How To Turn Your Summer Internship Into a Job Offer
You know that Summer Associates Are Made in the Winter.
You networked.
You interviewed.
You have a summer internship at a great law firm.
So how do you turn this internship into a job offer?
1. Show interest in your firm's practice areas
Your firm may have a narrow practice area focus such as a tax firm. Or, it may have a broader focus, such as civil litigation. Whatever practice areas you law firm focuses on, make it your mission to learn all you can about that practice area.
Ask for additional resources, such as CLE handbooks, court rule books, and statute books to familiarize yourself with this practice area.
Ask thoughtful questions
Sit in on client meeting
Learn how the assignment you are working on fits into the bigger picture of work your firm is doing for a client.
2. Do Great Work
In addition to showing interest in your firm’s practice areas, put your best foot forward by doing great work. Doing great work doesn’t mean you’ll never make a mistake. Doing great work means taking steps to make sure you are submitting your best work:
Review any notes are memos about the task and make sure you fulfilled the objectives.
Proofread it before you hand it in.
Submit it on or before any due date that you have been given.
If you are given any feedback make sure that you understand it so you can incorporate it into future assignments.
3. Make yourself indispensable.
During your summer internship, in addition to working on the assignments you are given, take additional steps to go the extra mile and make yourself indispensable. By taking on additional responsibilities you will demonstrate how much value you can bring to the firm.
Learn a client file inside and out and become the expert on that file;
Troubleshoot a new software program;
Offer your talents and skills in business, marketing or technology to bring extra value to the firm;
4. Ask
Finally and most importantly, ask. Make sure your employer knows that you are interested in staying with the firm. Speak to your supervisor or hiring partner and express your interest in an opportunity to stay with the firm. If you’ve taken the steps outlined above, you’ve demonstrated your interest, submitted great work and made yourself indispensable to the firm in some way. You’ve demonstrated that the value you bring to the firm will exceed the expense of hiring a new associate.
Whether you’ve secured a full-time position or you are still seeking one, law students need to network to find success.
Not just to find their first job, but to build a client base and build strong collegial support relationships with other attorneys and professionals.
Networking doesn’t come naturally for most of us. Luckily, networking is a skill that can be learned.
Our course, the Law Student’s Guide to Networking teaches law students step-by-step how to develop and implement a practical plan for networking. Learning how to network successfully is a skill that will serve you throughout your years of practice.
Our book, The Law Student’s Guide to Networking, provides students with an easy to read plan of how to network effectively and successfully.
Law students that implement the practices taught in The Law Student’s Guide to Networking are more confident and more successful in their networking endeavors as they seek to create and grow strong professional networking relationships.
Are you ready to network more effectively and more successfully?
Photo by Cytonn Photography on Unsplash
Please keep in mind that your jurisdiction will have rules of professional conduct that you must follow. This discussion does not focus on the any such rules, including the rules from the jurisdiction where we practice. Rather this is a discussion of tips we have found helpful in managing client expectations in our own experiences. This should not be taken as legal advice.
We make absolutely no guarantee, expressed or implied, that by following the advice you will make any money or improve current profit, as there are several factors and variables that come into play regarding any given business or career. Primarily, results will depend on the business model, the conditions of the marketplace, the experience of the individual, and situations and elements that are beyond your control. As with any business endeavor, you assume all risk related to investment and money based on your own discretion and at your own potential expense.
Nothing contained within this podcast is intended or should be construed to be legal advice and does not create any attorney client relationship. No material on this site, social media, or in the podcast is intended to be a substitute for professional medical and/or mental health advise, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advise your physician or other qualified provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.