How To Sell Yourself And Your Accomplishments Post Law School Graduation

You're finished with college, you're finished with law school, and now you want to sell yourself to the highest bidder. Private firms and the government are the two sources in constant need of attorneys, what qualities will they desire in candidates?

The lawyers who are in demand did well on the LSAT, went to a top-tiered law school, graduated in the top ten percent, interned at either a prestigious law firm or a high-status government job, and published in the school's law review.

Obviously this isn't everyone. In fact, if it's you, you don't really need any advice because you are probably being besieged with offers.

But for the rest of the new attorneys, despite the areas in which you are lacking, you can compensate and still sell yourself successfully.

INDIVIDUALITY
There is no one better at being you than you are, so what is unique about you? Tenacity, a second language, theatrical skills? Take time for reflection to determine your own unique qualities. Be able to support them with experience -- tenacity: you worked a full time job while going to law school full time; a second language: Parlo itallina bene; theatrical skills: toured in a summer stock run of Cats. The important thing is to find the connection between your own uniqueness and how that makes you a better lawyer.

ADAPTIVENESS
Are you willing to relocate? According to the U.S. Department of Labor, a law school graduate willing to move to another state where there is a lesser pool of qualified candidates will increase his or her ability to successfully find work. The difficulty in doing this is that it might involve having to take an additional state bar examination, although many states do have reciprocal agreements.

Why would an employer need to look out of state for an attorney to hire? Because there is a need for specialists.

SPECIALIZE
It's the age of specialization and it's no different in law. Attorneys who have geared their studies toward tax, patent, or admiralty laws can offer their services as a specialty. If all the other candidates are from top-tiered school, and you are only mid-ranked however have the specialty the firm seeks, you've just leveled the playing field.

LOOKING ELSEWHERE
The hardest part of selling yourself after law school is that the competition is intense, due to the huge number of schools churning out new lawyers each year. Even if you are willing to move, have a specialty and you're unique, you might find it tough going against candidates with stellar academic records from top schools. You could try a field outside of law where your law school training makes you valuable.

Banks, insurance companies, real estate companies and even movie studios tend to favor job applicants with law degrees. Basically work in the administrative or managerial field can be found selling your jurisprudence degree.

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