On the Job and Professionalism

Beginning with the first day of your summer job, you should try to work with and speak to as many attorneys as possible, and try…

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Make sure you are ready to put your best foot forward this summer. If you haven’t already, review the Professionalism Primer section of our…

After attending employer events, including last night’s Market Mixer, many students wonder about following up with those they met at the event. After a particularly good or lengthy conversation with an attorney, or if an attorney or recruiter encourages you to follow up, it is entirely appropriate to follow up with an email.

If you want to decline an offer, remember that even declining an offer is an opportunity to build your reputation and cultivate a relationship. Handle it professionally by following these guidelines.

With law firm receptions, understanding RSVP protocol is important. Firms track which students RSVP and attend their events, and may consider this information when considering a candidate. When making RSVP decisions, consider the following rubric of scenarios.

At this point in the 1L summer job search, you may be receiving offers from some positions while still interviewing for others. If an employer has extended you an offer with a deadline that does not allow you enough time to interview with and decide between other employers, you may ask the first employer to extend their decision deadline.

Wondering what to wear to law firm events? The dress code for these events can vary by firm and type of event, but the default is business casual.

During your 1L year, employers will host numerous events, including virtual employer chats and in-person reception-style events. You may even choose to attend some over winter break. Starting next semester, the number of these events will increase substantially.

Before you begin sending out your applications for this summer’s job opportunities or for networking inquiries, review these tips on professional email etiquette. Keep email short and on-point. Most lawyers get hundreds of emails each day.

As you begin preparing for networking and your summer job search, review your professional presence to make sure that all your possible interactions with potential employers show you in the best and most professional light.

If you participated in Preview or EIP and were fortunate enough to receive multiple offers, take stock of whether you have tied up all loose ends from the process.

If you have multiple offers from Preview or EIP, you must your list down to no more than three offers and promptly decline any offers you feel confident you will not accept.

If you have received an offer that you know you want to accept, or if you are otherwise no longer interested in a particular firm, the firm would prefer you cancel your callback than spend their time and resources on a callback interview.

If you are having a hard time scheduling an interview or otherwise reaching an employer, try picking up the phone and calling rather than sending emails back and forth. The recruiting season moves quickly, and recruiting teams receive hundreds of emails per day, and sometimes calling will save you and them time.

If you have received 5-6 callbacks or more in any one location, as a general rule, you could feel comfortable beginning to decline or cancel callbacks.

With two days left of EIP week, now is not the time to be looking in the rearview mirror by dwelling on perceived mistakes or lack of success. Each interview is a fresh chance to impress.

Remember to acknowledge all callback invitations promptly (within one business day at most), even if you are unsure you want to accept the callback. You should not wait to schedule if you are certain you will attend the callback.

As firms start getting back to students about callbacks, make sure your voicemail is set up and professional and that you are checking it frequently. Also be sure to check your spam folder to ensure you do not miss messages from employers.

All callback invitations should be acknowledged promptly (within one business day at most), even if you are unsure you want to accept the callback. If you know you want to accept a callback invitation, do so promptly.

Now that you have a couple of days of EIP under your belt, you are no doubt feeling the effects. Although you may be feeling quite fatigued, remember, every interviewer is meeting you for the first time.