of job placement including: counseling students in career planning skills and job search strategies, coordinating training skills workshops and career forums, managing the spring on-campus interviewing (OCI) program, as well as developing relationships with potential employers.

With that, I would like to hear from you. Please feel free to email me at anytime. I would love to know what the student population of this school would like to see from their career services office. Keep in mind, it is not my job to find you a job, but I will attempt to locate as many opportunities as possible for you to take advantage of throughout the next six months.

Also, please subscribe to this blog as this will be where I post the majority of the information I find.  You can do so by clicking the "Subscribe" link located at the bottom of this page. 

I look forward to meeting and working with each of you.

Beth