Securing a Summer Job: Expert Tips for a Successful Career - Part II

Summary

Securing a summer job can be a great way to gain career experience and further professional development. Many employers are looking for interns during the summer months, so it's important to be prepared. Part two of this career advice series highlights tips for those looking to land a summer job.


First, those seeking a summer job should use the help of their school's career services office. This office can provide helpful individualized advice about resumes and cover letters, as well as job postings that may be of interest. They may also be able to refer potential employers and identify potential leads.

Second, create networks of contacts that can help you find a summer job. There's no one better to speak to potential employers on your behalf than someone who knows and likes you. Reach out to family, friends, and acquaintances who work in the field you're interested in.

Third, increase your job search by utilizing personal websites, social media sites, and job boards. Make sure to construct a profile and personal website that is professional and showcases your strongest skills. Social media can also help to network, advertise yourself, and research potential employers. Utilizing job boards is also a great way to find postings tailored to your interests.

Fourth, take the initiative to contact employers with a resume, cover letter, and compelling introduction. Most importantly, make sure your resume and cover letter showcase your skills and explain why you would be a great fit for the role.

Finally, stay organized and focused in your job search. Take notes of the contact information, dates, and interactions with potential employers. This will help to ensure that you stay organized and provide an opportunity to follow up on the job you've applied for.

Overall, securing a summer job can be a great way to gain career experience and further professional development, but it's important to be prepared. Utilize the help of school career services, create a network of contacts, take advantage of personal websites, social media sites, and job boards, and contact employers directly. Finally, stay organized and focused throughout the job search process. By following these tips, you'll be sure to find the summer job you've been looking for.
 

How to Find a Great (Summer) Job

Finding a great job over the summer can be a challenge. However, with the right strategies, resources, and time management, anyone can have success. Following the steps outlined in this article can help job seekers land a great summer job.
 

Start Your Job Search Early

Starting your job search early is a key factor in finding a great summer job. Be sure to begin your search early so you can find the openings before they are filled. You can use networking resources such as LinkedIn, resume databases, and job websites to find suitable job opportunities. Additionally, staying in contact with your career network can help you find out about potential openings.
 

Be Open-Minded About Opportunities

When it comes to looking for a summer job, it is important to be open-minded about the opportunities that come your way. You may find that taking a job that isn't your ideal position could lead to great career development. For example, you may be offered a position as an intern that gives you the opportunity to gain experience and learn about working in a certain industry.
 

Be Prepared for Interviews

Once you have identified a few job openings and made initial contact, it is important to be prepared for interviews. Before the interview, make sure that you research the company, and review the position you are applying for. Additionally, it is important that you update your resume and come to the interview dressed professionally.

<<Ms. Ashley advises a two-pronged approach. She said students should leverage everything their Career Services center offers, such as on-campus interviews, job fairs, seminars, and mock interviews. Second, she strongly advises making contacts with as many practicing lawyers as possible. "If you're fishing, you must be where the fish are. As the old saying goes, it's who knows you that counts, because when that unadvertised position opens up, someone will remember they met you the week before and were personally impressed with you."

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Sometimes students follow their own paths to finding that summer job. Kacey Kamrin, third-year law student at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, found her second-year summer job by sending out mass cover letters and resumes in the fall to small firms, most of which she found through the Martindale-Hubbell service on Lexis-Nexis. "The firm I applied to was not planning on hiring a law clerk in the practice area to which I had applied because they rarely received any interested applicants. As a result, they created a position for me to work at that firm."

Ms. Kamrin recommends that second-year students consider interning during the school year for school credit, which would allow a student to later ask if the organization would be interested in keeping them on as a work-study employee during the summer. "I also did that this past summer. I worked two jobs, each part-time at the local public defender's office. I definitely had an advantage over other applicants because I already had experience and cases at that office."

Stacey Wiley, Associate Director for Career Services at Cornell Law School, said her staff encourages students to focus on small- to mid-sized firms rather than large firms, even if they prefer a large firm. "Small- to mid-sized firms do not hire according to the same timetable as the very large, national firms. They tend to hire later in the year when they have a better idea of their financial situation and how many, if any, summer associates they can afford."

Ms. Wiley said they also encourage students to consider secondary markets rather than the typical cities Cornell students tend to want to go to, such as New York, D.C., Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. "Secondary markets won't pay as much but also won't have the same competition from Top-10 law school students."

She said students should also consider governmental agencies—not just federal but also state and municipal—because they tend to hire later in the year. She added that if a student prefers public interest work, that it is during the spring semester when the majority of hiring occurs.

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Most law firms recruiting second-year law students for summer positions take part in the fall recruiting process at various law school campuses, explained Jo Anne Larson, Director of Administration and Attorney Recruiting at Cooley Godward LLP, based in Palo Alto, CA. Ms. Larson said that the process and hiring decisions are usually completed by early to mid December. She said as a result, second-year students looking for summer positions during the second semester should expect to face some challenges, especially if they are seeking to work in a large private law firm.

Ms. Larson said students can increase the likelihood of getting a job if they follow a few suggestions. "If you participated in on-campus fall recruiting and did not receive a job offer, try to find out why. It may be that you need to polish your interviewing skills or presentation," Ms. Larson said.

She advises students to take part in on-campus career fairs and other events attended by employers and strongly stresses that students use these events to network. "This means you should come prepared, review career fair/event information beforehand, and prepare questions/topic areas of interest to you."

She said students should broaden their searches with the goal of building on their work experience to enhance their abilities to secure jobs after graduation. She said experience can be gained through law firms, public interest organizations, governmental agencies, judicial internships, law schools, research opportunities, and through companies seeking clerks in the general counsel's office. She said students should also be willing to consider unpaid internships.

Ms. Larson also advised that students should network with law school alumni who can provide valuable leads with their employers, clients, and other contacts. This also includes talking with professors who can sometimes provide leads and references as well.

Then there is the cover letter. "Explain in your cover letter—concisely and cogently—why you are looking for an opportunity outside of the normal cycle and why you are interested in the organization to which you are presenting yourself. Most potential employers will want to know why," she said.

Ms. Larson said another potential issue that can arise when students look for jobs in their second semesters is the additional costs to the potential employer. "The employer will not have had the chance to see you on campus and, unless you are local, will bear the cost of your travel expenses for interviews."

She advises that students be aware of this fact and suggest a telephone interview at first. Or, if a student plans to get a job in an area he or she will be visiting on a school break, he and she can offer to interview while visiting the area.

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Ms. Larson offers a few more valuable bits of advice for law students: "All the 'normal' rules apply to your presentation: personalized cover letter, error-free and interesting resume, learn about the organization to which you are applying," she said. "You want to set yourself apart from the pack, but for the right reasons."