Month |
Activities |
August - October
|
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Consider interviewing with public interest employers at the Public Interest Interview Program(PIIP), which is held in early September; you should also look at the participating employers list for the Virtual Interview Program (VIP), usually held in early August, as a few public interest employers with early deadlines usually attend .
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Complete the online summer employment evaluation in CMS.
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Consider applying for DOJ Summer Law Intern Program and other programs/jobs that hire in the early Fall.
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Keep in touch with your 1L summer employer and consider using that person as a reference.
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Explore and research your desired 2L summer employer by using CDO resources, PSJD, fellow students, and your contacts.
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Send cover letters and resumes to targeted employers and conduct follow-up.
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Continue to attend career programs, even after you have a job . . . no job is forever!
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Consider attending the Equal Justice Works Career Fair and Conference in DC.
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Volunteer to be a resource at the Public Interest Student Career Fair or simply attend (Late October).
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Evaluate your existing commitments, and if you have not already done so, consider joining a journal or student organization.
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Consider your clinical options for the upcoming year.
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November - December
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Continue contacting target employers, personalizing your cover letters and résumés, and networking.
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Consider meeting with a career counselor about your job search before winter break.
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During winter break, investigate job opportunities, network, and reach out to potential employers.
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January - May
|
-
Consider attending the Yale Public Interest Legal Career Fair at NYU (typically registration begins in early December and ends in mid-January).
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Attend the Rebellious Lawyering Conference (typically in February).
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Consider attending the YLS Cover Retreat (Late February/Early March).
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Learn about fellowships: attend introductory fellowship programs and various colloquia (such as Liman, Heyman, and Bernstein); speak to current and former fellowship recipients; familiarize yourself with the CDO online fellowship site, particularly the fellowship timeline.
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If considering a fellowship, begin investigating fellowship deadlines by viewing PSJD’s Fellowship Application Deadline Calendar and consider how your fellowship aspirations may impact your choice of summer employer.
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Consider funding options for summer employment and, if needed, apply for SPIF / Kirby Simon Summer Fellowships and outside summer funding like the Peggy Browning Fund.
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Report your summer job to CDO so you can help other YLS students.
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Check Bar Examination requirements online (National Conference of Bar Examiners: www.ncbex.org) and in Registrar’s Office to prepare for next year.
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Summer |
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If fellowship-bound, review the Public Interest Fellowships page and timeline; talk to sponsoring organizations in early June and July; keep abreast of summer deadlines for project-based fellowships.
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Schedule informational interviews with attorneys who are knowledgeable about your target job after graduation. Review the networking resource for more information.
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Complete the online summer employment evaluation to help other students in CMS
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