You put in all the hard work to complete law school and graduate, but now what? Well, the next logical step is to find a job. That can be easier said than done. Most law school graduates are clueless as to where to go to find work. If you are ready to find your first lawyer job, these tips can help.
Don’t Be Afraid to Start At The Bottom
You might have the skills, but you don’t have the experience. That means your options are limited. One of the best ways to get to the top is to start at the bottom. Apply for a temp agency and tell them you want to work in the law field. Go to your local attorneys and ask if you can shadow them or work part-time in the office. Not everyone will allow this, but all you need to do is get your foot in the door and learn the ins and outs of a law office. When you have some experience under your belt, you can apply for better positions.
Network
As with most things, getting a job is about who you know. If you have friends in the law field, they are more likely to help you find a job. If nobody knows you have a law degree, they might not ever toss you’re an opportunity. Use social networks and put yourself out there. Look for organizations or clubs that include a lot of attorneys, and make friends with them. You need to be in this circle of people if you want to do the same kind of work as them.
Build Your Reputation
Even when you get that first job as an attorney, you may not have a lot of cases or clients. It takes a while to build up your reputation, and you may need to volunteer for some pro-bono cases to do that. Attorneys make good money, but just like everyone else, it takes them time to work up to larger cases and better pay. Don’t be afraid to take lower paying cases or do volunteer work. The more you get your name out there and build up the reputation, the more clients will come to you. It may take a few years, but if you do good work and do it right, you will see results.
It’s exciting to finish law school and be ready to start your first attorney job. It’s a little humbling to find out there are no jobs waiting for you when you walk off the stage with that diploma. Your hard work is not over just because you graduated. You still need to find a job and establish yourself in the field. Knowing where to start can make a big difference. In the end, your success depends on how hard you are willing to work. Even the best attorney had to start at the bottom and work their way to the top. You should be willing to do the same.
