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It's Hard Out There...

Found at Above the Law, some stellar Washington Post advice, courtesy of columnist Mary Ellen Slayter:

Washington: I'm a recent law school graduate who has yet to secure my first job. I'm growing desperate. I've sent out 330 résumés to the Hill, feds, nonprofits, trade associations, campaigns and law firms. I've even applied for bartending and waiting tables, only to be told I'm overqualified. What do I do?

Are you just mailing (or e-mailing) résumés blind? Or are you networking through professional associations, your law school's alumni group, etc? You need to think quality, not quantity.

Completing a single federal job application can take a full week, so I have a hard time believing you're putting the right level of effort behind pursuing jobs at carefully selected employers.

And no one is overqualified to wait tables and tend bar in Washington . . .

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First impressions: Um, okay. Way to be fucking helpful, Washington Post and Ms. Slayter. Basically, the advice columnist is saying, "I don't believe you're trying hard enough!" Man, what is with these large circulation newspapers putting down the desperate recent law grads and offering little useful assistance or perspective?

The reality: it is tough out there. We're all scratching and scraping for anything that is out there, and the only way to do that is to focus on getting your name out there as much as possible. I believe this recent grad has sent 330 résumés. And seriously, while a federal job application can be lengthy, it doesn't take a full WEEK to do. It's a lot of filling out the same information on federal application forms and bullshitting on KSAs, etc. It might take a few hours to do right, but certainly not a full week.

David Lat at Above the Law notes, however, "On the other hand, we don't have any better advice. The job market is grim -- and given this individual's batting average thus far, we suspect that their credentials may be less than stellar."

Does not having "stellar" credentials mean a recent law grad shouldn't have any hope of legal employment given the tens of thousands of dollars dumped into an education? Should we just dash our hopes immediately and become line cooks?

Being overqualified: The posts much as a law grad might want to get a stopgap job like bar tending, the truth is that restaurants like turnover just as much as law firms and corporations. They'd much rather hire someone who is likely to stick with it for awhile. Any inkling that a person is doing a comprehensive job search on the side is definitely a disadvantage if you want to get this sort of job.

Just get a doc review: It's the stock response to anyone having trouble finding a job. It's super hard to get a doc review when there are dozens of comfortable "career" doc reviewers that are the temp agencies' go-to guys. You either have to lie about your experience, pretend you're not seriously looking for work that could lead you to take time off to interview or to head for permanent employment.

In sum: Thanks for nothing, Washington Post!

Full post as published by Wicked Words on May 28, 2008 (boomark / email).