The news lately has been heartening -lower unemployment rates for the nation and Nebraska. Despite the statistics, the reality is that many continue to face a tight market. The consensus among career professionals is that job seekers need to stick to or get back to basics.
Although the number of jobs available may be more limited, the methods for successfully securing these positions have changed very little if at all. Below is a quick review of some of the basics for a successful job search. Keep reading and don’t forget to make an appointment soon to meet with one of the CSO counselors and discuss your own search.
• Make a good first impression. Make sure your résumé and all application materials are well written and error free.
• Network. Network. Network. If you attended Molly Brummond’s recent programs on “Marketing Yourself” and “What Networking Means For You” then you know that you need to learn how to present yourself in a genuine way and that networking and marketing are skills that you will need to cultivate throughout your career. If you missed these recent programs we have a number of books available in the CSO Resource Room that will walk you through these same topics or you can chat with one of the CSO counselors.
• Do your homework. When you are applying to a firm or other employer you need to let them know that you are sincerely interested in them. Employers want to know that you are interested in them and not just “a job.” Your research should inform your cover letters as well as your interview questions.
• Be flexible. Your dream job may be doing complex commercial litigation. The likelihood that you can get specific and exclusive on your “want list” straight out of law school is highly unlikely. Look at each potential position for what it can offer you. What skills can you develop? What subject matter expertise can you develop? Remember that the number of lateral moves most attorneys make throughout their careers is on the rise. Your first job is not a life sentence.
• Use all your resources. The CSO is just one of your resources. ROSCOE is just one source for job postings. Everyone you know is a resource. Do they all know you are looking and what you want? Have you developed an online professional presence? If not, you are doing yourself a disservice. You should have an active Linked-In profile. There are entire books about how to use Linked-In, Twitter and Facebook in your job search. We have them in the CSO Resource Room.
• Be Open. Is your dream to be an in-house attorney for a big corporation someday? Don’t think you are doomed if you don’t get that big firm associate position straight out of school. Don’t rule out starting your career with the federal government or in a rural practice. Starting to build skills is the important thing. Take advantage of opportunities, continue to forge relationships with others and always think strategically about your career. There isn’t just one way to the top.
• Stay positive. Remember that you have received an excellent education and you have a lot to offer an employer. Just like employers will respond positively if they feel you are genuinely interested in them, they will also pick up on your confidence and attitude. In my experience, the final decision between two candidates often comes down to “Who would I rather see every morning?”