It’s no secret that attending law school can get pretty expensive. Although Washburn Law remains one of the best values in the country, most students still incur at least some debt to help finance their education. What many students don’t consider when making decisions about the amount and type of loans they take is how those loans may affect their job prospects down the line. The amount and type of debt carried by a graduate could affect whether they can afford to take certain types of jobs and whether their loans could be eligible for federal programs reducing their payments and ultimately discharging the loans. Here are some things to remember when funding your law school education.

1) Borrow only the lowest amount necessary to fund your education and living expenses. You don’t have to take ALL the money you are awarded. Take what you need and if necessary go back for more later.

2) Limit your educational debt to federally subsidized loans. Students may be eligible for either or both federally funded loans (Stafford) or private loans. The federal government has several programs for graduates working in the public sector that allow for income-based payments and discharge of loans in certain circumstances. Most federal loans also are now eligible for income-based repayment plans for those working in lower-paying positions regardless of whether the position is or is not in the public sector. Equal Justice Works is an excellent resource for information about all these programs.

3) Consider a part-time job to help with bills and gain practical legal experience. While all law schools discourage students from working during the first year, you should consider pursuing paying positions over the summer and part-time during the second and third years to subsidize the cost of living. In addition to the benefit of being paid, finding a position that provides practical legal experience is an obvious bonus both to your education and long-range career plans. If the you can’t find a paying legal position for the summer and chose to volunteer or take classes, consider taking a non-legal job to at least contribute toward living expenses for the summer. Consider jobs at retail stores with merchandise discounts (preferably on necessities such as a professional wardrobe or groceries and personal items rather than CDs, video games, and movie rentals!) or a restaurant with great tippers and a good take-out benefit.

4) Do everything you can to live within your means. It is an unfortunate truth that if you live like a lawyer in law school, you will live like a law student as a lawyer. Check out this link for 50 ways to trim your budget.  Use this  link to see how much brand-name coffee costs over the long term.

5) Be realistic about your earning potential. Consider whether you plan a career in the public or private sector, in a large or small firm, in a large metropolitan center or in rural America, and practicing law or pursuing alternative careers. Starting salaries can vary widely but having the least amount of debt possible when you graduate leaves you more prepared to find and accept the career you really want – not just one that pays the bills!

6) Do NOT use credit cards! Repeat after me, “I won’t use credit cards in law school.” Most people have a credit card “for emergencies” which may or may not be a good idea but is nevertheless a reality for most Americans. “Emergencies” are not pizza, Starbucks, ring tones, CDs, concert tickets, Spring Break, cash advances, NCAA Tournament tickets, Thursday nights out, or spa treatments! Don’t let short-sighted “wants” affect your long-term financial stability!!

Last week PricewaterhouseCoopers celebrated Personal Brand Week with helpful daily tips and recommendations about how to shape your own personal brand. The information provided ranges from how to create an effective “elevator speech” to the importance of professionalizing your virtual presence. Learn more about the importance of developing your personal brand now at http://www.pwc.com/us/en/careers/pwctv/personal-brand-week.jhtml

Two of the most common typos found on a resume follow.

Commas used with dates:
Do not use a comma between the month and year if no specific date is given.
Juris Doctor – May 2010
NOT: Juris Doctor – May, 2010

The past tense of “to lead” is “led” — NOT “lead” (as in “pencil lead”).

1. Personal interaction, informational interviews and requests for referrals (i.e. networking) do not equal begging for a job. Rather, they are great ways to learn about and make contacts in your chosen career field.

2. The process is mutually beneficial. The professionals you contact generally appreciate the opportunity to give back to the legal community by serving as a mentor and you get the benefit of their advice and referrals throughout your job search. Remember, no one can help you if they don’t know you!

3. Everyone who knows what you want to do is a potential job-scout! Your friends, family, neighbors, and former colleagues can’t tell you about a great opportunity if they don’t know that you are looking.

4. Personal interaction with professionals can help you find a job by encouraging potential employers to focus on you rather than what is (or is not) on your resume. For example, people typically do not discuss G.P.A. when first meeting other professionals. Instead the discussion often focuses on common interests, practical experience, and career goals. If he or she is impressed with your professional demeanor, experience, and communication skills, grades often become a secondary concern.

5. It takes less time and will likely lead to better results than sending out mass resume mailers. Fact: 42% of 2008 Washburn graduates found their first jobs through self initiated contact or a referral from a friend or relative. If you are not getting out there to talk to and meet professionals, you are ignoring one the most successful ways to find a job.

6. The skills you gain by networking, meeting and talking with people, will serve you throughout your career. The contacts you make while searching for your first job may lead to a great second or third job and/or business referrals later in your career.

7. Many available jobs never become job postings…because they are snatched up by those who know someone in the office that is hiring! Think about it, would you rather review a huge stack of resumes that flood your office after you post a job or simply interview a few people your colleagues recommend?

8. Wondering who to contact? Check out the list of potential contacts in the Document Library of the Washburn Law Career Manager System (Symplicity).

Carol Green, Clerk for the KS Court of Appeals, and Fran Angell, Admissions Administrator, visited campus on September 23 to provide information about the new rules related to Attorney Admissions. Video replay at

http://video.washburnlaw.edu/wusl/career/20090923bennett.wmv

In anticipation of a visit from Paul Davis, a Kansas State Representative, you might be interested in how to address legislators.

A U.S. Senator is addressed as “Senator.” (“How do you do, Senator Goodworthy?”) A U.S. Representative, State Representative, and State Senator are addressed as “Mr.” or “Ms.” (“Thank you for speaking to our group, Ms. Doright.”) Do not say, “…Representative Doright,” or “…Congressman Doright.”

If the U.S. Representative, State Representative or State Senator has a medical degree, you may address them as “Dr.”

Mr. Davis will be at Washburn Law on October 8.

Thanks to http://cultureandmanners.com

In the grand scheme of interviewing, legal employers often ask an applicant to interview more than one time.  During formal recruiting season, or “on-campus interviews,” the second interview is often referred to as a “call-back” interview.

 A second interview most often occurs at the employer’s office and can last from one hour to several hours and may include one or two meals.  Second interviews for summer associate positions are often shorter than second interviews for permanent association positions. 

 You should prepare for a call-back interview in much the same way you prepared for the first interview but be prepared to ask additional and more-detailed questions.  At this point, you should be able to indicate through your questions that you are interested in this employer for the long haul.  They should be able to tell that you are interested in their long-term growth and you should be able to articulate why you might want to join the firm after you graduate.  This is true even if you are interviewing for a summer associate position!

 You will likely meet with several associates and partners at the firm in a series of 20-30 minute interviews.  You will be asked the same questions more than once – be prepared to be positive and not respond with, “Geesh, everyone asks me that question.”  This can be harder than you think when the twelfth person asks, “Tell me how you ended up in law school after 10 years in the underwater basket weaving industry” or “How did you end up in Kansas when you were born and raised in [fill in the blank with someplace exotic].”

You will also ask the same questions more than once.  It is completely appropriate to ask more than one person about his or her experiences at the firm – you will likely get different answers, which should be helpful in your decision-making process.  More than ever, responding “I think all my questions have been answered” is a suggestion that you are not interested in the firm.  Again, this can be harder than you think after interviewing with ten different people at the same firm on the same day.

Be early, and know where you are going!  Ask for directions and plan on arriving early.  You should plan to walk into the reception area about 5-10 minutes before your scheduled arrival time.  If you arrive earlier than that, hang out in your car and review your notes.  If you are going to be late – and it should go without saying that you should avoid being late at all costs – call the employer and let him or her know.  My advice is not to call until you are absolutely sure you will be late.  If there is a chance you will make it on time, don’t give yourself away (but do make sure to call before you are actually late).

You may be asked to have a meal as part of the interview day.  If so, remember that this is still part of the interview.  Even if the conversation is more casual, you are still interviewing.  Occasionally interviewers will order an alcoholic beverage before or during dinner.  Whether you order a drink is totally up to you.  My advice is to gauge your company and your own preference for and tolerance of alcohol, and if in doubt order a non-alcoholic beverage.  In no circumstance should you over-indulge.  This is not the time to try and impress them with how many beers you can down before munching on some hot wings!

Speaking of hot wings, you may wonder what entrée to order.  Generally speaking, don’t order the most expensive thing on the menu.  Order something you would order if you were paying the bill – and err on the less-expensive side.  In other words – strive for middle of the road.  A nice way to gauge your company is to state, “I haven’t been to this restaurant before, what do you typically order.”  And by all means, don’t order something messy.  If you do splash spaghetti sauce on your tie or blouse, don’t make a big deal of it.  Finally, always treat the wait staff with respect. 

Regarding treating people with respect, you should treat everyone you encounter at or near the employer as though they hold the golden key to whether you are given a job.  The person you cut off pulling into the parking lot, the receptionist you snub, or the undercover partner in the elevator who overhears your inappropriate chatting on the phone could be the person who “breaks the deal.”

First-year students are invited for lunch to get all the info they need regarding career planning for their first semester. Section A meet at noon on Tuesday, Aug 25 in Room 114. Section B meet at noon on Wednesday, Aug 26 in Room 114. J-Section (2009) students are welcome to attend either day.

To make the best impression with your handshake, reach for the person’s palm, not the fingers.  Use a firm grip, that shows you are confident.  If you give a weak handshake where you don’t really grip the other person’s hand, you appear weak, insecure, non-committal. (Message: “I am a doormat, feel free to walk all over me.”) And let’s be honest, when you are on the receiving end of the “fingers handshake,” it’s kind of a yucky feeling.

When you squeeze the other person’s hand so hard, it hurts, you appear domineering, angry, inconsiderate. (Message: “Please hire me, I want to scare the living daylights out of everyone in your workplace.”) 

Shake a woman’s hand as firmly as a man’s hand.  To give a woman a lighter handshake is an insult.

Thanks to the Culture and Manners Institute for this tip!  http://www.cultureandmanners.com/

I recently answered the question, “What is the difference between Job Postings and OCI in Symplicity” and I thought I’d share my answer in case anyone else is wondering.

Both Job Postings and OCI are found in Symplicity.

Job postings are like the classified ads.  Employers post positions and students apply directly to the employer.  Sometimes the employer wants the applications mailed, sometimes they accept e-mail, and sometimes they accept applications through Symplicity.  You will find application instructions with the information for each job.  The jobs may be post-graduate positions or intern positions (summer or academic year).  During the fall, most of the student job postings are for intern positions that last throughout the school year. 

Access and search job postings by clicking on the “Job Postings” tab in Symplicity (the fourth tab from the left).  Browse the postings or create a search using “Advanced Search”.  You can set up a recurring search agent that allows the system to send you notifications when jobs with certain criteria are posted.

OCI, or “Formal Recruiting,” is a program sponsored by the PDO in which area employers come on campus to interview students for either post-graduate or summer intern positions.  Occasionally, but rarely, employers utilize OCI to hire interns for the academic year.  In the fall, 2Ls and 3Ls participate in OCI.  In the spring, all students are eligible to participate.

Access and search for employers participating in OCI by clicking on the “OCI” tab in Symplicity (third tab from the right).  You will see a box for “Session” in the grey box in the middle of page.  Make sure to browse the employers in each session.  The deadline to apply for all of the employers in a particular session is listed on the right side of the screen under “Important Dates.”  You MUST apply to these firms through Symplicity.  After the deadline passes, the employer will review all applications and select students to interview.  Selected students will receive a message directing them to select an interview time on Symplicity.

If you have questions regarding how to use Symplicity, see http://washburnlaw.edu/career/careermanager/

If you have questions about the OCI process, see http://washburnlaw.edu/career/oci/index.php