Summer Preparation for the Fall OCI program

Below are some suggestions on how you can prepare for the interview period. For more advice, or if you have any questions, please stop by the CSO or make an appointment to speak with Derek.

  1. Resumes, Cover Letters, etc. - Take time now to update your resume so that it reflects your summer experience and the spring semester results. If you'd like me to review your resume or other materials, please send them to Derek Early (and preferably by email) so as to avoid the last minute rush.

    You should also (i) draft at least one generic version of a cover letter for use as a starting point for future letters, (ii) prepare one or two high-quality writing samples (perhaps using an assignment from this summer's job, if appropriate), and (iii) line up three or four suitable references.

  2. Think Carefully about yourself and the direction in which you're headed. How do you want to spend your next summer—or your career? Where (geographically) do you want to be? What kind of work do you think you might want to do, and with whom? What do you hope to gain from your next position?

    If you're in the Portland area, we encourage you to visit the Career Services Office to discuss your options with me or to consult some of the excellent books on career choices that we have in our library. In any case, try to approach your job search deliberately, with a plan of some sort, even if you're uncertain what you want to do. You'll accomplish more that way.

  3. Research - Begin researching potential employers, clerkships, internships, fellowships, etc., so that you don't miss opportunities and can bring a sharper focus your job hunting. Much of this can be done via the internet, using such on-line resource as Martindale Hubbell (www.martindale.com), NALP's employer directory (www.nalpdirectory.com), the Legal Employment Search Site www.legalemploy.com), or any of the dozens of others available. Also consider contacting Maine Law alumni who are working in locations or in practice areas that interest you. Visit the Career Services Office and use the resources that we have here. Ask the lawyers with whom you're working for their advice and for their opinions of various firms and practice areas. In short, take the initiative in exploring options.

    In due course we'll be sending you a preliminary list of employers who will be interviewing on campus in the fall. Do your homework; find out what you can about these employers before deciding which (if any) you'd like to apply to. But please don't limit yourself to those employers planning to visit the law school. Historically, only a fraction of students (both nationally and here at Maine Law) ultimately find jobs through on-campus interviews, and your job search may require other approaches if it's to be successful.

  4. Out-Of-State - As many of you know, we strongly encourage students to broaden their employment horizons beyond Portland and southern Maine. Legal jobs, internships, post-graduate fellowships, clerkships, etc. are all more plentiful--and opportunities to do interesting and sophisticated legal work more available--in other parts of the country.

    If you're thinking of working outside Maine, either next summer or following graduation, please note that out-of-state employers seldom travel to Portland to interview Maine Law students on campus. It's up to you to approach them directly. Also, because many of the larger out-of-state law firms begin reviewing resumes (and in some cases even interviewing) as early as mid/late August, it's important that you begin sending out resumes druing the first half of August (or even sooner) to be sure that you're among the first considered and that you maximize your chances of landing an interview.

  5. Job Fairs - Consider attending the New Hampshire Job Fair, which will be held in Manchester on Thursday, September 18th (see Derek's email messages of 6/26 and 7/3 for details). The organization Equal Justice Works also holds a highly-regarded job fair just outside Washington D.C. in October. In fact, it's the largest public interest job fair in the country. If public interest law is the direction you think you might be headed, EJW's job fair is not to be missed. I'll be sending out more information on that fair later this summer.