In addition to attending as many of this semester’s prep programs as you can (see the text of our original announcement here and the programs flyer here), one of the most productive things you can be doing now so you are ready to bid on interviews with employers in August is to figure out the practice area(s) that most interest you.
Putting careful thought into which practice areas interest you (and why) will not only help focus your job search, it will better prepare you to answer the inevitable interview questions on that topic.
The CDO’s Practice Areas webpage contains many resources that can help. It includes links not only to general resources for identifying and considering your options, but also links to webcasts that will help you further explore specific areas, such as bankruptcy and corporate transactional work.
Once you figure out the practice area(s) that interest you most, the next step will be researching employers to identify those with strengths in your chosen area(s). We will have more to say about the employer research process during our “live” program on the topic on April 14th from 1 to 2PM in Room 100. You can also find some helpful employer research resources on the CDO website.
If you missed some of the prep programs that took place earlier this semester, you can find links to webcast versions of them on our newly created EIW webpage (still under construction — accessible via the Interview Programs webpage). It includes links to webcasts about what it’s like to practice in LA and NY. These are much bigger – and in terms of practice areas, more diverse – legal markets than SF. The continuing tight job market (despite some hopeful signs of loosening up) will tend to favor those who have maximum geographic flexibility. We will be adding webcasts and other information about practicing in other cities (as well as other EIW-related content) to this webpage throughout the remainder of the semester and into the summer, so check back frequently.
The search for a 2L public interest or public sector job will take place through avenues other than the Early Interview Week (EIW) program, including direct applications and our new Fall Interview Program (FIP) later in the semester.
To help you start thinking about your 2L PI/PS job search, we have planned a series of programs in the coming weeks, including a roundtable on April 1 for PI/PS students who are considering whether or not to participate in EIW and an April 13 program addressing how to undertake your 2L summer PI/PS job search.