Student Planning Timeline
Welcome to the Career Planning Timeline, where you can find tips and goals for each month of the year.
September 1L Year
- View Blog Posts uwlawcareerplanning.blogspot.com
- Use Symplicity & RSVP Events
- Join the William O. Douglas Society if you are going out-of-state next summer
- Attend Career Events
October 1L Year
- Create a spreadsheet (Excel) or other system to keep track of your networking contacts
- Check in with your 1L professional mentor; faculty mentor and peer mentor
- Schedule an appointment with your Career Coach for after November 1st
- Contact any pre-law school individuals you would like to use as references
- Fill Out Your Marketing Plan (in Manual) and Bring to Your First Coaching Meeting
November 1L Year
- Draft a cover letter and finalize your legal resume, send to your career coach for review this month
- Look at the Career Planning Office info sheets on different practice areas
- Use online resources: Symplicity, uwlawcareerplanning blog, Career Planning Website and links
- Begin research for summer jobs
- Set up informational interviews for Thanksgiving break and December, especially if looking for out-of-state job
- Develop a system for keeping track of resumes sent and responses received
- If you are interested in working for a large law firm, get your mailing ready to go out on December 1st
December 1L Year
- Mail applications to larger firms starting December 1st
- Check out the Equal Justice Works, PSLawNet websites for public interest jobs and fellowships
- Look in the Career Planning Website under Public Interest Careers for links to job postings
- Brainstorm other employment options for the summer like externships or volunteer work
- Check in with your 1L mentors before exams and break
- Remember to write thank you notes to any mock, informational or job interviewers
- Follow up on resumes to make sure they have been received
January 1L Year
- Attend the Meet the Legal Professionals Event
- Check 1L diversity fellowship program application dates and info sessions this month
- Attend the 1L mock interview program in mid-January
- Begin research into summer funding possibilities for public interest work
- Prepare application materials for the public interest career fair
- Applications for summer judicial externships due later this month
- Check Prosecutors and Public Defender summer job openings here and nationally
- Remember to write thank you notes to any mock, informational or job interviewers
February 1L Year
- Attend the Public Interest Career Fair & Write thank you notes
- Look at the Government Honors Handbook (Password on Symplicity Document Library)
- Diversity Fellowship interviews held
- Finish applying to public interest organizations for externships
- Brainstorm a "Plan B" with your career coach for summer i.e. classes, study abroad, volunteering
March 1L Year
- Consider working in a law school Clinic
- Consider being a research assistant for faculty
- Update your resume
- Email you summer job to your Career Coach
April 1L Year
- Fall judicial externship applications are due at end of April
- Update your networking list with new contacts
- Meet with your career coach if you are still looking for summer work
- PILA Grants, Africa Public Interest Fellowship Available, Law School Rome Program, Ireland Program
- Identify potential employers through the NALP directory, martindale.com for alumni, and Vault websites
- Connect with your summer employer to insure a start date
May 1L Year
- Attend Fall Recruiting Events
- View Mandatory PowerPoint Information on Fall Recruiting
- Remember Fall Recruiting begins with bidding in July and Interviews in August and September
- Have you connected with Professors who can be good references?
- Provide summer contact info to your Career Coach
June 1L Year
- Be sure to fill out any forms for Externships
- Employers participating in On-Campus Interviews published on Symplicity
- Meet with your career coach if you are still looking for summer work
- Meet with your career coach if you are going out-of-state during the summer
- Contact out-of-state alumni, send employers application materials (non-OCI)
- Participate in the National Law School Consortium Off-Campus Interview Program
- Review your resume and re-draft a cover letter for use during OCI; submit it to your career coach
July 1L Year
- Participate in the National Law School Consortium Off-Campus Interview Program-Check website/Symplicity
- Participate in the On-Campus Interview Program
- Bid for Jobs
- Send application materials to employer list.
- Have you connected with Professors who can be good references?
August 1L Year
- Make sure you are doing substantive writing assignments at work
- Update your networking list with new contacts
- Review your resume and re-draft a cover letter for use during OCI; submit it to your career coach
- Consider attending the Equal Justic Works Conference in DC at the end of October