Preparing for your summer job search and beyond… 1L Career Kick-off! Preparing for your summer job search and beyond…

Meredith Career Services Center Location: Room 130 & 100J Hours: 8:30 – 12:00 & 1:00 – 4:30 Staff: ASSISTANT DEAN: Jennifer Powell, MSW, JD Email: jennifer.powell@mail.wvu.edu Phone: 293-6792 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Rosalind Lister, M.S.Ed. Email: rosalind.lister@mail.wvu.edu Phone: 293-7750 Meredith Career Services Center Web site: http://law.wvu.edu/career_services

Goals for today… Introduce staff Receive and complete registration form Distribute information folders Discuss crucial employment documents Provide overview of office procedures and NALP guidelines Review employment options for students

Crucial Employment Documents Registration form Resume Cover Letter Writing Sample Law School transcript References

Registration Form Purpose/Use Information Privacy (FERPA)

Resume Definition: A brief written account of personal, educational, and professional qualifications and experience. MOST resumes for law students are 1 (yes one) page long Generally just include undergraduate experiences to now Look to samples and instructions in booklet

Cover Letter Definition – a letter which accompanies a resume and serves as a personal introduction and explanation of interest in an organization. Generally 3 to 4 paragraphs in length Displays a match between you and employer See cover letter booklet for instructions and samples

Other crucial documents Writing sample Law school transcript List of professional references

How do WVU College of Law Students find their first job? Top four ways (drawn from statistics from 2005-2007): 1—On campus interviews 2—Self initiated contact (aka self-directed search) 3—Referred by friend, relative, other 4—Responded to job posting

Where do WVU College of Law graduates start their careers? 1—Private practice in firms ranging from 2 attorneys to firms with 500 +. Large percentage start in firms with 2-10 attorneys 2—Judicial clerkships with state and federal judges 3—Business settings including accounting, banking, management, technology, human resources, and insurance 4—Government settings including military, prosecuting attorneys/DA’s, and state/federal agencies 5—Public interest settings like Legal Aid, Public Defenders

Timeline for your job search November 1—meet with Career Services, prepare materials; November-to infinity--meet individually with Jennifer or Rosalind December 1—Can begin to apply to large out of state firms; watch deadlines for certain govt. jobs January/February 2009—On campus interviews (large in-state firms) and in-state public interest jobs Late Spring 2009—state government jobs, plaintiff’s firms, volunteer clerkships

Timeline for your job search Summer 2009—begin preparation and apply for post 2L summer job! Summer 2009—job fairs! July/August 2009—apply to large out of state firms August-October 2009—on campus interviews here at WVU Fall 2009 (rolling)—apply for federal government agencies Spring 2010—apply for plaintiff’s firms, state government agencies

Appointments & Announcements Sign up for individual appointments Special appointment hours set for 1L initial meetings Register for Career Services TWEN site; sign up for individual meetings there. Rosalind – Jennifer – Announcements Questions?