SO...judicial internship or firm job?

[jacy85]

Telling all the firms in one city that "I'm interested in living in this area after graduation" is NOT tailoring.  Tailoring is writing a personalized letter, detailing the specific reasons why you want to work for this employer, AND demonstrating that you've done research (by mentioning someone you know who recommended the firm, a recent case the firm won, or something the firm made the subject of a press release, etc.).

Don't you think firms see enough cover letters to tell the difference between a personalized letter and a mail merge?

[Budlaw]

People do mail merging all the time, and it does work to at least get interviews. The main thing they'll be looking at anyway (unless its a small firm) is your resume and transcript. The cover letter is basically useless.

That being said, you can help yourself out if you actually do some real research on each firm. However, they're just like a Resume Drop for OCI. Most firms at OCI don't want a cover letter because they realize too that its useless.

I'd say go for it.

And to the OP do the firm job for the summer. You'd be much better served if you did a Judicial EXTERNSHIP during the semester and actually get some class credit to go along with the experience. If you're going to work for free you might as well get something else out of it.

But then again I'm a whore for money, so that's just me.

Telling all the firms in one city that "I'm interested in living in this area after graduation" is NOT tailoring.  Tailoring is writing a personalized letter, detailing the specific reasons why you want to work for this employer, AND demonstrating that you've done research (by mentioning someone you know who recommended the firm, a recent case the firm won, or something the firm made the subject of a press release, etc.).

Don't you think firms see enough cover letters to tell the difference between a personalized letter and a mail merge?

[KrazyNazi]

Wrong.

"Tailored" does not mean that you know how to do a data merge.

Anyone can send out 400 half-assed letters with a data merge, but every firm will know that you have done ZERO research and have no true passion, or knowledge for that matter, for or about their organization.

Wrong! What you had in mind is called a mail merge and not a data merge, there is no such thing as data merge.  The other dude was talking about using relational database and perhaps data mining to tailor his cover letters, which is a highly sophisticated data manipulation process, usually only people with years of database programming experience would be able to do this, not something anyone can do.

[Strong]

Wrong.

"Tailored" does not mean that you know how to do a data merge.

Anyone can send out 400 half-assed letters with a data merge, but every firm will know that you have done ZERO research and have no true passion, or knowledge for that matter, for or about their organization.

Wrong! What you had in mind is called a mail merge and not a data merge, there is no such thing as data merge.  The other dude was talking about using relational database and perhaps data mining to tailor his cover letters, which is a highly sophisticated data manipulation process, usually only people with years of database programming experience would be able to do this, not something anyone can do.

I've got a robot that I've programmed to write my covers letters and speak japanese.

[rhapsody]

And to the OP do the firm job for the summer. You'd be much better served if you did a Judicial EXTERNSHIP during the semester and actually get some class credit to go along with the experience. If you're going to work for free you might as well get something else out of it.

I agree.  I just externed with a judge this past semester, and it was a great experience.

[KrazyNazi]

Wrong.

"Tailored" does not mean that you know how to do a data merge.

Anyone can send out 400 half-assed letters with a data merge, but every firm will know that you have done ZERO research and have no true passion, or knowledge for that matter, for or about their organization.

Wrong! What you had in mind is called a mail merge and not a data merge, there is no such thing as data merge.  The other dude was talking about using relational database and perhaps data mining to tailor his cover letters, which is a highly sophisticated data manipulation process, usually only people with years of database programming experience would be able to do this, not something anyone can do.

I've got a robot that I've programmed to write my covers letters and speak japanese.

Obviously, a stupid dumbass like you has no idea about either job searching or programming, there is no wonder that you ended up at your hopeless TTT.  Have fun with your life of failure.  Moron. 

[correguachin]

I am a robot that's programmed to write cover letters.  I speak japanese.  I am a failure.  I have no life.  I will be miserable for the rest of my life.  I am a stupid dumbass that does not know anything about job searching or programming.  I ended up at a hopeless TTT.  I won't have fun with my life of failure.  I am a moron.

I will die poor, lonely, desperate, and unhappy. 

Does that make you feel better?