Summer Associates are made in the Winter - Part II

Hi All,

Welcome back for part 2 of our new 3 part mini-series - Summer Associates are Made in the Winter!

The preparations that you undertake during the winter months set the foundation for an amazing summer as a law student. In part I, we shared four steps that you should start right now to set yourself up for success this summer. In part II, we build on that with the applications process, utilization of your networking, and a practice tip for your voicemail.

The Application Process

The application process for summer positions varies widely depending on where you are applying.  For smaller law firms, this may simply mean emailing your cover letter and resume. Larger firms and government agencies often have their own online application process, which may require additional information not necessarily on your resume. You may also need to submit your transcript so be certain that you’ve given yourself enough time if you need to obtain an official one.

The application, depending upon the position, may also require letters of recommendation so make sure you’ve requested those with plenty of lead time as well. Having all of your information accessible and any submissions ready to go will streamline the process for you and allow you to apply and move on.

Hiring timelines for companies and law firms vary widely. It is not unusual for someone to contact you about a position months after you applied - even for summer positions. Keeping track of where and when you have applied to a position, will help you if that call comes months after you submitted your resume.

Now ask yourself - how am I tracking my applications?

We highly recommend tracking your applications in some manner. This will be incredibly helpful when you are in a variety of stages with different firms.  Tracking your applications will allow you to be aware at one glance of where you are in all stages of the process everywhere you applied.  Having this type of information readily accessible will make it easy for you to keep on top of your applications.  You can easily know how long it has been since you have heard and whether you should follow up.  You can also keep on top of whom you should follow up with without having to comb through your emails.

Tracking applications can also be valuable to you further down the road. Next year when you are applying for another summer position, or even later when you are applying for attorney positions you already have your own personal database at your fingertips.

For these reason, and so many more, we believe that application tracking is essential to a successful job search. This is why we have included a custom tracking spreadsheet with The Law Student’s Guide to Networking Course.

Utilize Your Network

Look to your network to see if you can find a specific contact in an area of law, a law firm, or branch of government that interests you. Being able to reach out to a specific person or have your resume forwarded to a hiring manager by a current employee can go a long way in making your application or resume stand out from the stack. 

That type of referral can be incredibly valuable because it is much more likely that your resume will be given a careful and thoughtful review.  Go back to Part I if you do not yet have your documents ready to go - Summer Associates are Made in the Winter - Part I. Once they have your polished resume and stellar writing sample you have a great shot of landing the interview.

Prepare Your Voicemail

As a generalization, many lawyers love speaking on the phone. Many interviews will be scheduled via email. However, do not be surprised if someone calls to speak with you directly. Make sure that your voicemail clearly and professionally states your full name and that your memory is free so that a voicemail can be left. 

After all of this work you do not want to miss out on the opportunity to interview for a position because the recruiter was confused by your outgoing voicemail message or could not leave you a message because of a full inbox.  You do not need to suddenly start answering all of those calls you get from unknown numbers, just make it simple and accessible for someone important to leave you a message.

For more on law student networking to help you put your hard work into practice and land your dream role, check out The Law Student’s Guide to Networking Course or our book The Law Student’s Guide to Networking - now available in paperback!

Have a great day!

Haley & Amy

P.S. - Looking to network, but not quite sure where to start? Download our FREE Networking Launch Guide right now and start today to make networking work for you!

Photo by Aaron Burden 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.

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