A second year law student recently contacted us with the below question:
"I am a rising 2L and interested in working outside of Florida next summer (specifically big firms in Atlanta, D.C. and North Carolina). From talking with 2 and 3rd years, I know that many non-Florida employers don't travel to Gainesville to recruit on-campus. When would you recommend contacting these employers with my resume? How do I even find out who to apply with? Thanks."
While our on-campus interviewing program is one of the largest in the Southeast, many employers (both private and public) may find it inefficient to travel to every law school in the country to interview candidates. For those employers, it is essential to get your information to them in a timely and professional manner.
- Identify where you want to apply. If you have an idea about where you want to be geographically, make a list of the employers in the area that interest you. Use websites including the NALP directory, Martindale, and local bar associations.
- Compile a list of their interviewing dates to determine when your best time to send in your resume for consideration. For example, let's say that you are interested in sending your resume to Jackson, Abdul, & Cowell LLP - a firm not visiting UF Law. You go to their website and learn that the firm will be interviewing at local schools in the area in September and October. In this example, you would want your resume and cover letter to be in their hands in mid to late August/early September for consideration. Then you would calendar to follow up with the employer in September. If you wait until after October to initiate contact, the chances are high that they have already filled their summer positions.
- Start working on your materials now. When you apply with out-of-state employers, you will need a strong cover letter explaining why you want to work in that particular area and for that particular employer.
For more advice and information, check out the Out-Of-State Job Search strategies guide -- located in the CCS. Click here and request a copy if you can't make it to the office.