Gaining practical experience is an important component of your legal education. Summer is the perfect time to put your legal skills to work. Like most things in life, you will get what you put into it. It is up to you to make your summer experience as valuable as possible.
One of the primary purposes of working with employers over the summer (or during the school year) is to determine whether that employer, that type of law, and the people you are working with would be a good fit for you long term. Is this job a fit for your personality and for your long-term goals? Here are some things you can do to make sure you get the most of your summer experience!
1) Ask Questions and Seek Feedback
When you receive an assignment or project, ask questions to make sure you have the information you need to succeed and excel. Ask for a timeframe to complete the project. If you are given a research project, ask about the background of the case and how the attorney anticipates your work will be used. Once your initial questions are answered, review the information you have been given and start your work. Do not be afraid to go back if you have clarifying questions.
Always be on the lookout to evaluate workplace culture and expectations. Ask other attorneys about their experiences and their career tracks. More often than not, people are willing to share their stories if they are asked. They will also know that you are eager to learn and engaged, which will take you far in your career.
Attorneys are busy, which means feedback (positive or negative) can be hard to come by. If you are not receiving comments about your work from your supervisor or co-workers, do not be afraid to ask for it! You may not be receiving feedback because your work-product is great, but you may also have room to improve; regardless, your employer will want to know you are willing and ready to learn.
2) Treat your summer experience as an interview.
In reality, a summer job is a really long job interview. You are being evaluated at all times to determine whether you are a good fit for the employer (even if you are not anticipating a position at the firm or office following graduation, your supervisors and colleagues will be a great source for references in the future.) This applies whether you are at work or at social outings. This leads to an obvious but recurring issue: don’t skip out on social events! When you are invited to events outside of work, GO! If you are in a large office or firm, you will not have the opportunity to work with everyone, and social events are an opportunity to meet people you would not meet otherwise. It is also a great time to obtain more information from your colleagues in a less formal setting. Treat these events as if they are required.
3) Professionalism and Dress
Always wear business attire unless you are explicitly told otherwise, and even if you are told dress is business casual or causal, err on the side of caution. You never want to be the most casually dressed person in the room. You always want to make a good impression, so make sure how you are dressed never counts against you.
Do you want some additional advice on making the most of your work experience? Take a look at ULaw Today’s Ten Tips for Succeeding as a New Attorney or Summer Associate and Ms. JD’s Five Success Tips Every Summer Associate Should Know.
If you have any questions on how to further maximize your summer experience, please feel free to reach out to the Center.
Tagged: employers, networking, professionalism, summer associates
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