Career Planning

1. Creating a written career plan With Laura sterkel of the Career transition center of chicago Career Planning

2. Essential Career Planning Steps Before creating a written career plan, you will need to go through three steps: Self-Assessment Information Gathering Goal Setting And then once you have your written career plan, you will need to get to work networking/job searching

3. Self-Assessment Strengths � how do you work best? Preferences � how do you enjoy working? Interests � what are you passionate about? Work-style � as an employee and a supervisor Environment and �Fit� Comfort level regarding income, hours, �prestige� Geographic and family concerns

4. Tools for Self-Assessment Review past experiences Jobs Extracurricular Activities/Hobbies Books in the Career Services Office What Color is Your Parachute? Do What You Are Myers-Briggs StrengthsFinder MLA �Ten Questions� presentation �Where to Start� materials on our website

5. Information Gathering The law is a vast and varied profession If you don�t know what kind of law you want to practice, talk to as many attorneys practicing in different areas as you can If you do think you know what kind of law you want to practice, research it thoroughly in your first year to make sure it is a good fit

6. Information Gathering Practice area and practice setting information Website Quick Guides online Chambers Associates BCG Attorney Search MLA (hardcopy in our office) Books in our office Lisa Abrams� Official Guide to Legal Specialties (�Orange Book�) Google Websites of potential employers

7. Informational Interviewing The best way to learn about practice areas and settings is to talk with practicing attorneys Talk first with people you are most comfortable with (your personal network) Family Your friends� parents and your parents� friends Your professors (at Loyola and from undergrad) Former employers Then get recommendations of others to talk to from your personal network

8. Informational Interviewing Contacts beyond your personal network: Loyola alums Speakers at Loyola presentations Alums from your undergraduate institution People you read about in legal publications Members of groups you are also a member of (even if you�ve never met) Every lawyer you meet in a social setting LinkedIn

9. How To Make Contact Phone call or email requesting a meeting �Scripts� on our website Need to do basic background research Have questions prepared What daily practice is like Highlights/challenges of the practice area/setting How they got where they are What kind of experience they would recommend to be marketable Industry groups/publications you should be familiar with Employers doing reputable work in the area

10. Are you sitting there thinking �No Way�? Reaching out � especially to people you don�t know �feels awkward to most everyone. Don�t let that stop you. You will need this skill throughout your career � for getting jobs, for getting clients, for getting funding, for getting ahead � develop it now! This type of networking/mentoring/helping � whatever you want to call it � is a significant and standard part of law practice

11. Goal Setting As you gather information, goals may naturally arise Some goals are more long-term, e.g. I want to be a judge; I want to be in-house counsel for Whole Foods Other goals are more readily achievable directly out of law school, e.g. I want to practice family law in a small firm environment But both long-term and short-term goals will require strategic steps during law school If you can�t decide on a particular goal, make your short-term goal figuring out what you want to do!

12. Why do I need a written career plan? Keeps you focused Forces to you be concrete and specific Helps you plan your three years of law school Helps prepare you for your post-grad job search Forces you to evaluate progress Invaluable reference tool to revisit over time

13. How Do Law Students Get Experience? Jobs/Internships � part-time during the school year and full-time during the summer Externships Volunteer Work Loyola�s Clinics Extracurricular Activities Researching for Professors Certificate Programs Classes

14. Your Written Career Plan Career Plan Long and short-term goals: � �� Practice areas and settings of interest: Experience to date: Experience to get:�� � Extracurricular Activities: Classes to Take:

15. Consider Timing You can do Judicial Externships your 1L summer For all other Externships, you need 51 credit hours so that you can get your 711 License If you are interested in Large Law firms, plan on working there in your second summer Need legal experience in your first summer Getting additional legal experience during the school year shows dedication, drive and time management skills

16. Researching Employers Do exhaustive research � once you�ve identified a practice area/setting you are interested in, you need to know all the players in the market Networking for a specific job should be handled much like informational interviewing � you contact practicing attorneys for information and advice, and in that context ask who they know who might hire you Do not rely on job postings to let you know who is hiring

17. Networking Everyone you know needs to know that you are looking for a job � do not assume that they know you are looking just because you are a student You need to be able to clearly articulate what you are looking for You need to be able to explain why you will be an asset in the job you are looking for You need to be ready to have this conversation anywhere at any time to make use of opportunities (at parties, at Starbucks, attending events at school)

18. Networking Log

19. Two Approaches to Career Planning Top down Goal driven Goal may be so specific that you will need to look for ways to broaden your planning and job searching Bottom up For students who don�t know what they want to do Figuring out what you want to do will require constant effort to narrow interests/choices based on additional self-assessment and information gathering

20. Revisiting Your Career Plan Your Career Plan should be a living document � you should revisit it once a quarter to update with: Experience that you�ve gained Advice you�ve been given by mentors New areas of interest and goals Contacts that may be helpful

21. The Career Services Office Can Help Attend the mandatory 1L Orientation sessions on November 2 (noon in the Ceremonial Courtroom) or November 3 (5:30 pm in Room 1103) Attend the Resume & Cover Letter 1L Friday presentation on November 5 (noon in Room 106) Go through the steps of self-assessment, etc. in the Where To Start materials on the web Make an appointment with your assigned counselor to review your resume/cover letter/career plan