By Marina Sarmiento Feehan, JD - Assistant Director, Office of Career Planning.
I am counseling more alumni as they are returning to the Office of Career Planning because of the economic downturn. Some have been laid off, some are about to be laid off, others come just to be prepared. In helping alumni, I have discovered a few commonalities amongst the job seekers, which bode well for success in their job search.
2. Be Willing to Accept Feedback. The alums most willing to accept feedback on their resumes, cover letters and interview techniques are the alums who are able to find positions more quickly. Why? Because what they were doing before they came to our office was obviously not working. That is why they sought out our help. When seeking help, be sincere and accept the help. Do not argue with your career counselor who tells you to drop your law clerk positions you held during law school when you have been a practicing attorney for four years. Collectively, we have seen over 10,000 resumes and have talked to numerous legal recruiters and employers about their preferences. Benefit from our experience.
3. Embrace Networking – Online or In-Person. A common complaint I hear is, “I’ve been networking. I have gone to X number of events but I do not have a job yet. Networking doesn’t work!” Actually, yes it does but some people expect instant results. This is not how networking works. Networking is relationship-building face time that pays off when you least expect it. See Tip # 1 regarding “Have Realistic Expectations” above. While you are unemployed, work on building your LinkedIn profile to 100% completion, create your online reputation by using Twitter, and reach out to friends on Facebook. Getting out of your house and meeting one to two people per week is more likely to get you results than sitting in front of your computer every day applying attorney jobs on www.craigslist.com that get flooded with over 500 applicants in the first hour.
4. Have a Plan, Then Execute It. We work with alumni and law students on a personalized “Job Search Action Plan,” identifying the ways to best conduct a job search for that individual. A job search can be overwhelming if you haven’t done one for awhile, have not done one in this job market, or never had to do one because your job landed in your lap. You need a plan of attack to tackle your job search. We can help you with that. Then once you have a plan, stick to it. You need to set aside time for your job search, every day if you can, but you do not need to spend 8 hours a day job searching. A job search is 90% consistency, 10% luck and this luck factor comes in through your networking. A "Job Search Action Plan" and other useful job search resources can be found in the Document Library in USFLawLink under OCP Legal Job Search Handbook.
5. Maintain a Positive Attitude. This is key. A job search can be frustrating and depressing. Being good to yourself, meeting up with friends, exercising and volunteering with bar associations or non-profits to keep up your skills are all excellent ways to keep up your spirits and can actually lead to a job! Those alums who learn to put a positive spin on their unemployment, refrain from bad mouthing former employers, and come across as an enjoyable person to be around are the alums that find jobs the fastest.
For help with your “Job Search Action Plan,” contact the Office of Career Planning to set up an appointment with one of our directors at (415) 422-6757 or lawcareer@usfca.edu.
