The Federal Government is Hiring!

The Federal Government is a Great Employment Option for Law Students and Attorneys

Law students and lawyers may not immediately think of the federal government when it comes to employment options, but the benefits of such work are numerous, including challenging assignments that serve the public good, attractive work-life balance in the form of reasonable and flexible work hours, and the highest attorney salaries in the public sector.

Seeking and applying for federal jobs can be overwhelming, so to help lawyers and law students get started, the 2009-2010 Federal Legal Employment Opportunities Guide provides help. The guide—produced by NALP/PSLawNet, in partnership with the ABA Government &Public Sector Lawyers Division and the Partnership for Public Service—offers information on how the hiring process works, where to find federal jobs and how to apply successfully for them. The new edition also includes an online version hosted on PSLawNet’s federal government careers webpage.

Additionally, for law students, the Office of Career Planning subscribes to the Government Honors & Internships Handbook which lists opportunities for 1L, 2L and 3L law students, including entry level post-graduate positions. The user name and password for this service can be found when you log into your USFLawLink account.

“In the next five years, one-third of full-time federal employees are expected to leave their jobs for retirement…”

Among reasons for a career with the federal government, authors of the guide point out that in the next five years, one-third of full-time federal employees are expected to leave their jobs for retirement. The authors also say that federal jobs typically pay more than working for other non-profit entities, with starting salaries for entry-level attorneys in the $50,000 range. From there, federal attorneys can move up the salary scale quickly, they say.

Jobs for lawyers are available in all three branches of government, in numerous capacities, including litigating civil and criminal cases, counseling lawmakers, drafting statutes and regulations, and issuing administrative legal opinions.

For young attorneys, working for the federal government usually means developing leadership skills quickly. Lawyers get immediate responsibility and they manage their own caseloads.

Also significant: “Many federal agencies have their own loan repayment assistance programs,” say guide authors. “And, the recently passed College Cost Reduction & Access Act can benefit attorneys working in the federal government.”

Information about federal student loan repayment programs is available. Also, learn more about the CCRAA on Equal Justice Works’ Student Debt Relief webpage.

Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program Application Window Now Open

A CALL TO SERVICE - The Presidential Management Fellows Program

Law students who will meet all graduate degree requirements between September 1, 2010 through August 31, 2011, are eligible to apply in the Fall of 2010, for the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Class of 2011.

The online application window is relatively short, closing on October 15, 2010. Additional materials are due to the Office of Career Planning by Friday, October 22, 2010. See below for instructions specific to USF School of Law students.

The PMF Program attracts to Federal service outstanding men and women from a variety of academic disciplines and career paths who have a clear interest in, and commitment to, excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs. Students can use this two-year fellowship as a stepping stone to highly visible and respected leadership positions in the Federal Government.

This rigorous two-year paid fellowship includes:

• Formal classroom training of 160 hours,
• Mandatory four to six month developmental assignment,
• Optional rotations of one to six months in duration,
• Challenging work assignments,
• Potential for accelerated promotions, and
• Opportunities to network with other future leaders.

Many Federal agencies partner with the PMF Program Office to hire Fellows annually. Fellows engage in solving domestic and international issues including, but not limited to: Public Administration, Foreign Policy, Technology, Science, Criminal Justice, Health, and Financial Management. For more information please visit www.pmf.opm.gov.

TIMELINE & ACTION ITEMS FOR USF SCHOOL OF LAW APPLICANTS
Apply online at http://www.pmf.opm.gov October 1-15, 2010. During the application process, you will be required to print the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Nomination Form (OPM Form 1300).

To seek a nomination by the law school’s Nomination Official, you should submit to the Director of the Office of Career Planning (OCP) in Room 230 Kendrick Hall no later than Friday, October 22, 2010 at 5 p.m., hard copies of the following:

• your personalized PMF Nomination Form (that you should have printed out during the application process);
• a copy of your current Resume;
• a Personal Statement of a minimum of 750 words describing: (i) the breadth and quality of your accomplishments; (ii) your capacity for leadership, and (iii) your commitment to excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs.

NOTE: At the time you submit your Nomination Form, Resume and Personal Statement to the OCP, you will be required to complete a form authorizing the law school to verify with the Office of the Registrar that you will complete your degree requirements between September 1, 2010 and August 31, 2011.

Applicants will be reviewed by the law school the week of October 25th. All applicants the law school determines are qualified will be submitted for nomination by the deadline of Sunday, October 31st.

Questions? Contact the Director of the Office of Career Planning, Bryan Hinkle at 415-422-6757.

5 Traits for Job Search Success

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.

1. Have Realistic Expectations. It is unlikely that you will find a job in one month unless you are amazingly networked. I have found it is taking the average individual about 4 months to 1 year to find a job. I quoted this to an alum and she replied, “That’s too long! I don’t have that much time.” Actually, time is all you have when you are unemployed and we can help you make the most of it.

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.

Interested in working for the Federal Government?

Learn How to effectively use the new USAJobs website:

September 16, 2010

In January of this year the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) launched an upgraded version of USAJobs, the federal government's one-stop clearinghouse for civil service jobs and internships with federal agencies. On Thursday, September 16 from 12:00-12:30pm (EST) Partnership for Public Service will offer a 30-minute webinar on how to effectively use website's search features. We strongly recommend this session to all law students and graduates seeking opportunities with the federal government.

Register for the event here. http://usingusajobs.eventbrite.com/

UPCOMING LEGAL CAREER FAIRS

Attending a legal career fair is a wonderful opportunity to meet with employers, explore legal careers and submit your application materials for review. Here are a few coming up this school year. Check our blog for additional updates during the year. Funding to attend conferences may be available from the Deans' Office. Check with OCP or the Deans' Office for more information.

OCTOBER

National Latina/o Law Student Association (NLLSA) Conference Career Fair

• October 1-2, New Haven, CT link

2010 Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair

• October 22-23, Bethesda, MD link

NOVEMBER

Inspire: 2010 NAPABA Annual Convention

• November 17-21, 2010, Los Angeles, CA link

Northern CA Public Interest/Public Sector Legal Careers Day(PI/PS Day)

• Saturday, February 12, 2011, UC Hastings, San Francisco, CA link

34th Annual Public Interest Legal Career Fair

• February 10 -11, 2011, NYU School of Law, New York, NY link

INTERESTED IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT? DEADLINES APPROACHING!

Details of the following programs are included in the 2010-11 Government Honors & Internship Handbook. Password information is available to USF law students on USFLawLink.

Upcoming 2L Deadlines:

• Dept. of Homeland Security, Office of General Counsel – Summer Law Intern Program (Deadline extended to Oct. 15, 2010)
• Central Intelligence Agency (Paid, Sept. 30, 2010)
• Dept. of Justice – Summer Law Intern Program (SLIP) (Paid, Deadline Sept. 7, 2010). Applicants can access the application through the Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management (OARM) web page (www.usdoj.gov/oarm) by selecting "Opportunities for Attorneys and Law Students," then selecting the appropriate program.
• Environmental Protection Agency, Kansas City (Region 7) (Paid, Deadline Sept. 30, 2010)
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission - Summer Program in the Office of Enforcement, Division of Investigations (Paid, Deadline Sept. 30, 2010)
• Federal Reserve Board - (Paid, Deadline Sept. 30, 2010)
• Federal Trade Commission - (Paid & Unpaid, Deadline Sept. 15, 2010)
• Dept of Health & Human Services, Office of Counsel to the Inspector General - (Paid, Deadline Sept 17, 2010)
• Internal Revenue Service – as soon as possible/ on a rolling basis.
• U.S. Navy, Office of the General Counsel - (Paid, Deadline Sept. 30, 2010)
• Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation - Office of General Counsel - (Paid, Deadline Sept. 15, 2010)
• U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California - the official application deadline is generally December 15, but applications should be submitted in Early Fall since positions are considered on a rolling basis and may fill up early.

Upcoming 3L Deadlines:

• Dept. of Homeland Security, Office of General Counsel – Honors Program (Paid, Deadline extended to Oct.15, 2010)
• Securities & Exchange Commission – Law Student Observer Program Spring (Unpaid, Deadline Oct. 8, 2010)
• Dept. of Interior, Office of Solicitor – 2011 Honors Attorney Program (Paid, Deadline Sept. 7, 2010)
• Dept. of Justice – Attorney General’s Honors Program (Paid, Deadline Sept. 7, 2010)
• Attorney General of Washington – Preferred Pool Status in Attorney Hiring (Paid, Deadline Sept. 17, 2010)
• Central Intelligence Agency - Legal Honors Program (as soon as possible/ rolling basis.)
• Federal Trade Commission - Bureau of Competition Entry-level Attorney Program (Sept. 15, 2010)
• Comptroller of the Currency - Chief Counsel's Employment Program for Law Graduates (Sept 18, 2010)
• Environmental Protection Agency - Office of General Counsel’s Honors Fellowship Program (Sept. 24, 2010)
• Environmental Protection Agency Region 9, San Francisco Honors Attorney Program (Oct. 1, 2010)
• Internal Revenue Service - Honors Attorney Program (apply early/ rolling basis)
• Nuclear Regulatory Commission - Atomic Safety & Licensing Board Panel’s Judicial Law Clerk Program (Sept. 30, 2010). Office of General Counsel Honor Law Graduate Program (Oct. 1, 2010)
• Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation - Honors Attorney Program (Sept. 30, 2010)
• Maryland Office of the Attorney General - Attorney Honors Program (Sept.15, 2010)
• Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General - Fellowship Program (Sept. 17, 2010)
• Oregon Department of Justice - Attorney Honors Program (Sept. 24, 2010)
• Attorney Hiring Program, Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia – (Deadline Oct. 4, 2010)

Many federal and state programs will be filled as soon as the ideal candidates are identified. Get your applications in early! For a list of programs by year, see the top of Table 3 – 2L Programs Sorted by Deadline and the top of Table 4 – 3L Programs Sorted by Deadline.

E-Professionalism and Social Media: 5 Steps to Create and Maintain an Online Persona

The National Association for Law Placement, Inc. published an article in their August 2010 NALP Bulletin by Kristen Uhl Hulse titled, A Guide to E-Professionalism for Law Students: Five Steps to Create and Maintain a Professional Online Persona. This article, edited by OCP's Assistant Director, Marina Feehan, describes five easy steps that can help clean up and maintain your social networking image to ensure that your professional persona matches your online persona.

Step 1: Identify your online social networking goals and choose the social networking platform accordingly.

Be sure to err on the side of professionalism because it can be difficult to clean up “digital dirt” in the future. Any information you post on a social networking site creates an electronic record that may be accessible for years.

LinkedIn.com is the recommended website for lawyers, law students and other professionals. Think of it as "Facebook for Lawyers." Creating a profile on LinkedIn instantly results in a high search engine result with your LinkedIn profile appearing close to the top, if not the top, of a google search.

For tutorials on how to use LinkedIn professionally, visit the LinkedIn Learning Center and the LinkedIn Learning Center for attorneys.

Step 2: Conduct due diligence on your online presence

Many legal employers have admitted to running searches of a candidate’s name, the results of which can influence the employment process. Therefore, be sure to not only google yourself but conduct searches of your name and maiden name if applicable on all the major search engines such as yahoo.com, bing.com and pipl.com.

Step 3: Clean up your online presence to reflect a professional online persona.

Start by thoroughly examining the information you have posted on social networking sites, including status updates, photographs, and even responses to friends’ comments.

Even if your personal pages are private, your friends’ pages may be publicly accessible, allowing personal information you post on friends’ pages to be discoverable.

Review information you have posted online as if you are an easily offended employer and purge any questionable material.

Step 4: Actively manage your online persona to meet your social networking goals.

Online reputation management is a key component of e-professionalism. Join LinkIn groups or guest blog for sites which promote your career goals to reflect the type of lawyer you want to be.

Step 5: Be accountable for your online persona.

If you wish to engage in social media from your office, be sure to check whether your employer has an official social media policy governing employees' use of social media and abide by that policy.

If you have any questions or would like additional information on how to maintain a professional online persona, the above referenced article is available in the Office of Career Planning. Additionally, OCP will be holding a workshop on "Managing Your On-Line Persona" this Fall. Watch for announcements in your e-mail for date and time.