Career Pyramid

Many of us will have various careers and career paths throughout our lives. In reading through Lindsay Pollak's blog posting on building your career pyramid, she really hit it home that we have several faces that we are showing the world and several skill sets that we are creating at any given time. This foundational base enables us to continue to build ourselves in various ways, being open to opportunities as they present themselves. This last point goes in hand with something being said in our office lately, which is "When the going gets tough, the tough get creative." What's in your toolkit and how does that help any given employer? What additional skills do you need to continue your own professional development? All of this is true for every one of us, from first year law student to experienced attorney to someone looking to transition to a non-legal career. After all, what's in your toolkit? And how are you going to market that?

Resumes are Only One Step

As the 1Ls begin to access Law Career Services, this blog posting serves as a great reminder that the resume you are developing now is different from what you used in undergrad or get into law school, and part is an evolution of your CSI: credentials, skills, and interests. As with all evolutions, and all job search skills, they never really end -- they just become refined, enable you to go to the next level, and continue to develop those skills. So yes, your resume is a time-consuming piece to create, but it is truly just one piece of the puzzle. More on those other skills in upcoming posts.

PICs Picks: Career Fairs & Receptions

As law students begin to determine their interests in law school, participating in conferences, career fairs and receptions are an important way to learn about practice areas and expand their networking efforts. These opportunities provide a wealth of information and guidance because these events are designed so that agencies and organizations can gather to share information about their work and the types of people they hire as interns, attorneys, and program directors. These events provide an opportunity to network with many practitioners and learn about how different groups' approach their work and their missions. The opportunity to create a personal connection with an attorney can pay dividends in not only developing relationships but also create relationships that will last throughout your career. Students should make an effort to attend these events; a small investment of time can pay a large professional dividend. Check the law school and bar association calendars to ensure that you are making the most of these opportunities. For example, this Thursday's Meet the Public Service Employer's Reception at Loyola will feature 51 public interest and non-profit agencies.