5 Tips for Finding a Job After Law School

5 Tips for Finding a Job After Law School5 Tips for Finding a Job After Law SchoolAlthough the hiring outlook for recent law school graduates has improved, learning how to find a job remains, well, a job. Legal careers are in flux as traditional business models evolve, and law firms and corporate legal departments face ongoing pressure to deliver more cost-effective services.If youre a job seeker entering this rapidly changing environment, you must be as knowledgeable about how to find a job as you are about contracts and statutes. Consider incorporating these five strategies into your search efforts1. Go the extra mile in law school Earning a high grade point average and participating in extracurricular professional activities - such as doing pro bono work, holding-gesellschaft a leadership role in a law association or publishing articles - will give you an edge in finding a job.Heres an example A newly appointed judge in search of a law clerk received about 75 applications for a position that might have drawn a dozen candidates in the past. To weed out applicants, he eliminated those who hadnt written for their schools Law Review and who didnt have at least a 3.0 GPA. That allowed him to cut the applicant pool by about half, illustrating that what you do in law school does matter.At Robert Half Legal, our recruiting specialists bring decades of experience helping job seekers find great career opportunities. Let us help you find the right job for you.GET HELP FINDING WORK2. Think outside the box Some traditional career routes have narrowed, but legal careers have become more varied and diverse overall. Since law firms may never hire partners include positions within consulting and accounting firms, legal processing outsourcers and corporate compliance roles. When considering how to find a job, be open to some of these nontraditional ways of using your law degree to gain employment.3. Follow trends New opportunities continue to emerge in the legal job market, which makes it essential to stay abreast of trends. A good resource is Robert Half Legals Future Law Office research program, as well as periodic surveys on hiring projections. Knowing how to find a job means keeping up with in-demand practice areas and taking musiknote of the types of positions being created. Shifting needs may suggest that you should target a different practice area than you initially planned.4. Use your career services office Your on-campus career services office can help you find internships, schedule on-campus interviews and become more educated about the legal job market. If anyone knows how to help you find a job, its the career center staff They can provide information on a range of legal jobs, including nontraditional-track positions in law firms and corporations. You can also learn more about interviewing, starting salaries and billable hours expectations, among other topics.5. Adopt multiple strategies Dont rely on just one method to land a position. Its equally important to network online and in person. Join professional groups and stay in touch with law school colleagues and professors. In addition, you may want to research and proactively contact firms, as well as respond to job postings you find through LinkedIn or other sources.Although its ideal to be recruited for a position, dont hold your breath waiting for that to happen. Learning how to find a job after law school is more likely to involve equal parts diligence, networking and luck.For more tips about how to land a job in the legal profession, read the Robert Half Blog.