GGU School of Law|Law Career Development

Restart Your Connections

by Jan Nussbaum
Assistant Director for Professional Development

No matter where you are in your job search or career, it is important to periodically take stock of who is in your network of connections, and map out who you should touch base with about your job hopes and career. This is especially true for those of you who just took the bar and have been hibernating away for a couple of months while studying for the exam. Do take a break, but don't take too long before "restarting your connections."

A Numbers Game: Finding an attorney position in this job environment is very much a numbers game - the more people who know that you are looking, and specifically what you are looking for, the more likely you will hear about a position when it becomes available. Building such a network takes time, as does looping back with those already in your network about where you are in the job search. The sooner you start this process the better even if you don't have bar results yet!

Take Stock of Who is in Your Network: People you already know (even acquaintances) are part of your network. They are very willing to let you know if they hear of anything and to connect you with people they know who can help you in your job search. It works best to meticulously list out each connection, and be sure to include friends, family, classmates, professors and supervisors before and during law school, and of course any attorneys you have met, including at on campus events and programs, alumni, and through professional organizations and volunteer work. It's helpful to go through your email address book, "friends" and "connections" on social media sites, and any business cards you've collected.

Prioritize the List and Have a Game Plan: Once you've made the list, it can be surprising how many people are on it, but also overwhelming since you can't contact everyone at once. Spend some time strategizing and prioritizing who would be most beneficial to contact first. Friends and family are often easiest to contact as a group by email. It is amazing who your friends and family may know in the legal profession, so be sure to make the email friendly but professional as it may get forwarded onto an important contact. If you carve out some time each day to get in touch with your connections, it is much more manageable and less stressful.

Stay on People's Radar by Being Organized: Once you've interacted with your connections, either by email, phone or in person, you'll want to stay on their radar so they'll keep you in mind when they learn of an open position. Don't forget the old adage "out of sight, out of mind." It is best to have a system in place to help you remember when to reconnect with them; usually a month or two later is good. Spreadsheets work well in this regard.