This Week in Career Services, 11/30-12/4

FOOD FOR STUDENTS DURING FINALS
Bagels, cream cheese, peanut butter, cheese & crackers, fruit
Thursday, 12/3; Monday, 12/7; Thursday, 12/10; Monday, 12/14;
beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Coffee, tea, & popcorn everyday, 12/3-16
Career Services, Room 206
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WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR NEXT WEEK

Career Services is closed on Tuesday, December 8, for a recruiter's meeting in Portland.

UPCOMING DATES

Special hours for Career Services: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Dec. 21-23 & 28-30

Northwest Public Service Career Fair: Seattle, February 5; Portland, February 6

Portland Interview Program, February 12

11/25/09 Purple Sheet

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

The November 25  Purple Sheet  is now available online at http://www.law.uoregon.edu/career/purplesheet/.  See Career Services for a password. A small number of printed copies will be available in Career Services and the Commons on Monday.
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WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS ISSUE?
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WARNING: Social Networking Can Be Hazardous to Your Career
A recent study found that 77 percent of recruiters run searches of candidates on the web to screen applicants. Read this article for tips on protecting your image.

Wayne Morse Internship Program
A 10-week paid summer internship is available in the offices of U.S. Senator Ron Wyden in Washington, DC. This is not posted in Symplicity, but is listed in this Purple Sheet, so that only UO Law students apply. Deadline: received in Career Services by 5 p.m., December 17.

EVENTS
Including Food for Finals

Internet Resources
Deadline Reminders
and
JOBS

Purple Sheet, 11/13/09

The November 13  Purple Sheet  is now available online at http://www.law.uoregon.edu/career/purplesheet/.
If you need a password, please contact Career Services. A small number of printed copies will be available in Career Services and the Commons on Monday.
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WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS ISSUE?
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HONESTY IN RESUMES
"In the age of e-resumes and data systems that store millions upon millions of historical documents, recruiters and employers now have the ability to look longitudinally at information in resumes provided by candidates over many years and map the "content drift" of this information."

Deadline Reminders

The American Immigration Lawyers Association has the tools and resources to assist students with starting and maintaining a career in immigration law.

Internet Resources

EVENTS
Including Lane County Court Clerkships presentation (TODAY); Prepare to Interview & Do a Job Search; and MORE!

Purple Sheet 10/30/09

The October 30  Purple Sheet  is now available online at http://www.law.uoregon.edu/career/purplesheet/.  If you need a password, contact Career Services. A small number of printed copies will be available in Career Services and the Commons on Monday.
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WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS ISSUE?
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SEVEN SECRETS OF LANDING YOUR NEXT IN-HOUSE JOB
While this article is aimed at in-house counsel looking to make a lateral move to another in-house position, the tips are universal and extremely relevant to students. Note in particular the sections on networking strategy, creative thinking, getting published, and joining a board--all things you can do as students.

1Ls: Register NOW for Some Bar Exams
Some states require law students to register during their first year of law school in order to avoid late fees.

1Ls: Deadline Reminders
Starting with this Purple Sheet, a list of deadline reminders will appear for 1Ls.

TIPS FOR 1LS

EVENTS
Including Bagel Day; Transactions Sampler; How We got Jobs as 1Ls; and MORE!

Judicial Externships

When it comes to jobs, the number one factor considered by most employers is experience. The question they ask: “What experience do you have that relates to the work we do at our firm/in our organization?” We can't emphasize enough the importance of getting experience related to what you want to do, but also experience related to employers with whom you'd like to work.  And in most job markets, good and bad, experience related to trial practice and litigation adds marketability.

Comments from previous externs:
“I can say honestly that the externship was the best experience in law school. “ “Without question this has been the highlight of my law school career, and the most valuable learning experience.” “The hands-on nature of the externship allowed me to do research, sit in on court proceedings, and really understand how attorneys present cases. . . . “ “I am confident that even though I’ll always have room for improvement in my legal writing, the things I learned these past three-and-a-half months will provide me with a leg up when I do start submitting my own briefs to the court.

See the current application information at http://www.law.uoregon.edu/career/judicialexternships/. Deadlines are late October/early November for spring.

Purple Sheet 10/2/09

The October 2  Purple Sheet  is now available online at http://www.law.uoregon.edu/career/purplesheet/.  Contact Career Services for a password. A small number of printed copies will be available in Career Services and the Commons on Monday.
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WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS ISSUE?
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JOB OFFERS: Time to Accept (or Decline)
Here are the guidelines on how much time you have to accept or decline offers.

PRESIDENTIAL MANAGEMENT FELLOWSHIPS
Open to 3Ls, this is one path to working for the federal government. The deadline is October 15. Read this article for information on former graduates who were successful through this program.

GOVERNMENT HONORS AND INTERNSHIP HANDBOOK
Read about this comprehensive listing of current federal hiring programs for 1Ls, 2Ls, and 3Ls.

PATENT BAR PRESENTATION

EVENTS
Including Judicial Externship Presentation; Family Law Panel; and MORE!

Purple Sheet 9/18/09

The September 18  Purple Sheet  is now available online at http://www.law.uoregon.edu/career/purplesheet/.  Please check your e-mail or contact Career Services if you need the password. A small number of printed copies will be available in Career Services and the Commons on Monday.
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WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS ISSUE?
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A WOMAN AHEAD OF HER TIME
A column by Josh Burstein where he tells the story of his mother, who went to Columbia Law School in the late 1950s.

PROFESSIONAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT: Your Job Search is PART of the Process, Not the End. Read this article for some suggestions for taking control of your job search, and easing your worries along the way.

WHY PROOFREADING IS STILL NECESSARY!

EVENTS
Including Attorney General John Kroger of the Oregon DOJ on MONDAY; Bagel Day in Career Services; and MORE!

Josh's Column: My Career Thus Far (from 8/29/08)

This column was originally published in the Purple Sheet on August 29, 2008.

MY CAREER THUS FAR

— or Why Where You Work Is Not

the Rest of Your Life

Now that I’ve been at the law school for about a month, I thought it might be interesting to tell you a little about my career. I also hope that it may help you realize that decisions you make now need not tie you down for the rest of your life. Nothing needs to be set in stone.

When I started law school at New York University in 1993, I knew that I had to work for a union as an attorney. That would be my life’s calling, my dream job.

My father had been a newspaper reporter and copy editor. He also was a very strong union activist.

He had died in 1990 while on strike against the New York Daily News; his fellow union brothers and sisters called him a labor martyr. I was 18 years old, a college sophomore. I wrote my history senior thesis on another labor martyr, Joe Hill, and decided to go to law school.

My dream was deferred for five years, when I worked instead in the private law firm world, in part to pay back enormous debt and in part for the experience. I worked on big cases for clients such as the Associated Press, AIG, Court TV, Glad Bags, Hasbro, and Rosti Restaurants.

Then 9/11 made me realize that the time had come to do something more personally meaningful. I networked my way to a position at a union in New York.

Now I was set for the rest of my life. Ah, finally—my dream job.

Boy, was I wrong.

Within four months, I had left that position and moved into law school administration. For whatever reason, the labor job was just not the right fit. Perhaps it was the practice of law itself that was no longer my calling.

Now, after more than six years of working with law students, I know that this is what drives me everyday. I come into work excited about helping people find employment, talking with students about their options, connecting people with each other—and hearing about student’s “dream” jobs.

I use those quote marks not to be cynical, but as a reminder that one’s “dream” can change, that one’s career can be quite fluid, and that where you work now or right after law school is not the rest of your life.

I still have many friends in private law firms. I still stop at every union picket line I see to ask about the situation and offer my support. I am the same person inside, even if what I do in my daily life is different.

As you think about where you want your career to go as a lawyer, remember that there is no one “right” path. Some of you may be interviewing through OCI; others may have begun to research employers and request informational interviews. Still others may not be sure what to do. Please come in to meet with us and let us help you.

If someone in 1993 had told me that 15 years later I would be an assistant dean of a law school, working in career services, I would have laughed. Now, instead, I can smile.

Josh's Column: My Life Thus Far (from 9/26/08)

This column was originally published in the Purple Sheet on September 26, 2008.

MY LIFE THUS FAR

—or How to Find Your “Home”

In the 8/29 Purple Sheet, I wrote a column entitled, “My Career Thus Far—or, Why Where You Work is Not the Rest of Your Life.” In this edition I want to focus on how geography and family, among other things, may affect your career decisions now or in the future.

Another subtitle could be “How a New York City Boy Came to Love a Town of 150,000.”

After graduating from college in Boston, I returned to my home town of New York for law school. I probably was more excited about coming “home” and being closer to my mom and brothers than I was to be in law school. I mean, law school was a good experience, but being near family was more important.

You see, during a 16-month stretch in college—from my sophomore fall to my junior spring semester—my father and both grandmothers died. All of them lived in New York. By the time I was 20, the only parent or grandparent I had left was my mother—also in New York. Both brothers and both half-brothers were still in the New York area. Looking back, I likely would have returned there even if I had not started law school. But it was convenient—and frankly, emotionally necessary—to be “home” at that point, especially while earning my Juris Doctor.

During law school, I worked for a small union-side law firm for my first summer and then for a large general practice firm during my second summer—both in New York. I even lived with my mom for my 3L year rent-free. After graduating and taking the Bar Exam, I started work at the big firm, fortunate to begin a focus on media law, copyright litigation, and antitrust.

Clearly I would be one of those people who grew up in New York and never left. I was enjoying my life as a first-year associate at a big city firm, although the hours often were quite long. I figured I would spend a couple of years there and then move to a smaller firm. I was happy being “home.”

So what happened?

I fell in love with someone who was still a 3L in law school. We got engaged, and within a year I was working at that smaller firm—but in Los Angeles, where she had her job already set up before we started dating.

Fast forward a few years—a return to New York, and a move into law school administration there. Both of my brothers left New York for Boston. Then the opportunity came for me to run a career services office, a great professional move. I left New York again, this time for Richmond, Virginia, and this time for good. That was three years ago.

Along the way, we had a couple of children. Then last year my mother died at the family home in New York. Then we had a third child. Then one half-brother moved to Michigan. I had no more parents or grandparents alive, and only one half-brother was left in New York. And most importantly for my kids, their only remaining grandparent—my wife’s mother—was in Portland.

Oregon.

When I learned of the opportunity here at the law school, I was excited, not only professionally but also personally. Life sometimes throws curve balls at you. I never would have guessed when I started law school 15 years ago —at “home” in New York—that I would be in Eugene now. But priorities change. I love it here, at the law school and in this quirky but cosmopolitan town about 1/50^th the size of New York. But with my wife, kids, and their grandmother around, this is now “home.”

So how is this relevant to you and your career?

According to my colleagues in the Admissions Office, over 60% of students here are not from Oregon. We in the Career Services Office view you holistically—as whole people, with issues of geography and family in addition to career plans. We are committed to helping you get wherever you want, not only in terms of employer type or type of practice, but also in terms of geography.

Perhaps you want to return to your home town in California or Alaska. Maybe you want to spend a few years in a Portland or Seattle before returning home to a Bend or a Yakima to be near your parents as they get older. Maybe Las Vegas is calling. Or Reno. Or Washington, D.C. Or maybe your “significant other” is from Chicago and you need to move there.

We are here to work with you, no matter where you want to go.

And if Eugene is your home and you want to stay here, come in, too. But forgive me if after we discuss your career plans, I then ask you for recommendations on good restaurants. After all, this is my home now, too.

Presidential Management Fellowship Program

Federal Hiring Program: Public Policy and Management Careers through the Presidential Management Fellowship Program

I am writing to introduce you to a unique federal recruiting program for third year law students, the Presidential Management Fellows Program (“PMF”). The PMF is a gateway to management positions in the federal government and an excellent alternative to traditional law practice.

The program is designed to attract to the federal service outstanding men and women from a variety of academic disciplines and career paths who have a clear interest in a career in the analysis and management of policies and programs. Through the program recent graduates may be assigned to any of a range of federal departments and agencies. Assignments may involve domestic or international issues, business, technology, public administration, accounting, health/medical science, criminal justice, public policy, engineering, environmental sciences, and financial management, to name a few.

Highlights Of The Program

Candidates must graduate between September 1, 2009 and August 31, 2010 to apply for this years PMF program. Grades are not part of the criteria, but commitment to, and interest in federal service and policy are important. As a fellow you are not guaranteed a job, but have access to more than 80 Federal Agencies who partner with the PMF program to hire Fellows annually. The PMF positions are “non-attorney” positions, in other words, no trial, litigation or “of counsel” attorney positions.

The rigorous two-year paid fellowship includes 160 hours of formal classroom training, challenging assignments, and potential for accelerated promotions, developmental assignments, networking opportunities and a mandatory 4 to 6 month developmental assignment, and optional rotations of one to six months in duration. After the two-year fellowship, fellows may have the option to continue on in a permanent position. Fellows are paid Federal Wages and benefits (starting salaries are usually between $45,000 to $49,000) and participation in an LRAP program.

More information about the process is available online, under the “How to Apply” section, at www.pmf.opm.gov.

IN HOUSE APPLICATION DEADLINES:

Submit your packet to the UO SOL’s Nomination Committee no later than

October 16th, 2009, 3:00 p.m. to the Career Services Office. The UO’s Nomination Committee then submits a PMF Nomination Form for each student the school decides to nominate, no later than Oct. 31, 2009 11:59:59 p.m. EST to the PMF.

Application Process

The whole process has four steps. There is an application step, a nomination step, an assessment step and the finalist selection step.

1. Application ~ APPLY ON-LINE BETWEEN OCT. 1 AND OCT. 15, 2009

You must apply online at USAJOBS à www.USAJOBS.gov. The Official Fed. Gov. job site. Get the application at this link, or on the PMF website under “How to Apply\PMF Application.” www.pmf.opm.gov.

Tip: create an account on the USAJOBS Resume Builder website prior to the application period so you can link your online resume to the application once the vacancy is announced. We have heard that getting your Resume onto the their process is time consuming. You do not want to be doing it during the two week window.

Once you have selected your resume you are taken to the “Application Manager.” This is the actual online application system used to submit and track the progress of your application. Even if you don’t get selected for a PMF position, you’ll have a resume built when applying for other Federal Opportunities.

2. Nomination Step – In addition to applying for the program, you will need to get nominated by the school. Once you submit your on-line application, you’ll need to download the completed application, the PMF Questionnaire, and a Nominating Form. Submit the application, questionnaire, Nomination Form and a letter/state of interest to: Nominating Committee, c/o Rosa Chavez, Career Services; Room 206, School of law. The Career Service Office will forward all of the submitted applications to the Nominating Committee. This year’s Nomination Official is Professor Rebekah Hanley, Legal Research and Writing Professor,

Assuming there are no significant changes to the Program Criteria, your letter/statement of interest should emphasize:

· Breadth and quality of accomplishments;

· Capacity for leadership;

· A commitment to excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs; and

· Potential for future professional growth.

The CSO is happy to review your letter/statement of interest. Please also see us if you have any questions about the program.

3. Assessment and Finalist Selection - All applicants nominated by their schools and found eligible for the PMF Program are invited to participate in an assessment process sponsored by OPM during January and February, usually held in Seattle or Portland, following the application period to determine which nominees will be selected as finalists. At this point, once selected students are referred to as Finalists.

4. Agency Placement as a Fellow – Upon appointment to an agency, the Finalist’s status changes to Presidential Management Fellow. PMF appointments must be made within twelve months of the official announcement of an applicant’s selection as a finalist. For example, finalists for the Class of 2009 were selected on March 5, 2009; they have until March 5, 2010 to be appointed as a Fellow.

Finalists are invited to the PMF Job Fair, held in Washington, DC, to meet with Federal Agency representatives. Participation at the PMF Job Fair is not mandatory; however, well over half of the PMF appointments result from this event.

DEADLINES: (all deadlines are 11:59:59 p.m., Eastern Time, and subject to change)

PMF Website: www.pmf.opm.gov

Thursday, October 1, 2009

- Application for the PMF Class of 2010 opens via a vacancy announcement on USAJOBS or as a link under the “How to Apply\PMF Application” section of the PMF website 
- First day Nomination Officials may fax nominations

Thursday, October 15, 2009

- Application for the PMF Class of 2010 closes

Saturday, October 31, 2009

- Deadline for Nomination Officials to fax nominations 


- Deadline for applicants to submit supporting documentation for any claims for veterans’ preference and/or Indian preference

Late November 2009

- Applicants officially notified of eligibility and nomination status


- Nominees notified of assessment date, time, & location

January/February 2010

- Assessments conducted nationwide

Late February/Early March 2010

- Nominees notified of finalist status

Late March/Early April 2010

- PMF Class of 2010 Finalists Job Fair (Washington, DC, metro area)

Within One Year of selection as a Finalist

- PMF appointment as a Fellow with an agency must be made within the 12 month period

Need Help?
Applicants encountering a problem or who have a question specifically about the PMF application process should send an email to PMFApplication@opm.gov; include name, school, phone number, email address, and detailed description of problem/question. Do not call the PMF Program Office directly. The PMF application process is conducted by a different OPM office.

Judicial Interview Prep!

A large number of 3Ls have applied for judicial clerkships, which is fantastic!  Hopefully, all of you will soon be invited to interview.  Before doing so, take some time to prepare.  Career Services has a copy of "Behind the Bench:  The Guide to Judicial Clerkships," for your use.  The interview chapter will surely give you valuable tips to guide your preparations.  Also, Career Services staff can give you a realistic mock interview to cap off your preparations!

If you plan to apply for judicial clerkships in the future, remember to use this book for cover letter and resume advice. 

One last tip:  whenever you send a letter to a judge, remember that your closing is "Respectfully," not "Sincerely," "Very truly yours," etc.  Only "Respectfully" will do for judicial letters!  

Career Planning Simplified!

Does looking for a legal job seem too daunting a task to fit in with the rigors of school? If so, then Career Planning must seem like a nightmare!  It does not have to be this way!

Here is one of the best career development tips you'll ever get:  no matter how busy you feel, you know you have time in your schedule--we all do.  So, starting this week, carve out 2-3 hours to devote to career planning.  Here are some suggested activities to get you started:

1.  Make an appointment with a Career Services counselor and discuss where you are with your career planning; ask for ideas of how to take the next steps;

2.  Visit Career Services and just browse the shelves!  Check out a career development book you've never read and spend a few hours reading;

3.  Sit down and re-read your law school admission personal statement.  Do your reasons for attending law school still hold true?  What steps do you need to take to get going?

4.  Familiarize yourself with sources of job postings, such as the Government Honors and Internship Handbook.  Look at opportunities.  Ask yourself what sounds interesting.

5.  Get a referral from Career Services to a practitioner; go out and do an informational interview!  

Waiting until you need a job to begin this process is a recipe for overwhelm and frustration.  Taking career planning in small steps helps you build on interests, opens doors and will enable you to find a job with far more ease and far less stress!  Include Career Services in your planning--we have the expertise to guide you through.

SAIF Noon Program TODAY; Jobs for 2Ls

Today at NOON, Room 141, SAIF will present information on what it does, its future HIRING PLANS (ATTORNEY) FOR EUGENE, and how 2Ls can score an interview later this fall!!

SAIF represents the state in worker's compensation cases.  If you are interested in litigation, trial work, and administrative law and want to receive on the job training, this may be the opportunity of a lifetime. 

In a tight job market, this is truly an unparalleled opportunity--don't pass it by!

Resumes will be collected later in the fall for interviews, but the speakers will take a list of people who attend today's session.  Use the information you learn today to be a strong candidate!

SELECTING WRITING SAMPLES: Making Every Word Count

From the Purple Sheet, 9/4/09; by Bonnie Williams, Assistant Director

Every year, students grapple with employers’ requests for writing samples: What is a good writing sample?  When should I provide my writing sample?  How long should it be?  The following information should help students answer these and other writing sample questions.
What is a good writing sample?  A good writing sample has several attributes.  First, a good writing sample is a legal writing sample.  Writings produced before law school or non­legal pieces written during law school do not demonstrate your legal writing abilities.  Second, a good writing sample is persuasive, so in choosing between a memorandum or brief, pick the brief to demonstrate your written advocacy skills.  Third, a good writing sample is a real-world sample: if you have a choice between an LRW memo or brief and something you wrote for a legal employer, choose the real-world sample.  Finally, choose something recent.  If you’re a 3L, you should not be using LRW assignments.   Employers may wonder whether you’ve written anything legal in the last year or whether your writing simply hasn’t improved since your first year.  You don’t want to be burdened with either implication.  To summarize, select a writing sample that is: recent, legal, persuasive and real-world, to the extent possible.
If you do not have anything to use except LRW material, choose the best written item you have.  Make sure it is clear, concise, coherent and logical.  When assessing your writings, ask whether your writing meets the reader’s needs.  If it’s a memorandum, did you answer the reader’s question?  If it’s a brief, does your argument support your premise?  Have you organized your writing as effectively as possible?  Is your analysis clear?
When should I submit my writing sample?  Submit a writing sample when the employer asks for one, no sooner.  A good rule of thumb is to take your writing sample to your initial interview and offer it to the employer.  Do not be offended if the interviewer does not accept your writing sample at this stage: many wait until callbacks to accept writing samples. Never submit a writing sample unsolicited.
How long should my writing sample be?  To give the employer the opportunity to fairly assess your writing, provide five to ten pages unless the employer specifies otherwise.
Miscellaneous writing sample comments/tips:
1.  Consider asking employers what type of writing sample they’d like to see.  That’s probably the best way to ensure a fit between what they seek and you provide.   
2.  Provide your own work.  Excise any portions that are not yours.  If a supervising attorney has edited a substantial portion of the material, it is not your work.  Check with your supervising attorney before you use any writing sample from his/her office.
3. Don’t use law review articles: you’ve spent hours polishing, editing and revising these; the amount of time you spend on scholarly papers does not reflect real world conditions and employers know this.  Use a sample that approximates legal writing in the real world.
4.  Keep it simple.  Employers don’t want to wade through a writing sample dealing with complex issues.
5.  Excerpt long samples.  An appellate brief may be your best work but is typically too long for a writing sample.  Use statements of facts/summaries of arguments to provide contexts, then include one or two well-written arguments.
6. Excise confidential material.
7.  Don’t bind your writing sample.  It makes it very hard for employers to handle and store.  Your binding will most likely be torn off for filing purposes, so don’t waste your time and money.
8. Attach a cover sheet with your name and contact information at the top (same as on your cover letter and resume) and a very brief one- or two-line explanation of your writing sample. This is a good way to provide context for your reader.
9. Your sample must be error free: no typos, spelling or grammatical errors.

Interview Tips from Big to Mid-Size Firms

In case you missed the panel last week, here are some tips from the attorneys at Miller Nash, Tonkon Torp, Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt, Watkinson Laird Rubenstein, and Hershner Hunter. These tips actually apply to all interviews, be they small or large or public interest or private firm.

The attorneys emphasized knowing the firm and knowing the interviewer(s). It is important not to just know the information off the website but to take a deeper look. You can do a Martindale firm search and a google search to see where the attorney is from, what undergrad they went to, what cases or pro bono or volunteer work they do or have done. Do the same for the firm. What pro bono cases, community work have they done or are engaged in? Use this information to learn more about the firm and to have talking points during the interview. Please note though, it was mentioned that you shouldn’t just ask question(s) to show you’ve done the research, but ask a question and be engaged in that conversation because you care.

Know your writing sample. If at all possible make it a work product. Get the "ok" from the attorney/firm you wrote it for. Redact if necessary. But know your writing sample. Know any updates or changes on the law/issue, or case. You don’t want to get caught not knowing your work.

Obviously, check for typos on your cover letter and resume.

Have some humility. You are not the most, or the only, amazing person the firm has ever or will ever interview. Even to large firms, grades are not the only thing. They are looking at the whole person. They are looking for a colleague, someone they look forward to working with.

Your interview begins from the moment you meet the receptionist to the moment you walk out the door of the firm. If you have a dinner or a lunch you are being interviewed then. Specific tips included: Don’t drink too much alcohol at dinner. And a very practical tip of: careful what you order (for example spaghetti, or some other food item that can be messy, might not be a such a good idea, especially if you have a long day ahead of you).

Remember that your interview begins from the second you meet the “non-lawyers.” So be respectful of everyone. The secretary, librarian, receptionist, or janitor might be a good friend with someone you are interviewing. At the very least, they will tell the interviewer what their impressions were of you. If you are “too good” to talk to them or not respectful of them and their role in the firm, then you mostly likely will not get far past that first and final interview.

Have a good reason why you want to be at Fancy Pants Firm. “I like contracts,” “I want to work for a big firm, in a big city,” is not enough. Make sure you have an idea of the type of environment, the kind of clients, the kind of pace you want to work in.

Be yourself. They want to know who you really are.

Purple Sheet 8/21/09

The August 21 Purple Sheet is now available at http://www.law.uoregon.edu/career/purplesheet/.
Contact Career Services if you need a password. A small number of printed copies are available in the Commons and in Career Services.
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1Ls, Transfers & Visitors: Please note. This first newsletter is in your mail folders.
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WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS ISSUE?
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Welcome from Your Career Services Office
Important Information about the office (Updated & Reorganized Career Services Library; Details on Staffing; etc.)

EVENTS
Including BEYOND OCI: Job Searching Elsewhere (Wednesday, August 26, noon, room 142); MEDIUM- TO LARGE-FIRM EMPLOYER PANEL; GUERRILLA INTERVIEWING; and MORE! Also, info on On-Campus Interview deadlines.

Equal Justice Works: It's time to plan for their National Public Interest Law Career Fair & Conference
FBI Summer Honors Program: Apply online and through Career Services by September 23. The information about the program in this newsletter is on page 10; also check their website at http://www.fbijobs.gov/231.asp.
Important Career Services Resources See this info for internet resources with updated password information and some of the new and classic publications that are available for check-out in our department.
JOBS
AND MORE! Please check it out!

Judicial Clerkships, for 3Ls

Dear Rising 3L's:

This is an email to remind you that for those of you interested in FEDERAL JUDICIAL CLERKSHIPS for after graduation, now is the time for you to be acting. You should be working on getting together your resume, cover letter, transcript, and writing sample. In addition, if you have not done so yet, you must contact those professors and practitioners who will serve as your recommenders and work with Debby Warren on the production of letters. She handles the electronic uploading of letters for OSCAR judges and the printing of hard-copy letters for non-OSCAR judges. Of course, you also need to have figured out your target judges and geographic markets.

Under the Federal Law Clerk Hiring Plan - http://www.cadc.uscourts.gov/internet/lawclerk.nsf/Home?OpenForm - the first date when applications for federal judicial clerkships may be received is Tuesday, September 8 (the day after Labor Day). This is also the date that OSCAR information is released. The first date and time when judges may contact applicants to schedule interviews is Friday, September 11, and the first date and time when interviews may be held and offers made is Thursday, September 17. Note that some judges may not adhere to this plan; law schools, however, discourage potential applicants from submitting applications prior to the date in the plan.

As for OREGON STATE JUDICIAL CLERKSHIPS, note that the Oregon appellate courts (Supreme Court and Court of Appeals) are generally done with hiring for fall 2010. As for the Oregon trial courts, the Lane County Circuit Court will come to campus for a lunch-time presentation later in the fall semester. Generally their applications are due by November or December, and generally they interview in the early spring semester. Other circuit courts around the state have less formal systems; you should contact the clerks of the courts in which you may have an interest to find out more.

As for OTHER STATES, I invite you to use the 2010 Guide to State Judicial Clerkship Procedures, which we (and most other law schools) purchase from Vermont Law School every year. Kay Bailey of my office sent out an email earlier this week with the password information. As a reminder, go to http://forms.vermontlaw.edu/career/guides/; contact us if you need to get the passwords again. Note that some courts begin to look at applications as early as the spring semester of 2L year or September of your 3L year for post-graduate clerkships, so you may need to act quickly on some applications.

If you have any questions about clerkships, please feel free to contact any of us in the CSO and any faculty members who you know or wish to approach.

Josh

Fall On Campus Interviews 2009- Resumes and Cover Letters

I hope everyone is enjoying the summer break. Now that the end of July is here I want to remind those people interested in the Fall On Campus Interview Program that the time to be drafting your resume and cover letters is NOW!

The application period for the first week of interviews opens on Monday, August 3rd at 4 p.m. That means that THIS MONDAY you can start uploading your resume, cover letters, transcript and writing sample to Symplicity. The deadline to apply to firms who are interviewing in the first week of OCI is Thursday, August 13th.

What you should have already DONE
* Logged on to Symplicity to check out employers for each interview week
* Researched employers to determine where you want to apply (checked the firm website, google news, friends or colleagues who may have worked at the firm, etc.)

What you should be doing NOW
* Updating and polishing your resume
* Getting a PDF copy of your transcripts
* Selecting a writing sample
* Drafting and polishing your cover letter (which is specific to EACH employer)
* Sending your resume and cover letters to the CSO (Bonnie, Rosa, or Josh) for review PRIOR to uploading them onto Symplicity

Important Dates
Week 1: interviews occur between September 1 - 4; application period is from August 3 - 13
Week 2: interviews occur between September 8 - 11; application period is from August 10 - 20
Week 3: interviews occur between September 14 - 18; application period is from August 17 - 27
Week 4: interviews occur between September 21 - 25; application period is from August 24 - September 3
Week 5: interviews occur between September 29 - October 2; application period is from September 3 - 10

Contact us if you would like to set up an appointment to discuss On Campus Interviews or other means of finding employment. We look forward to talking with each of you!

Summer Purple Sheet on Job Searches

The June 30 Summer Purple Sheet is now online.
Go to http://www.law.uoregon.edu/career/purplesheet.
Contact Career Services if you need a user name and password.
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On-Campus Interviews (OCI) & Other Job Searching This Fall
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The purpose of this special edition is to encourage you to begin NOW to look for JOBS for summer and fall of 2010.
OCI: Apply through Symplicity.
Resume Review
Mock Interviews: Friday, August 28 (mark your calendars)
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Fall 2009 ON-CAMPUS INTERVIEW Program: (This is an updated and more detailed version of an article that appeared in the 5/1 Purple Sheet.) Read this article to find out everything you need to know about doing fall on-campus interviewing. If you need help with the OCI process on Symplicity, contact Career Services.
NOTE: rather than one deadline/application period in early to mid-August, this year there are weekly deadlines based on each of five interview sessions. Week One of interviews will be held September 1 - 3; apply from 4 p.m., August 3, until 4 p.m., August 13. See this article for a complete list. A list of employers who are signed up for OCI as of June 26 is also included (with links to their websites).

OFF-CAMPUS INTERVIEWS: Read this article to find out where to look for small- to medium-size firms; medium to large firms that do not interview on campus; government agencies; prosecuting attorney offices; public interest/non-profits. A list of employers as of June 26 who have indicated they will accept resumes from UO law students is included, as well as many web links. Look here for help in doing a job search.

Strategic Approaches to On-Campus Interviewing: How to maximize your options.

Career Services Resources: We've been doing a complete overhaul of our library. See this list of some new titles as well as the classics.