Fall 2009 Career Development Programs
All Pitt Law students are invited to attend educational programs sponsored by the Career Services Office.
This list of educational programs is not complete and subject to change, so please check back for updates.
Interviewing Preparation Days
August 11 and 28
This is a great opportunity for students to receive feedback on resumes and participate in a mock interview with local practitioners.
Federal Judicial Clerkship Workshop
Tuesday, August 25, Room 113
1:00-1:45pm
CSO staff will be on hand to answer any last minute questions about the Federal Judicial Clerkship application process for 3Ls, including troubleshooting OSCAR, researching judges, preparing for interviews, and strategizing about offers received. For individuals with OSCAR questions, it is recommended that you bring your laptop with you as we will walk through the system together.
Interview Skills Workshop
Tuesday, August 25, Room 111
1:00-2:30pm
This will be a two-part panel program. The first part will feature a panel discussion with experienced attorneys from law firms discussing how to best present yourself effectively in a typical initial (screening) interview. The second part will feature a panel discussion with third-year law students discussing their experiences with call-back (second) interviews and providing useful tips and suggestions on how to succeed in your job search. Students who have class conflicts should feel free to arrive late or leave early as needed.
Federal Government Application Skills Workshop
Thursday August 27 Room 113
1:00-1:45pm
Repeat Session Tuesday, September 15, Room 113
1:00-1:45pm
This workshop is for students who are applying for federal government positions. We will review resume requirements and tips for crafting effective KSAs (essays). The deadline for the 2009 US DOJ Attorney General's Honors Program and Summer Law Intern Program is September 8, 2009. Applications must be submitted online by midnight, Eastern Time. Deadlines for other Federal Honor's Programs begin to fall shortly after this program and run into the Fall: we will discuss strategies for completing an effective application. We will also discuss the Presidential Management Fellowship Program for 3Ls. Please note that we will repeat this program on Sept. 15th.
Job Searching Beyond Oci: Focused Counseling Sessions
Monday September 28th-Wednesday, October 7th (By appointment)
Perhaps you weren't interested in the types of employers participating in Fall OCI or maybe it didn't work out as you had planned. It is easy to feel left out of the Fall job searching hustle and bustle. And it is all too easy to feel disappointed about Fall OCI and give up on your job search. Now is a great time to meet with a CSO counselor to help you focus/refocus your energies on your job search. 2L and 3L students can stop by Room 235 to schedule an appointment or email dschoch@pitt.edu. If your schedule does not permit a meeting during this time period, students are welcome to schedule an appointment on another date.
CSO Open House - Job Searching Beyond Oci Kickoff
Tuesday, September 29th , CSO Resource Center (2nd Floor)
1:00-2:15pm
The Career Services Office welcomes ALL students to our Fall Open House. Stop by and enjoy some coffee and treats. Or come in for the chance to win door prizes. CSO staff will be on hand to talk with you about your career development and anything else that is on your mind. This open house will also serve as a Kick-off for job searching beyond OCI. Counselors will be on hand to demonstrate how to best use CSO resources in your job search. Also, 2L and 3L students, don't forget to sign up for our Beyond OCI focused individual counseling sessions which begin on Sept. 28th.
"The Career Counselor Is in" the Student Lounge
Q &A Pressing Job Search Questions
Monday October 5, November 9
12:30 - 1:30, Student Lounge
Pam, Jen and Mary will be in the student lounge to answer your "quick" questions (for more involved questions we will schedule an appointment with you for a later date). So, bring your pressing questions, a hard copy of your resume and your laptop and we'll provide some support and direction in your job search efforts. (And snacks - we'll provide the snacks).
Cover Letter Workshop (2L and 3L Students - RSVP Required)
Tuesday, October 6th
1:00-2:00pm Room 111
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing to you because I struggle to craft effective cover letters, yet I am seeking a job for the summer. As a student at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, I do not feel I have any skills or experience to offer; however I would very much like to begin my career in Los Angeles...
If you dread writing cover letters; don't know what to say; or know why you should take the time to write them in the first place, this session is for you. We will briefly review what purpose cover letters serve. We will also go over cover letter do's and don'ts. And we will provide an opportunity for you to try your hand at cover letter drafting. If you are a 2L or 3L student interested in attending, please RSVP to Mary Thinium at thinium@pitt.edu by Thursday, October 2nd.
The State of the Legal Marketplace:
Navigating Your Way in These Challenging Times
Thursday, October 8th
12:30-2pm
Alcoa Room - RSVP Required
(All students 1L, 2L and 3L are encouraged to attend)
Are you aware of the market forces affecting the legal profession? Are you looking for insights on the the daily news reports about the economy and its impact on the legal marketplace?
Then come to a program that is sure to provide a better picture of what is going on in the legal industry along with strategies for success. The Law School's Career Services Office and the newly established Innovation Practice Institute are partnering with the Allegheny County Bar Association to present a panel program and reception on the State of the Legal Marketplace. The program will present different views on what is happening in the marketplace, how we got here, the manner in which business models may or may not be changing, practice areas that are thriving and those that are on the decline, and projections for the future. Panel members will also share insights as to how students can best position themselves in this changing marketplace and discuss the importance of immersing yourself in the legal community as a student and how this will benefit not only your job search, but your career in the long term.
Panelists will include: David Blaner, Executive Director, Allegheny County Bar Association; Marie Millie Jones, Partner, Meyer Darragh Buckler Bebeneck & Eck; Eugene Connors, Hiring Partner (Pittsburgh office), Reed Smith; Kaveri Subbarao, Chief Marketing Officer & Attorney at Law, Cohen & Grigsby; and Diane Lazarris, General Counsel, Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. The panel portion will be followed by a reception. If you would like to attend please RSVP to Pam Day , pday@pitt.edu ASAP but no later than Monday, October 5th.
PITT LAW ACROSS THE NATION, STUDENT/ALUMNI LUNCHEON
RSVP Required Friday, October 23, 2009
1:00 to 2:30 p.m. ALCOA Room, 2nd Floor Law School
Are you wondering where Pitt Law Alumni work and how they got there? All students are invited to attend the Pitt Law Across the Nation, Student/Alumni Luncheon. The roundtable luncheon is being held in conjunction with the Pitt Law Alumni Reunion weekend. This will be a great opportunity for students interested in exploring legal opportunities in regions outside of Western Pennsylvania to hear from and network with alumni working in various cities across the United States. Space is limited for this luncheon. If you would like to attend please RSVP to Pam Day as soon as possible at pday@pitt.edu . The dress is business casual.
Going Solo: Insights from Sole and Small Firm Practitioners
Thursday, October 29th
4:00-5:30pm ALCOA ROOM
Do you have visions of opening up your own firm one day? Perhaps you are thinking about partnering with some friends to start up a practice. Whether going solo is of interest to you today or 10 years down the road, this is a great program to explore solo and small firm practice. This program will include attorneys who decided to go solo right out of law school and those who made the decision to do so at various points in their careers. The panelists will share their thoughts on what you need to think about before going solo, tips on starting up a practice and how they are managing to be successful in solo/small firm practice today. Additionally, Paula Hopkins, Chair of the ACBA's Sole and Small Firm Practitioner's Section will talk about her experiences and how the this practice section can be of help to you. If you would like to attend please RSVP to Pam Day at pday@pitt.edu ASAP but no later than Wednesday, October 21st. Please note that the first 20 registrants will receive a free copy of the book, Solo by Choice: How to Be the Lawyer You Always Wanted to Be.
Please note that this program will serve as a kick-off to the Allegheny County Bar Association's upcoming Program on "How to Start and Manage a Sole Practice or Small Firm in Today's Economy." The ACBA program will take place on Thursday, November 5th from : 1:00pm to 4:15pm with a Networking Party: 4:15pm to 6:00pm. (Students are encouraged to attend this ACBA program and reception. For more information and to register for the ACBA program go to www.acba.org)
First-Year Students-Mandatory Career Services
Orientation Sessions and Individual Consultations
The Career Services Office will be holding mandatory Career Services group Orientation Sessions and individual career consultations at the beginning of November for all first-year students to introduce you to the services and resources offered by our office. Before you can take advantage of career counseling sessions, mock interviews, and resume preparation, you must attend a group orientation session and schedule an initial individual consultation.
Beginning Wednesday, October 21st, you may come to the Career Services Office (Room 235) and schedule your initial consultation. These will be scheduled to begin after your group orientation session. Students who have a primary interest in public interest work or government employment may request (on a space available basis) to have their initial consultation with Mary Thinium, our Director of Career Services and Public Interest Initiatives. Once having participated in the group orientation session (see dates and times below) and having completed your initial consultation, you are welcome to use all of our services and resources.
Mandatory Group Orientation Sessions:
Section B Monday November 2nd 12:00-12:50pm Room 113
Section C Monday November 2nd 4:00-4:50pm Room 109
Section A Tuesday, November 3rd 1:00-1:50pm Room 109
In conjunction with our office, the library will be holding Westlaw and Lexis Career training sessions (job searching) in early November. These sessions are required, and attendance will be taken. Additional information on the times and dates will be announced.
LEXIS-NEXIS and WestLaw Career Training
Dates and Times TBA
This workshop is designed for 1L students. This session will provide you with the critical skills needed for your independent job search. Tips will be provided to better research employers who post with the school as well. You will learn how to research law firms, government agencies, judges, corporation and public interest organizations. You will also learn how to find relevant background information to dazzle interviewers! In conjunction with our office, the library will be holding Westlaw and Lexis Career training sessions. These sessions are required, and attendance will be taken. Each session will last for approximately 50 minutes.
ALUMNI CAREER CHAT - THE HONORABLE ALAN D. HERTZBERG
RSVP Required - Signups are limited to 2L/3L students
Thursday November 12th, 12:15-2:00pm
Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, 816 City-County Building
Judge Alan Hertzberg, Civil Division, Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas invites students to meet with him in his chambers on Thursday, November 12th. This "Alumni Career Chat" is part of the partnership between the Career Services Office and the Pitt Law Alumni Association Board: alumni invite students to visit their workplaces to see the law in practice. Judge Herzberg is a 1983 graduate of Pitt Law.
Lunch will be provided and formal business dress is required. Space is limited to the first seven 2L/3L students to sign-up by emailing Pam Day at pday@pitt.edu . Please note that by signing up you are making a commitment to attend the event. A member of the CSO staff will also be attending this event so students can elect to travel downtown as a group from the Law School or go directly to the Judge's chambers. When you RSVP, please let us know if you plan to travel with the group or if you will meet us there.
1L RESUME WRITING WORKSHOP
Tuesday, November 10th Room 107
Career Services Office
3900 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15235
Objective: to develop a well-tailored resume for use in securing legal employment or an internship
Education: University of Pittsburgh School of Law
Experience: Externships, internships, retail sales, food services
On November 10, from 1-2, the CSO will host a resume writing workshop for first year students. This resume workshop will help you identify what to include on your resume, and how to write it and format it effectively. Following the steps in the workshop will result in a well designed and effective resume. If you have already started or have a resume, the workshop will not only make your resume a better document, but help prepare you for upcoming interviews. If you would like to attend please RSVP to Mary Thinium thinium@pitt.edu. We also encourage you to bring your laptops to this program.
2L/3L JOB SEARCH WORKSHOP: CREATING YOUR ACTION PLAN-RSVP Required
Focus: Small and Midsize Firms Outside of the Pittsburgh Area
Tuesday, November 17th 1:00-1:45pm Room 113
If you are feeling frustrated and your job search needs some energy and direction, then this workshop is for you. This hands-on workshop will take you through the process of developing a Job Search Action Plan. This session is designed for 2L and 3L students who are searching for summer or post-graduate employment with small and mid-size firms outside of the Pittsburgh region. Please note that the CSO will be holding additional job search workshops focusing on different practice sectors/regions throughout the year. If you would like to attend this workshop please RSVP to Pam Day pday@pitt.edu ASAP but no later than Thursday, November 12th with your name, class year, and any cities/practice areas you are focusing on. Because this is a hands-on workshop students hsould bring thier laptops to this program.