how to find non-legal jobs with your j.d
DESCRIPTION
From a presentation I gave at the UF College of Law November 21, 2013TRANSCRIPT
HOW TO GET A NON-LEGAL JOB WITH YOUR J.D.
Presentation by Sarah Elizabeth Rumpf
(UF Law Class of 2003)
UF undergrad (Political Science & German)
UF Law (clerked at Foley & Lardner, Dean Mead)
Practiced law in Orlando
Campaigns in Orlando, then around Florida
Campaigns nationally
Strategic communications manager at Texas think tank
MY STORY
And we'll never be royals,
It don't run in our blood,
That kind of luxe just ain't for us.
We crave a different kind of buzz.
Let me be your ruler,
You can call me queen bee
And baby I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule.
Let me live that fantasy.
- ‘Royals,” by Lorde
YOU’LL LIKELY BE HAPPIER THAN YOUR FRIENDS AT LAW FIRMS
THE GOOD NEWS…
Translate legal skills and experience gained
for a highly specialized profession into
ones that are relevant for the job you want.
THE CHALLENGE:
Identify the key details of what these skills mean, to show why you are more competitive than other applicants and your J.D. is an asset.
THE SOLUTION:
• If you’re on law review or have high grades, use that to show your great work ethic and intellect.
• Trial team, moot court, etc. can show public speaking experience and analytical skills.
• Law College Council, Class Gift committee, etc. show leadership, dedication to the law school community, ability to manage long term projects.
TRANSLATING YOUR SKILLS
• Campaigns (candidates, issues, PACs and parties)
• Lobbying (local, state, federal)
• Public & media relations
• Journalism & communications
• Legislative & Congressional staff
• Non-profits & think tanks
• Research (includes opposition research)
• Fundraising & event planning (political, non-profit)
• Real estate development
IDEAS FOR JOBS
• Most professions have a traditional entry path.
• Law: go to law school, get clerkship, graduate, pass the bar, go to work at firm.
• What’s the “clerkship” type job for this profession?
• Many of these jobs are unpaid or low pay. Plan to balance with school or another job.
FIND YOUR DOOR
FIND YOUR DOOR • Campaign work: intern, field staff, volunteer coordinator • Legislative/Congressional staff: intern, scheduler • Think tank: intern, administrative staff, assistant staff
This might mean not clerking at a firm your last summer.
SMART NETWORKING • Goal = relationships & skills (not a pile of business cards) • Find like-minded people, join groups, attend conferences • Learn skills you can’t at law school (esp. tech-related!) • Promote the brand of “you” • Volunteer to help at events, get access to the VIPs • Seek mentors at different levels
MENTORS
• Seek out a small, focused list of people who are 1, 2, or 3 steps ahead of you on your path.
• Do your research before you contact someone. • Find a connection to a specific interest you share. • Don’t ask for a job, ask for advice about getting a job. • Remember to look sideways – for others who also
admire or work with your mentor. • The world changes rapidly – show respect and gratitude
for those you pass on the way. • Hardly anyone sends handwritten thank you notes
anymore (so you’ll stand out if you do!)
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
• Research where the work is happening. • Lobbying is Washington, D.C. and state capitals • Campaign work is mostly major cities unless you’re
established in an area or have a large district • Show whatever local connection you can (high school,
family members, business connections) • Establish a P.O. Box and Google Voice number in the area
where you want a job. • Be ready and willing to relocate quickly if necessary.
NON-LEGAL SKILLS TO DEVELOP
JOURNALISM-STYLE WRITING • Can’t compete with already crowded market for
journalism/communications majors, but you can set yourself apart as expert in a field.
• Study NY Times, local papers, Alligator. Note paragraph, sentence length, style.
• Get copy of “The Elements of Style” by Strunk & White and the AP Stylebook.
• Submit your own op-eds and letters to the editor (after researching the paper’s requirements).
• Practice, practice, practice.
NON-LEGAL SKILLS TO DEVELOP
PUBLIC RELATIONS / COMMUNICATIONS • How to write a press release, including formatting
and style, and how to create good quotes. • How to talk to reporters, how to earn positive
press, what “off the record,” means, etc. • Study local reporters, what issues they frequently
cover – how would you pitch a story to them? • Attend local philanthropic events. Notice who
hosts, sponsors, attends. Volunteer on committees.
NON-LEGAL SKILLS TO DEVELOP
RADIO / TELEVISION / PODCASTS / ONLINE VIDEO • Track down any free or cheap media training classes
you can find. • Find reporters who cover issues where you might
have a unique perspective or expertise. • Volunteer – again, this is about getting access. • Create your own content. • Get feedback from as many different people as
possible. • Find content you like and study what they do right. • Practice, practice, practice.
NON-LEGAL SKILLS TO DEVELOP
BLOGGING • Lots of free/cheap blogging platforms available. • Make sure you can access the parts you need to
customize and edit/delete any posts. • Be scrupulous about your ethics and accuracy. Don’t
write unless you know it’s true, and if you make a mistake, fix it.
• Find a unique angle or topic. • Link to other bloggers that cover similar topics. • Write, write, write.
NON-LEGAL SKILLS TO DEVELOP
SOCIAL MEDIA / TECHNOLOGY • Learn the key platforms and work to create a
following on several of them. • It takes time to build up a reputation and following
but companies and political candidates all recognize value of social media (it’s a common entry level job).
• Show interest in several diverse topics. • Be interactive with your followers. • If you can, learn how to design websites on basic
platforms like WordPress, Drupal, etc. • Video/sound editing skills are in demand as well.
THE BRAND OF “YOU”
• Know what your online identity is. • Identify strengths and weaknesses. • Show off full range of your skills: legal & non-legal. • Distinguish yourself from competition. • Create and actively use social media accounts to tell
your story online. • Is your name unique? Consider adding middle name
or nickname. • Reserve usernames across multiple platforms. • Keep branding, language, logos, photos, etc.
consistent, positive, and professional. • Make sure you have a strong “first page!”
• What if it were on the front page of the newspaper?
• What if it were on a billboard?
• What if it were an exhibit in a courtroom during a lawsuit against me?
• What if my parents read it?
You can delete a Tweet, but
screencaps are forever!
SHOULD I POST?
Sarah Elizabeth Rumpf
Email: [email protected]
Blog: www.SunshineStateSarah.com
Twitter: @rumpfshaker
THANK YOU & GO GATORS!