BusinessWeek Recognizes Resilient Richmond Economy

Published by careerservices on June 23, 2009 in Richmond. 0 Comments

A recent BusinessWeek article reveals that Richmond residents enjoy a comparatively sound job market and low cost of living.

In “Where Struggling Americans Can Find a Fresh Start,” BusinessWeek correspondent Prashant Gopal explores the best cities for unemployed workers to start over, finding new jobs and new homes.

BusinessWeek ranks the Richmond metropolitan area sixth nationally for employment prospects and cost of living.

In the next quarter, 22% of Richmond companies plan to hire new workers and the metro area’s unemployment rate is 1.6 points below the national average, according to the article.  In addition to sound economic indicators, BusinessWeek cites the Virginia capital’s average home prices, diverse economy, and rich arts community as key attractions.

The BusinessWeek article comes on the heels of a Next Generation Consulting study ranking Richmond as a “Next City,” one of the best places for young professionals to work and live.

Fall 2009 On-Campus Recruitment Program

Published by careerservices on June 12, 2009 in Interviews, OCI's and Resources. 0 Comments

The Fall On-Campus Interview Program begins on Tuesday, August 25, 2009.

On July 6, students may begin viewing and researching OCI employers.  OCI employers are those who will either interview students on-campus or who will review resume booklets (“resume collect”) from University of Richmond Law students in lieu of coming to campus.  Student bid applications will be accepted beginning on July 28, 2009.

There are currently five interview sessions in Symplicity:


Session 1 (Aug. 25 – Aug. 28):  Application deadline is August 9 at 11:45 p.m.
Session 2 (Aug. 31 – Sept. 4):  Application deadline is August 16 at 11:45 p.m.
Session 3 (Sept. 8 – 11):  Application deadline is August 23 at 11:45 p.m.
Session 4 (Sept. 14 – 18):  Application deadline is August 30 at 11:45 p.m.
Session 6 (Early Oct.) - Application deadline is September 6 at 11:45 p.m.

PRIOR TO THE BID APPLICATION DEADLINES, students must:

Confirm that all Profile information (particularly class year and graduation date) in Symplicity is current.

Upload default resume under “Documents” tab in Symplicity.  *Remember that the Career Services Office is here to assist with resume review.*

Upload employer-specific cover letters and attach them to bid applications by respective bid deadlines.

Upload a current grade list under the “Documents” tab.

Check each PDF document after converting it from Word.  Spacing issues may occur during the conversion (resulting in dropped lines, tab spacing changes, or the addition of an extra page).  Go back to the original Word document, correct the problem, and re-upload as a PDF if this occurs.

Interested in a Government Career?

Published by careerservices on May 8, 2009 in Government and Resources. 0 Comments

PSLawNet, a valuable public service resource, has launched an expanded Federal Career Resource Center.  This site explains the opportunities for legal employment in government, describes the federal hiring process, and includes links to government career search resources.  Among PSLawNet’s recommended resources are:

Please visit the Federal Career Resource Center for more detail about these resources, and please contact the CSO with any questions.

How to Make the Most of Your Summer Legal Internship

Published by careerservices on April 21, 2009 in Resources. 0 Comments

1L and 2L Richmond Law students will spend the summer working in law firms, public interest agencies, and administrative offices.

Regardless of where you are working this summer, here are a few tips for making the most of the experience:

Identify a mentor – Choose someone from whom you can learn this summer.  With luck, this will become a contact for you in years to come (and a possible reference).

Be flexible – You may be asked to assume responsibilities outside the scope of your job description.  Having a good attitude, a willingness to learn, and an ability to take on new projects will serve you well.

Ask questions – Learn as much as you can about your work environment.  If you’re given a project that you do not understand completely, ask questions.  The more that you know, the better you can accomplish your job.

Maintain high quality – Whether your position is paid or unpaid, whether you’re doing a project for a senior partner or a junior associate, provide high quality work.  With luck, your written work could serve as a writing sample for future job applications.  Across the board, your work will solidify your reputation.

Take notes – Keep a list of your assignments and projects throughout the summer.  This list will help you update your resume, and it can be provided to your supervisor if you request a reference.

Southeastern Minority Job Fair: Pre-Register Now

Published by careerservices on April 21, 2009 in Interview Programs. 0 Comments

The Southeastern Minority Job Fair (SEMJF) provides rising second and third year law students, as well as recent graduates, the opportunity to interview with legal employers throughout the United States.  In 2008, approximately 140 employers interviewed over 900 students during the two day job fair.  12 law students from UR participated in the 2008 job fair.

This year, SEMJF will be held on July 31 - August 1 at the Hyatt Regency Suites Perimeter Northwest in Marietta, Georgia.

All students interested in applying for interviews must pre-register with the Career Services Office by April 26, 2009 at 5:00 p.m.

To pre-register, log in to Symplicity, select the “OCI” tab, choose Session “Southeastern Minority Job Fair Pre-Registration” from the dropdown menu, and hit “Apply.”

Pre-registered students may apply to SEMJF employers through Symplicity May 8 – May 29.

Get to Know the CSO…and Williams Mullen

Published by careerservices on April 13, 2009 in Richmond and Events. 0 Comments

It’s time for the last CSO breakfast of the year: “Get to Know the CSO…and Williams Mullen” on Wednesday, April 15th from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Faculty Lounge.

Please join us in welcoming alumni Greg Bishop, Lauren Wheeling, Lee Lester, Judy Lin Bristow, Andy Mathews, and Will Rabke and Manager of Legal Recruiting Beth Fuchs from Williams Mullen.  Homemade waffles and coffee will be served.

Throughout the academic year, we’ll introduce you to a number of local firms in the “Get to Know…” breakfast series.  The series began last month with “Get to Know the CSO…and Hirschler Fleischer.”

The Nuts & Bolts of Cover Letter Writing

Published by careerservices on March 25, 2009 in Cover Letters. 0 Comments

Cover Letter“Cover Letters, Interviews, and Bears – Oh My!” (the blog post below) provides great preparation for cover letter writing.  Once you’ve discovered the strengths you wish to highlight, you must focus on the basics of cover letter writing.

Remember, a cover letter is designed to be a brief letter of introduction.  Write concisely, using the active voice.  Use three or four short paragraphs:

Opening:  Introduce yourself and describe your reason for writing.

Body:  “Sell yourself” by tying your talents and experiences to the characteristics the employer seeks. If you cannot find a tie, describe your skills which have general applicability and will contribute to your success.

Closing:  Anticipate a positive response from the reader, and invite the reader to contact you to further discuss the position.

Remember to use the proper business writing format:

DO     Keep your letter to one page.

DO     Personalize your cover letter.  Rather than “To whom it may concern,” address your letter to the Recruiting Manager (i.e. “Mr. Richmond” or “Ms. Williams”) if you do not have an attorney contact.

DO     Review the CSO Handbook (available on the CSO homepage) for further instructions and samples.

DON’T     Send your letter without having it proofread.  Bring your letter to the CSO, email it to us, or ask a friend or mentor for assistance.

Please stop by the CSO – or comment below – for more guidance.  We’re here to help you write compelling cover letters.  They truly are your first impression to potential employers.

Pssst! A little insight on OCI’s

Published by Denise on February 17, 2008 in OCI's. 0 Comments

We are heading into the second week of our Spring OCI season, but it is already time to share an important insight – the overwhelming majority of law students do notget their 1L summer jobs or their permanent job offers through OCI’s!!!  If you think we are just trying to make some of you feel better, you must think again.  In fact, it has been discussed in career services and other legal circles for years.  

Here is a link to an important article that appeared a few years ago in the
ABA’s Law Student publication: http://www.abanet.org/lsd/stulawyer/sept99/jobs.html.  Read it from start to finish.  You’ll see that nationwide, only 17% of students get their permanent job offers through OCI’s, and, as stated in the article, “For law schools not ranked in the top 20, this percentage is probably much lower.”   

You will also see that the author addresses another issue with OCI’s that can be very frustrating, i.e. the same handful of students seem to get all the OCI interviews.   It is often a recurring theme -  students at the top of the class apply to most visiting employers (because they are just not sure which firms are best for them), but, as a result, the same students – for the most part – get most of the interviews, and the rest of the class feel lousy.

If you are not getting the interviews you want, do not fall into this trap!!!  Look at the OCI season as the author of the ABA article suggests – prime time to “dust off [your] interview suit, proof your résumé, draft cover letters, and begin [your] … campaign to find a … a full-time [or summer] position.”   In fact, if you have taken the time to apply for an OCI interview, you should feel good about this.  You have begun your campaign. 

Also, take the author’s advice and focus on your networking opportunities.  Look to your contacts - those you have developed through law school and law school organizations and through family and friends, and those you may not have considered like alums, attorneys with similar backgrounds, etc.

Realize that this is a process - a process that takes time, focus, energy and patience – like a marathon.   

If you are frustrated, confused about what you should be doing, or just  have questions, come by the CSO and request an appointment with one of us to discuss strategy and where you can best direct your focus right now.  We are here to help.  But do not get frustrated!  This is not the end of the process.  This is the beginning. 

Cover Letters, Interviews, and Bears - Oh My!

Published by Denise on February 8, 2008 in Interviews and Cover Letters. 0 Comments

We have had lots of discussions recently on drafting cover letters. Cover letters can be difficult to draft for various reasons. I have found the attached handouts (that we originally used in an Interview Preparation Workshop) to be an extremely valuable aid as you draft your cover letters. If you are struggling with your cover letter or worried about being prepared for your upcoming interviews, try to find some quality time this weekend to do the following:

  1. Look at the handout entitled “The Anatomy of a Successful Attorney.” This lists the 25 or 30 characteristics of the perfect attorney (and as we all know, there is no such thing as the “perfect” attorney). Each of us would say that about 5 or 6 of these characteristics are our strengths. So consider each of the characteristics, and decide what you think are your top 5 strengths.
  2. Then move to the “Agenda Building Worksheet.” List each of your strengths separately, and then list one or two examples of real life situations that best illustrate each strength. For example, the “ability to manage complex tasks” might be illustrated by your handling of a complex nonprofit bond closing or a 1031 exchange. Just make sure you select specific examples that you would want to discuss and maybe even “brag about” a little. (Although it’s not always second nature for some of us to do this, it really is okay to feel good about your accomplishments and talk about them.)
  3. The “Firm Research Worksheet” helps you analyze why you are interested in a particular firm or position. It’s pretty self-explanatory.
  4. Incorporate all of the info on your strengths, your specific examples of them, and your firm interest analysis on the “Interview Agenda Worksheet.” You will see from this worksheet that you need to consider at least a couple of areas that might not have been your picks of your strengths but that often come up in discussions. Spend a little time thinking about these issues. They help you get prepared for interviews.
  5. Finally, the “Interview Candidate Evaluation” form gives you a bit of insight as to what your interviewers will probably consider once you have interviewed. They won’t use this particular form, and they may not use any particular form at all, but they will assess you and your credentials - probably in similar categories.

After you have done this, I think you will start to get excited about your credentials, experience, etc., and you will start to want to talk about what makes you a great candidate for a potential position. Also, you will be focusing on those strengths that might not be evident from a quick glimpse at your resume, and these are what you want to highlight in a cover letter! I think that once this exercise is complete, you will be able to draft the perfect cover letter for you (because cover letters should not be a rehashing of your resume but a precursory look at your real strengths and background).

If, after doing this, you have trouble patting yourself on the back for your accomplishments or highlighting your strengths, call us, email or come by. We can discuss your self-assessments and decide on how best to highlight them in a cover letter or discuss them in person.

If you take the time to go through this exercise, you are going to have a great cover letter. I also think you are going to be ready to take control of the interview process and make sure your interviewer hears what you want him or her to hear about you.

Let me know if you have questions. Just remember, for this exercise, be your own best advocate!

Interview Candidate Evaluation Form

Interview Agenda Worksheet

Firm Research Worksheet

Agenda Building Worksheet

Anatomy of a Successful Attorney

WELCOME!

Published by Katherine on January 15, 2008 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

Welcome to the CSO blog!  Here you will find the most current announcements, advice, and information of interest to help you in your job search.  Add us to your favorites!  Happy blogging!