LCS Graduate Fellow
On March 11, Jeena Cho, San Francisco Bankruptcy Attorney and co-founder of JC Law Group, came to GGU to speak to students about what she wished she learned in law school. Jeena offered tons of great advice, not only geared for current students, but also for recent graduates like myself.
Acknowledge that now is the time for self-exploration. Change your mindset from "What am I supposed to do?" to "What do I love to do?" When you are looking for a job, trust your gut. Does the job description get you excited? Or is it just something that you think you need?
Network through social media. Build your brand by establishing an online presence. Browse blogs and Twitter profiles of professionals who share your same interests. Email or message them. But don't feel "rejected" if they don't message you back. Read a previously published blog post about how to build your professional presence online, starting with your user bio!
Take advantage of "two degrees of separation." Finding a job through networking isn't a one-stop shop. It is not likely that the person you meet for the first time will have a job ready for you at that time. But chances are, that person knows someone who does. (According to Jeena, there are only two degrees of separation in the legal community). So, at the end of your meeting, ask for recommendations of other professionals to talk to.
Make time to have some fun. Find what you are passionate about. Everyone needs a little bit of time dedicated to themselves. It's okay to take Sunday off to go hiking. It's okay to start a blog about cooking. If you enjoy writing, start a blog--not necessarily about law, but write about anything you like.
After her talk at GGU, Jeena wrote a follow-up blog titled 10 Tips to Help You Decide What Type of Law to Practice. It answers a question asked of her by a GGU student, and has more great advice for law students. Check it out!
