1. Know your market: It is paramount, when you are seeking for a job in the legal industry that you do your research and conduct proper market research. You need to know what jobs, where and which opportunities or roles are available. When you take the time to understand the terrain of the general market, you give yourself a great chance of being a step ahead of the rest of your rivals.
2. Be Narrow: After an overall knowledge of the entire legal industry in your area, you will then need to narrow down your search to a specific area of focus. As a law student or recent graduate of a law, you might consider public-interest law, clerkships, internships or working for private firms. If you possess a legal support education, then you might go for jobs like being a paralegal or a authorized secretary. The point is, securing a job as a legal practitioner does not mean you can apply for all the jobs available, you need to be specific, and let all your options run down to a single point of focus.
3. Maintain the appearances: No matter how much faith you have in the solidity and viability of your C.V, it can still not take the place of your personal presence and appearance. What this means is that you don't expect your application to do the whole job for you, in fact, some employers wouldn't be so much impressed with whatsoever you've written. Instead, they want to assess you, your temperament, neatness, promptness, and mannerisms, etc. These and many other non-verbal clues are what your prospective employers are looking to see when you step inside the door. Little wonder then that "appearance is everything" couldn't be truer in a legal industry.
4. Build a Network: Networking in the legal industry is as necessary as in any other high-powered industry. It is essential to make and keep contacts within those in the industry that might be able to help you put a foot through the door. Sometimes, it is who and not necessarily what you know that makes any difference.
5. Go online: In today's world informational technology, many high profile and lucrative jobs are advertised on the Internet. Make sure you frequent many online job boards and postings. There are even some job boards that are specifically dedicated to the legal profession and they will help you filter your searches and quicken your hunting time.
6. Join Linked-In: Although this may to be the same as above, yet the difference is that on LinkdIn you are not actually submitting your resume to everyone you see, but instead, the website helps you connect and make contact with people in your line of profession. You have the opportunity to recreate online, what you might not be able to do offline, networking with relevant top shots in the legal industry.
7. Be ready: There is no point in searching for a job, connecting with people and entering the interview room without the adequate level of preparations on your part. Make sure you have all that would be required of you. Let your resume be up-to-date. Be adequately prepped for any sort of questions that you may be asked and know all you can about the history of the firm.
8. Consider additional training: If you are changing jobs or want to progress in your career, then consider taking additional training and classes. Doing this and with your working experience, will definitely boost your chances of getting the next job faster than others.
9. Go Pro-Bono: Volunteering for some profitless public law service can make your C.V look good. It will not hurt you to dedicate some free time to take on some public cases, though they may not pay you financially, but they will surely give you a cutting edge experience over and above your other job-seeking rivals
10. Come straight: When you are looking for a legal job, make sure you are truthful about your education, experiences and all other submitted information. Remember, that almost all legal firms do a basic background check on their prospective employees, you don't want to get caught lying.
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