Studying for the BAR, huge DEBT, no JOB, WHAT DO DO?

[chevelle]

still in the same position.....

i had an interview with a firm i loved in november. i got a call back. i loved the firm more after the call back. it's been almost 6 weeks now since the interview...i called last week to say i was still interested and was told they still haven't made a decision. 

had another interview a couple of weeks ago where the partner looked at everything on my resume and said it was boring (including law review). i didn't get that job, can't say i was all that upset though.

i had another interview today. i guess it went okay. i'm hoping i get it, but i've lost all hope at this point.

i am too in a position where, my husband makes enough for us to get by, but things are getting tight. i feel like such a loser.

[Contract2008]

Bump.

I am in the same quandry. I just got told by my brother-in-law that an associate position is mine at the firm he worked with if I wanted it. However, it is 150 miles away, so I would need to live away from my husband for awhile until it was economically feasible for him to move (he has a job where we live now). Also my brother-in-law would be my supervisor. And finally, the firm he works for is one of those with an attorney that appears on TV. I am worried that once the economy picks up, it would be hard for me to move back into what I want to do with that on my resume. Thoughts?

P.S. - my husband is making enough for us to survive on while I defer my loans...but it is tight. I am working for a government office, who still hasn't heard whether they have the funds to hire any attorneys or not. Help!

Well, 150 miles isn't really THAT far...so it might not be that bad.  Things to consider are: Do you really want to work there or do you figure it's "better than nothing?"  Also, will this really help to get you your dream job in the location that you want?

Call me crazy, but I think the legal job market is getting better.  The new year has brought a renewed sense of optimism about the economy and I think we'll see a spike in firms seeking to hire.  My advice is stall the brother-in-law as much as possible and keep looking where you live. 

That's what I've done w/ my brother (remember, I'm the OP).  I had an interview yesterday and another scheduled next week, when previously it seemed like entire months would go by without me hearing anything.  Thinks are turning around in the job market.  I can feel it.

How and where did you get these interviews?

[LSDSL]

still in the same position.....

i had an interview with a firm i loved in november. i got a call back. i loved the firm more after the call back. it's been almost 6 weeks now since the interview...i called last week to say i was still interested and was told they still haven't made a decision. 

had another interview a couple of weeks ago where the partner looked at everything on my resume and said it was boring (including law review). i didn't get that job, can't say i was all that upset though.

i had another interview today. i guess it went okay. i'm hoping i get it, but i've lost all hope at this point.

i am too in a position where, my husband makes enough for us to get by, but things are getting tight. i feel like such a loser.




I just got a rejection for a firm I liked that I interviewed for last week.  I was really really hoping to get this one.  Now I'm at the end of my rope.  I dont know what to do.

[coquita]

Bump.

Just got rejected by a good firm. Blargh. How is everyone else doing?

[LSDSL]

Bump.

Just got rejected by a good firm. Blargh. How is everyone else doing?

Well, I got rejected from that job I interviewed for and really wanted.  Though things are looking up now... I just got re-hired as a Law Clerk at the firm I worked for before 3L.  It doesnt pay much, but at least its SOMETHING.  I dont want to become an actual attorney for the firm though, as I hate family law and they focus on family law.  I'm just going to keep applying and work this crappy job until something pops!  Good luck to everyone and dont give up hope!

[Contract2008]

Bump.

Just got rejected by a good firm. Blargh. How is everyone else doing?

Well, I got rejected from that job I interviewed for and really wanted.  Though things are looking up now... I just got re-hired as a Law Clerk at the firm I worked for before 3L.  It doesnt pay much, but at least its SOMETHING.  I dont want to become an actual attorney for the firm though, as I hate family law and they focus on family law.  I'm just going to keep applying and work this crappy job until something pops!  Good luck to everyone and dont give up hope!

How are things looking up? 

What state are you in?

[coquita]

Bump.

Just got rejected by a good firm. Blargh. How is everyone else doing?

Well, I got rejected from that job I interviewed for and really wanted.  Though things are looking up now... I just got re-hired as a Law Clerk at the firm I worked for before 3L.  It doesnt pay much, but at least its SOMETHING.  I dont want to become an actual attorney for the firm though, as I hate family law and they focus on family law.  I'm just going to keep applying and work this crappy job until something pops!  Good luck to everyone and dont give up hope!

West coast or in IL? If it's on the West Coast, I think it's very possible you got hired at the place I interviewed at. That would be hilarious.

[LSDSL]

Bump.

Just got rejected by a good firm. Blargh. How is everyone else doing?

Well, I got rejected from that job I interviewed for and really wanted.  Though things are looking up now... I just got re-hired as a Law Clerk at the firm I worked for before 3L.  It doesnt pay much, but at least its SOMETHING.  I dont want to become an actual attorney for the firm though, as I hate family law and they focus on family law.  I'm just going to keep applying and work this crappy job until something pops!  Good luck to everyone and dont give up hope!

West coast or in IL? If it's on the West Coast, I think it's very possible you got hired at the place I interviewed at. That would be hilarious.

I'm in Illinois, working in a suburb of chicago.  The good news is that I get to stay where my home is.  I do dislike my job though,so of course I'm gonna keep looking. 

[Giraldo]

Unfortunately, over the last couple of years it has become increasingly common for the number of law school grads in a similar situation. Five years ago the law school I graduated from had over a 90% employed rate 6th mths after graduation.  Now, I have noticed that my law school has deleted their percentage stats altogether.  I've talked to another that is graduating from a law school similarly ranked as LSDSL (in the 50's) and it's getting worse: more people do not have a job than not, which was better than even a couple of years ago.

So you want to talk stats: I would say unless you are graduating from a top 25 or highly connected, there's about a 50% chance that the person sitting next to you is just about an unemployed and stressed out as you are.

[Thistle]

i am too in a position where, my husband makes enough for us to get by, but things are getting tight. i feel like such a loser.

i graduated with honors from a decent regional school in may; and there were no jobs anywhere if you werent a member of the good 'ol boys club....     so i moved to a larger market where i really didnt know anyone (sympathies to the OP) and it took me six months of busting my ass to get an offer.  in the meantime i did odd jobs such as research and appellate work (which a lot of trial lawyers despise) on the cheap....

i also took 6 hours of class from a local U in something relatively simple to keep the student loan collectors at bay, and so i could live in graduate housing (also cheap).

i filled out at least two hundred apps and i cant tell you how many letters of interest; and i must have had around 30 interviews where i was told "we had over 200 applicants for one position, many of whom have been in practice for over 5 years" ...

the job market sucks.

i finally got an offer from a federal agency doing quasi-legal work; the money is decent, the benefits are good, and my student loans are being paid for me; better still they are also paying for me to start an llm in the fall as well as giving me some time off to study for the local state bar in july.  i'm finally doing ok, but it was scary as hell for a while, to the point to where i had to borrow money to pay my rent

good luck to all of you who are still searching......