Whew! This year has flown by, and I can't believe summer is already upon us. This will be my last blog post of the academic year, as I will be taking a break from blogging over the summer. Keep your eyes open in August, though, when I promise I will return to delight you with more nuggets of career-advising wisdom! And if you get really itchy for more advice while I'm gone, I urge you to explore the blog and read past posts that may be of interest.
For my final blog post of the year, I have messages for three different groups of people: (1) students who will be graduating on Sunday, (2) alumni who have just found out their February bar results, and (3) students who are currently finishing up this semester and will be returning to us in the fall.
A Special Message for May 2013 Graduates
I am going to resist the urge to get mushy and sentimental, as you will have plenty of tears and laughter and hugs in the coming week. (Rest assured that on Friday and Sunday you will find me suitably full of emotion!) But I will use this opportunity to tell you that I have enjoyed working with all of you over the course of your time here. I am sad to see you all leave and wish you all the best.
For the many of you who will be searching for jobs in the U.S. following graduation, I would like to refer you to last year's post (posted exactly a year ago!) entitled "Your Post-Graduation Job Search." The advice here hasn't changed, except that I would add/emphasize the following:
- Learn as much as you can about the field or area in which you wish to practice. Attend CLEs and set up informational interviews. This will make your networking more effective by giving you talking points and helping you to come across as competent and confident.
- If English is not your first language, seek out every opportunity you can to practice and improve your English. Written English is especially important. When employers come to me looking for candidates, communication and writing skills are the number one thing they ask for (including among native English speakers), so its importance cannot be overstated. Find a blog you can contribute to or try writing a short piece for publication somewhere. Also remember to read examples of good writing in English.
- Network Network Network
- Don't get discouraged - REALLY! Rejection will happen, but the more you keep at it the more likely it is that you will get a "yes" eventually.
Good luck, and remember that GPDP services are available to you after you graduate. Don't forget to sign up for an alumni account, which will allow you to access all the resources on the GPDP Alumni webpage.
A Special Message for Students Who Have Now Received Their February 2013 Bar Results
According to the press release issued by the New York Board of Law Examiners, this past February saw 1,620 foreign-educated candidates sitting for the New York bar exam, representing 39% of all candidates sitting for the exam. The passing rate for first-time foreign-educated takers was 36%, compared with 75% for J.D. graduates of ABA-approved law schools. These statistics illustrate just how difficult the bar exam can be for foreign-educated candidates, the vast majority of whom do not speak English as a native language.
If you passed the February 2013 bar exam, I offer a very enthusiastic congratulations! The numbers above show what a huge accomplishment this is, and you deserve a big pat on the back. I would like to direct you to my post from last November, "I Passed the Bar Exam! Now What?" Once again, congratulations!
If you did not pass the February 2013 bar exam, I offer you some words of encouragement. Keep it in perspective, and remember that you are in good company. And please read this blog post from last November: "I Failed the Bar Exam--Now What?" Hang in there!
A Special Message for Current Students who will be Returning in Fall 2013
For our full-time students especially, I want to say congratulations on completing your first semester of LL.M. study! You are now halfway through your program, and I'm sure you are all marveling at how fast it has gone by. Believe me, it doesn't slow down from here.
You are probably looking forward to some quiet time over the summer, but I want to encourage you to spend some time doing things that will ultimately help you in your job search and will put you in a good position academically. I refer you to this post from last May, which still very much holds true: "Make the Most of Your Summer." Also, don't forget to check out our Corporate Compliance Institute, offered to current students at a huge discount! I hope you all have an excellent summer, and I look forward to welcoming you back in the fall!
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