Career Planning for Rising 2Ls
9/12/11, Room 727, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
9/15/11, Room 727, 3:00-4:00 p.m.
OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES
Searching for a Job for Next Summer
• Define what you want and get that experience now
• Update resume
• Refine cover letters
• Choose and re-read a good writing sample
• Improve interview skills
• Interview over Thanksgiving/Christmas break
• Network
OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES
Get Informed!
• 10,000 Loyola alumni, mostly in Chicago
• Talk to people you already know
• Read the newspaper and legal publications
– Chicago Law Bulletin, Chicago Lawyer Mag, Tribune
• Join a bar association and get involved
• Attend Loyola events
• Follow up with those you meet
OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES
Large Firms – OCI & Non-OCI Firms
• Apply to firms that did and did not participate in OCI
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Go to nalpdirectory.com to learn who they are
Large firms - Apply in September
Don’t limit yourself to Chicago – see NALP for this too!
Tailor your resumes and cover letters to each firm/department
Send resumes to Loyola alums in firms of your choice
Talk to recent Loyola graduates and get advice from them
OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES
Small/Medium Firms--They hire as need arises so timing is
tricky
• Research them now and throughout the fall
• Identify Loyola alums at these firms – go to Martindale.com and
set up informational meetings (see Networking Guide)
• Check out Symplicity.
• For summer only - apply next semester
• Consider working throughout the school year
• Use 4 or More List to identify small/medium firms
• Join county bar associations
• Meet the Alums this fall
• Follow-up with all lawyers you meet
OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES
Public Interest
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Early fall deadlines: PSLawNet and www.illinoislegaladvocate.org/
PILI/CALSC program Sept. 24, Explore Pro Bono
Meet the Public Service Employers Reception (Nov. 8)
CBAVolunteer Fair (Feb.), MPILCC (Feb.)
Gain relevant experience & demonstrate commitment to issuesvolunteer, clinics, student groups
Network w/alumni working in PI and professional organizations
(CBA Legal Aid committee)
Research funding sources-PILI, PILS, EJW, EJA
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Find Govt and PI employer links on our website
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Username: student Password: loyolaonline
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OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES
Externships – Judicial and Non-Judicial
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Consider doing a judicial externship this year/summer
After 51 credit hours – other externships available
with 711 license
See our Externship webpage
http://www.luc.edu/law/academics/special/externships.html
OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES
Government: federal, state, county, city
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Early fall deadlines-Federal see Arizona Handbook
Contact gov’t offices & learn about hiring process/deadlines –
Fed, state, county and city
Some gov’t agencies interview through OCI in your 3rd year
e.g. CTA, SEC, CCSA but most do not
Attend Meet the Public Service Employers program 11/8
Attend MPILCC in February 2012
Attend CBA’s Government Career Fair in April 2012
Consider volunteering or doing an externship
OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES
Other Employers
• Top Publicly-Held Companies in Chicago - 200 of them
• Accounting/Finance/Securities
• Banking/Trust Companies
• Foundations/Non-Profits
• Hospitals/Insurance
• Media Companies
• Alternatives to Law
– Government Affairs, Lobbying, Legal Recruiting, HR,
Professional Development, Conflicts, Law Firm Mgmt.
OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES
Career Services Website
• Website: www.luc.edu/law/career/index.html
– Upcoming Events
– Government & Public Interest Info
– Out-of-State Resources & Reciprocity
– Chicago Area Four or More List
– Chicago Law Firm Links
– Nearby State Info
– Practice Area Info
– Bar Associations
OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES
Career Services Website
• Government – Honors & Internship Handbook & Public
Policy Handbook
• Public Interest
• PSLawNet.org
• Funding
• NALP – www/nalp.org and www.nalpdirectory.com
• Martindale-Hubble Directory
• Westlaw and Lexis On-Line Career Directories
• Alumni Directory
OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES
Get Organized
• Create a file at home entitled “Job Search”
• Put job-related emails, invitations, resumes, cover letters,
contacts, ideas and business cards in the file
• Create an excel spreadsheet to keep track of interview
dates, call-backs, names, contacts, phone calls, etc.
Stay Positive
• Do not take rejection personally
• Use a multi-pronged approach and be creative