BOOK REVIEW - The Opportunity Maker

by Danny Wang
LCS Grad Fellow

Assertive law students who take the reigns of their job search will have the most success in locating employment. However, students may wonder when is the appropriate time to start looking for a job, or what networking techniques are available that will increase their opportunities to find work down the road. Ari Kaplan’s book, The Opportunity Maker: Strategies for Inspiring Your Legal Career Through Creative Networking and Business Development, goes into detail answering these questions. The book encompasses a wide array of helpful approaches to successful job hunting through building a professional network, so students can easily find an approach that fits within their own comfort zone.

For example, Mr. Kaplan provides tips on how to build and maintain a relationship with a mentor in the legal field, as this mentor can provide both valuable advice on how to begin your legal career and potential networking contacts that may lead to a job opportunity. For those persons who generally shy away from networking events, the book also includes advice on how to successfully network: “If you remember that networking is much more about ‘them’ than you, you will be successful every time.” Networking boils down to relationship building, and this can be accomplished by asking more questions and talking less so you learn more about others.

In addition, Mr. Kaplan emphasizes the importance of maintaining your optimism during your job search and networking events: “’There is no worse way to begin a conversation with someone than to be down on a current job position [or] the market in general’ . . . . Nobody wants to chat with a complainer . . . . Save the sad stories and the gossip for your friends; network like you are the luckiest person in town.” Making a positive first impression with someone will make it that much easier for your new contact to introduce you to his own circle of contacts.

[ Mr. Kaplan's book is available for check-out at Law Career Services. ]