Finding a job that intersects with the legal profession should not be hard; learn about how you can build your resume and find law firms that are hiring.
For many students who have just graduated from law school, getting a job at a law firm is their first “real” or professional job, but those looking for entry-level attorney jobs should first be fully prepared for what they can expect during the hiring process at a law firm. From knowing the best law firms for work-life balance, to making sure your law firm application is in the best condition, there’s a wide variety of variables every law school graduate needs to know before they find law firms that are hiring entry-level lawyers.
What Law Firms Should You Look For?
The first thing you should do is look around at the resources available to you. Reaching out to your alma mater’s career center is the first step in finding law firms that are hiring. Through your law school’s career center you may potentially find a variety of resources that can help you learn more about how to apply to law firms. Some career centers can help you reach out to more experienced graduates who either work at or have set up their own law practices. Other career centers can sit you down and help look over your resume and the emails that you are writing during the law firm application process, making sure you are crafting high-quality content that not only highlights your academic credentials and your professional accomplishments but also helps to emphasize your personality.
LinkedIn is another great way to find alumni from your law school. Before reaching out to alumni and asking them about their own experiences finding and applying to law firms that are hiring, make sure your LinkedIn profile is fully updated. Try using the “people” and “all filters” search options when looking for alumni in your desired cities and/or states where you are looking for a job.
Finally, using an online directory of legal attorneys, firms, and consumers, such as Martindale, is a great way to do your research on which law firms potentially have entry-level attorney jobs. Not only is this a great way to find open positions, but it is also a good way to build up a list you can use alongside your other resources. Bring a list of potential law firms you are interested in to your law school’s career center—or to an unofficial interview with a fellow alumnus from your law school—and ask them their opinions about these law firms. Knowing how to apply to law firms is about polishing your professional resume before you even send out the first email to law firms, making sure you have the connections and knowledge necessary to stand out among your fellow candidates.
How To Build Up Your Resume To Impress Law Firms
Even if you don’t have any professional experience you still have the opportunity to build up your professional resume before applying to law firm entry-level positions. Either as a law school graduate or as a student, you can start to work as a volunteer. Applying for volunteer pro bono positions is a great way to not only impress your future employers, but it is crucial for building up both professional and personal skills. Your in-classroom experience is vital, but taking those skills and then applying them in real-world situations is what demonstrates your ability to be a forward-thinking professional in the legal world.
The best law firms for work-life balance seek the best candidates who look at their schedules during law school and create a curriculum that focuses on learning and building legal experience both in and out of the classroom.
How To Conduct Targeted Outreach on Law Firms
Once you have a list of law firms and have either advice or references from law school alumni, try to find someone at these law firms who has hiring authority. As an outsider, reaching out to these individuals (who could be a partner, member, or director of recruiting) shows them you have the initiative and awareness to know who to reach out to. Beyond that, it shows that you have the ability to be direct, which is a skill crucial for anyone who wants to have a career that intersects with law.
Where Should You Start Your Academic Career in Law?
A proper legal education does not just build up your resume, it can set you up for a lifetime of success. The resources you get during your tenure in law school are crucial for entry-level jobs in a law firm. At The Colleges of Law, for more than 50 years it has been their mission to provide a high-quality legal education that is more accessible and accommodating to a diverse range of students. With a strong pool of graduates who have found successful careers for themselves, you too can join their ranks and find a job that intersects your passions with the legal profession.
To learn more about the programs at The Colleges of Law, fill out the form below.