by Elisa Laird-Metke
Assistant Director for Law Student Services and Law Career Services
Assistant Director for Law Student Services and Law Career Services
You’ve survived the California
bar exam—congratulations! I hope you celebrated well! Now that you have a
little more time on your hands, it’s time to enhance your credentials and lay
the foundation for your job searches. Law Career Services is here to work with
you to develop a personalized plan of attack—make an appointment with me to
talk about where you want to go and how you can get there! In the meantime,
here are a few first steps to get you started on your job search:
Reach out to your
current network. You probably have been off the radar for the last couple
of months as you studied for the bar exam. Now’s a great opportunity to reconnect
with every professional connection you have. Let them know you’ve just finished
the bar exam. Mention your career goals and ask them for advice about getting
started and who else they think you should speak to. Everyone—professors,
friends, parents friends, family—will be open to helping you out. Don’t be shy—people
love to help other people be successful. But they can only help if you ask!
Organize your contact
list and make notes. As you reach out to your network, keep a spreadsheet
or other document in which you record information about who you emailed, any
suggestions they made for your job search, and how you followed up on their
advice. Follow up with those who responded to your email: thank them for their
advice and note any specific ways you took their suggestions. If they suggested
specific people or organizations you should talk to, be sure to follow up with
those, using the name of the person who suggested you speak to them. Knowing
people opens doors!
