October 16, 2018

Job Talk: What to Expect During Your First Appointment with the Career Services Office (CSO)

What happens in this required session?

The 1L mandatory CSO counseling sessions will take place over the next couple of months. In these sessions, your advisor will discuss and review your resume, ask you about your background and interest in law school, and outline all the exciting services our office provides.  In advance of your appointment, perform necessary updates to your resume and consider questions you may want to ask including the below.

What should I be asking?

1. What jobs do students typically get for the summer after 1L?  The sky is the limit! You can try on a number of practice areas during your first summer.  Employers may begin accepting applications from 1L students on December 1.  As such, our job board on Symplicity already has listings up and they will only continue to grow as we get closer to summer.  These are typically paid positions.  If you are a full time 1L (or a part-time 2L), you can apply for an externship through the externship office, which means you’ll get credit for your work experience. In some circumstances you may be able to get paid and get credit at the same time.   If you work for government or public interest, you should consider applying for the Public Interest Law Committee’s Summer Grant.
2. Where do graduates practice after graduation?  This is two-fold.  First, you can examine where you see yourself as a professional.  Second, you can also find alumni to reach out to and build a mentor relationship.  The CSO can get you in contact with alumni in any field of law, big law to public interest, government to private sector. It is never too early to start thinking about your post-graduation career goals.
3. How do I keep in contact after this meeting?  Take your CSO advisor’s business card.  Put their info into your phone.  Your counselor is here to answer your questions, review your resume and cover letter, and help you navigate the profession.  You are only required to meet once this year, but our office is always available for students.  Staying in contact with CSO will keep you away from unnecessary stressors down the road!  Plus, it’s very easy to schedule an appointment on Symplicity or stop by the office on the Westmoreland 3rd floor.

What do I do going forward?!?

Keep exploring.  Some people know exactly what they want to do when they enter law school, but many do not or change their minds along the way.  CSO is a resource in finding information on each field and connecting you to practicing attorneys.  Study hard, use your resources, and develop the skills you need to succeed!