Becoming a Lawyer: A Short Career Path Guide

If you're a third year in law school you probably won't want to believe that, in the grand scheme of things, nothing can really prepare you for the real word. So, your first legal job is going to really tough. In the postmodern world we live in, people don't graduate to go work for the same firm until they retire. A career is not the same thing as a job-it's the sum total of your life's experiences, a work in progress that's never quite complete but gains depth and meaning over time. You can make yours richer by following your instincts and letting the journey inspire you.

The Career Maze

A career path doesn't have to have a straightforward trajectory; it may be more like a maze than a path. Of course, on-campus recruiting for some industries requires more involvement than others-and in these fields, your first job will most definitely matter. If you want to work in a law firm for instance, you go to the informational sessions in the fall, then on-campus interviews, and hopefully you get an offer and start working your way up within the firm.

Three or four years later you'll probably want start a (practice, find another legal job, or else return to school to get your L.L.M, find another job, or else return to school to get your S.J.D. The experience at a law firm will often determine where you end up-and who's going to be clamoring to hire you.

It may be frustrating when your peers have high-paying jobs lined up in February of your senior year, and you still don't have a clue come May. Just remember: You're not limited by your first job.

Even if you've been working a less-than-impressive job for a few years after graduation, you'll still have plenty of time to find or create your dream job. In the meantime, you never know what doors your first job will open for you; networking is so serendipitous. Pursue what interests you today (or just what is convenient for the time being), and pretty soon you'll be faced with a dozen more options than you had before.

Earn Your Stripes
Often the best way to get to the top is by starting from the bottom. Don't spend six months waiting to hear back from a prospective employer. Get a job as a federal or state clerkship, try to get a job at a law firm, and if you can afford to, get a part-time legal internship in the industry to make connections.

While you're waiting to hear back from the dream employer, follow up with a letter to human resources and let the firm know what you've been up to. Even if you've just been filing and doing data entry at your friend's father's law office, you'd be surprised how much this administrative experience will mean to potential employers.

Initiating a recent grad into the working world can be daunting for employers. One recruiter at an Internet company told a recent college graduate that he only interviews candidates with at least six months of "real world" experience, because he doesn't want to be the one to "disillusion" someone. Spending some time as an admin or an intern shows future employers that you have the mettle and determination to succeed on the job.

Be Flexible
If you are interested in joining a certain firm, it might be wise to settle for a less-than-ideal job there in order to get your foot in the door. One recent law graduate was dead set on trying to land a job at a few chosen law firms that she dreamt of working for. She managed to get an interview at the most prestigious firm but didn’t get an offer. She later realized that a good way into the profession is by working at as clerkship at a local law firm in order to gain more experience.

Accepting your less-than-ideal job may turn out to be a way to expand your interests and find out what you're good at. Even if you're not in love with your first job, try to think of it as a learning experience. Learning what you don't like is as important as learning what you like.

Keep Perspective
Even if you're dead-set on a particular legal job, remember that you have your whole life to accomplish your goals. It takes time to gain experience and make connections. Dream jobs are rarely advertised. Many happily working people didn't know their jobs existed before they stumbled upon them.

The Zen masters of the job search know that opportunities often lurk where you least suspect them. Talk to people whose careers you admire and, chances are, you'll find that they didn't go directly from A to B to get where they are. Put yourself in the maze and explore your options. Your path will become clear.