Page 9 - Law Schools

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Law Schools | MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014 | S9

consider a “bridge” or part-time job that can Networking
bird watching or bridge or tennis or coach- dings, alumni events, charity fund raisers,

further build your resume and allows you to ing one of your kids’ teams. Adapt your college or pro games, at a bar or restaurant,
meet people. This type of position can also networking efforts to your existing lifestyle at a B&B and even at funerals.
offer some income while you are searching for « Continued from page S7
and it it into your normal schedule. You Finally, make certain your LinkedIn
a permanent position. Goal-oriented pro bono employers, family, friends and within the will ind good people with whom you can proile is top notch. That’s one of the irst
work in your intended practice area will help community.
build win-win relationships in almost all places people and organizations will go to
you build necessary skill sets. As mentioned, walks of life. You are as likely to ind a new check you out initially.
engage in “all in” networking, which means client while skiing as you are having lunch
letting everyone in your life know, in all ways Hurdles to Networking
with an accountant or banker.
possible, what you are looking for in a job. That I hear reasons (excuses) all the time why Manage your new contacts well, which Why Network? Why Bother?

means telling your Great Aunt Ida who might otherwise smart people don’t network. means deciding early on if a new contact Too many professionals and corporate
tell her neighbor who happens to be a partner Some of the more frequent ones are: Don’t warrants real relationship development types think networking is all about achiev-
looking for an associate! That means a robust have time; not learning to be a lawyer in effort. Focus on harvesting the low hang- ing short-term transactions in a business
LinkedIn proile describing your skills and the order to sell; don’t like being with strangers ing fruit irst. Develop and maintain a solid setting, i.e., getting another assignment
position you are seeking. You should attend in groups or at events; don’t know what to data base that you can access easily. I use
from a current client, attracting a new cli-
events in your intended practice area, including say or talk about, don’t see the beneits.
ent or landing a better spot with another
those events that are not geared to the legal To me none of these are legitimate. They irm. All true. But the real payoff from being
community. (For example, if a position in real are just excuses for not doing something an exceptional networker and developer of

estate law is your goal, explore opportunities that we all should realize is a smart way Networking can be done seren- sustainable relationships will impact every
by attending an event of the Young Real Estate to spend time.
aspect of your life including your career,
Professionals of New York!)
dipitously, which means talking your personal life and your family’s lives.
As you continue your search, consider Keys to Being a Successful Networker
to people everywhere all the If you do a weak job of developing as a
whether you can be geographically lexible. skilled networker, you deinitely will limit
While New York City is probably the largest Being great at networking doesn’t mean time—sitting next to some- your professional growth but maybe even
legal market in the world, that mantle comes being a rocket scientist. We are all capable more important you will be short changing
with intense and voluminous competition for of excelling at doing it.
one on a bus, train or airplane, those you care most about.
jobs. You are competing against a lood of Maybe the most important factor in standing in the check-out line The more robust your network, the more

new attorneys from around the globe. If you determining how good of a networker you at the food store, at one of the access you have to other special people and
can search another market, it may be easier are is simply having a strong, sincere inter- their unique contacts, experiences, knowl-
to land your job. You also should consider est in learning about and adding value to kids’ team games or school edge. You leverage your life through your
that you are better equipped now more so other people’s lives. You have to get com- event.
clusters of connections.
than at any other time in your life, to take fortable talking with everybody, every-
a bar in another jurisdiction. After all, you where, all the time. Practice pays off when Don’t Hit the ‘Skills Ceiling’
have already studied and made it through one it comes to developing strong networking Outlook Express and Constant Contact, but
bar exam. Your study skills are inely honed abilities.
there are other data base management sys- From a professional and career per-
and you have the substantive knowledge and Successful networking is all about really tems available.
spective you will be competing with other
familiarity necessary to successfully take the caring for other people and inding ways Always follow up quickly with new people equally well educated or even more talented
test. You also have a viable multistate score to add value to them both personally and you meet. I aim to follow up within 12-24 attorneys. If all you bring to the table are
so you do not have to retake that portion of professionally. The focus has to be on them hours at the most. If you wait 48 hours the your strong lawyering skills, eventually you
the test. Just do it.
and not on you. There are four types of other person has already forgotten much will hit the “skills ceiling” that will limit your
networkers: askers, takers, traders and giv- about your conversation. Waiting longer is future professional growth and jeopardize
Become Engaged With the Bar
ers. Being a consistent giver is how you almost a total waste of time. It’s a great way your professional security.
will eventually get the biggest pay off from to show the other person you really don’t Assume any capable lawyer can always
Become an active member of a bar asso- your efforts.
care very much about the new relationship.
be replaced by an equally or more qualiied

ciation. This activity serves many functions The ability to ask great questions is criti- By far one of the best ways to demon- lawyer willing to work for just a little bit less.
in your job search. Involvement in this arena cal. That’s how you learn about people, strate your commitment and interest in Your security and upside potential will
during and immediately after law school including listening 90 percent of the time being a value add contributor to those in be tied directly to your ability to be a differ-
is both easy and educational. Bar associa- and talking 10 percent. I visualize network- your network is to consistently be connect- ence maker, to impact your irm in a major
tions provide innumerable and invaluable ing as being similar to rock climbing when ing people in your network with each other. way by attracting new work, new clients,
networking opportunities. Most bar com- you are trying top develop inger holds that I try to spend the irst 10 to 15 minutes new associates, new partners, new stra-
mittees seek students and young lawyers to can propel you to the next spot on the rock each day connecting people whom I believe tegic alliances and to motivate and coach
assist with substantive committee work in wall. Asking terriic questions is how you should know each other and should ind the others in your organization to have the
your chosen practice area. Attending CLEs ind the “inger holds” in new relationships, ways to work together.
same abilities and aspirations.
at the bar can boost your knowledge and the common touch points where you know I do this by email and it works. It makes •••
help your talking points at interviews. It you can add value.
me feel good starting off the day helping ••••••••••••••••••••••••••
can also place you in a room full of attor- Think long term, not short term. Impor- people I know and it helps those I connect 1. Most people generally underestimate the num-
neys in your practice area. The center of tant things in life seldom happen quickly. by introducing them to resources they ber of in-person connections we have and that we can
your social and educational worlds as an I think it takes a year (or longer) for most might not otherwise be able to access.
call on to help achieve our personal and professional
attorney is the bar association. Choose one new relationships to be nurtured and even- Obviously always have your business goals. We all have our own unique “clusters” of con- nections in our network, which may include our fam-
and become active immediately.
tually bear important fruit.
cards with you. Your networking efforts will ily and friends, high school alums, college alums and
Last, but not least, continue to read legal Concentrate much of your networking cut through both your professional life and their parents, college faculty members, sororities and
trade publications. Keeping up with the cur- efforts in the areas of your greatest interests your personal one. How often have you met fraternities, previous employers, members of clubs
and associations we join, neighbors and many more. Instead of having hundreds of contacts we actually all
rent news in your practice prepares you for and passions, whether it be motorcycling or
really special people at graduations, wed-
have thousands.
networking events, interviews and of course,
practice. Incorporate reading the top blogs,
periodicals or journals in your practice area All the legal news
as well as the New York Law Journal and Law. From Solo
com. This type of continuing education also The legal web portal is your source for all the news and Plus, you’ll also ind links to the LAW.COM network of
keeps you current on trends in your practice ALM sites including Law Technology News, Corporate Counsel, CLEcenter.com, and lawjobs.com.
and may give you new ideas and avenues in information that matters to legal professionals.
AttorneyS to So, get all the legal news, all in one place—
your job search.
visit LAW.COM today.
Visit LAW.COM for:
Finding a job is a dificult and time con- • Breaking legal news and top stories
• Surveys, ranking, webinars and CLE
suming endeavor. You need to do all of the • Video interviews with legal experts
• Current verdicts, legal notices, jobs
right things to put you where you want to Am lAw 100 FirmS
• and full-text legal archives
be while keeping a realistic and healthy Special reports and legal blogs
outlook.