UDSL Job Search Manual - University of Dayton

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Careers in Federal Government Working for the government can be a very rewarding experience. The benefits are excellent and typically the expected work hours are fewer than those demanded by a law firm. There are many government agencies that regularly hire law students as summer interns and attorneys following graduation. If you are hired into a federal government job after graduation, the career possibilities are endless as you can make lateral moves to other agencies as your career progresses. There are thousands of government internships and attorney positions at the local, state, and federal levels, and the Career Services Office has many resources to help students research these opportunities. Below is a list of on-line and hard-copy resources for your perusal. Library Resources: ◗ CSO Federal Government Information Files – Compiled by and located in the Career Services Office, we have files on many federal government agencies including information about internships and post-graduate postings. ◗ Harvard Public Interest Job Search Guide – This is considered the best published resource for students seeking careers in public service. The Harvard Guide allows students to locate public service internships, including those with the federal government, and sorts the listings by state or area of law. Each job opportunity lists information regarding salaries, hiring deadlines, number of interns expected to be hired, and contact information. Websites: Going to each agency’s website can be very time consuming to gather information. The better approach is to use one of the on-line resources listed below to determine which agencies are hiring: ◗ NALP Federal Legal Employment Opportunities Guide – http://www.nalp.org/ jobseekers/fedempl.pdf One of the most difficult tasks in the federal government job search is knowing where to start. This on-line resource provides an overview of approximately 30 of the largest federal agencies. Different departments and offices within each agency are listed with brief descriptions and links to their websites. In addition, information on government salaries and benefits is provided. This resource is useful for understanding the differences among the federal agencies, how they are organized, and the types of legal issues addressed by their attorneys. It also provides information on projected hiring of interns/ attorneys. (A hard copy is located in the CSO.) ◗ Univ. of Arizona Government Honors & Internship Handbook – (most popular source used by students) http://www.law.arizona. edu/career/honorshandbook.cfm – contact the CSO for the current password. The Arizona Government Handbook is a very thorough and up-to-date resource available to law students on internship opportunities with the federal government. Because it is impossible for law schools to keep current information on the hiring needs of different government agencies, the schools have outsourced this responsibility to the University of Arizona, which for a fee supplies updated materials via the internet to law schools and students. The handbook includes comprehensive information about federal government honors and internship programs. Several hundred government agencies are contacted each year in order to compile this extensive list of opportunities. One of the most useful sections of the Handbook is the Appendix which provides quick information on deadlines (sorted both by agency name and by deadline date) and whether positions are paid. (A hard copy is located in the CSO.) 47
◗ Official Job Site for the Federal Government: http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/ This site contains the most comprehensive listing of legal and non-legal jobs with the federal government. It also provides information on federal government employment and a useful search engine. You will not find many (if any) 1L internships, but it is the main source for looking for permanent jobs with the government. Three similar websites are: www. fedjobs.com, www.fedworld.gov/jobs/jobsearch. html and www.opm.gov ◗ U.S. Department of Justice Legal Intern Program (DOJ) – http://www.usdoj.gov/oarm/ arm/int/volunteeradsl.htm Each year, the DOJ hires over 1,000 law students for summer internships in various DOJ divisions and U.S. Attorney Offices. The positions are in Washington, D.C. and in field offices around the country. Most of the internships are unpaid, but the program offers challenging work and lots of responsibility. Each of the different offices within the DOJ posts its own volunteer positions with unique application procedures. NOTE: Hiring tends to be on a rolling basis so students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. ◗ National Association of Law Placement (NALP) Directory – http://nalpdirectory.com Select “browse employers” then select “public” and type in the city and state to obtain a list of government employers for a specific geographic location. The NALP Directory is normally a resource used by students interested in large firms, however, it does have a limited number of local, state, and federal government organizations. The Directory will provide information on how many students the organization plans to hire this summer, salaries, areas of law practiced, and a brief overview of the government office. ◗ PSLawNet – http://www.pslawnet.org (you may also access this database from our CSO web page) Select “Student/Alumni” from the menu, then select “University of Dayton” from the drop down menu and enter your user name and password (or create a profile if you are a first time user). A handout on PSLawNet and how to access it was provided to you at Superstart Saturday. Additional copies are available in the CSO. This is the most comprehensive legal public service job bank available to law students and attorneys. Currently there are close to 600 postings for summer internships with local, state and federal government agencies. ◗ The CSO’s List of Government Web Sites – Over the years, the CSO has compiled and maintained a list of useful government web sites. These sites are very thorough and will provide detailed information on the agency, its departments, and internship opportunities for law students. This list is also available on the CSO webpage. Almost all federal agencies want you to fax or email your application materials to them. You will need to go to the agency websites to download the application materials. Do not send paper copies via U.S. mail unless the agency specifically requests your application be sent by that method! 48
Page 2 and 3: UDSL Job Search Manual Table of Con
Page 4 and 5: Staff Tim Swensen Assistant Dean, D
Page 6 and 7: Internships, Fellowships and Writin
Page 8 and 9: Career Planning Guide To be effecti
Page 10 and 11: ___ Law professors ___ Undergrad sc
Page 12 and 13: How to WOW Prospective Employers In
Page 14 and 15: exceptional work ethic, ability to
Page 16 and 17: Arthur B. Radley aradley@hotmail.co
Page 18 and 19: Thomas J. Robinson 423 Cheyenne Dri
Page 20 and 21: Cover Letter Writing 19
Page 22 and 23: e at least one inch all around the
Page 24 and 25: A targeted mailing to a large numbe
Page 26 and 27: UNSOLICITED APPLICATION LETTER 35 S
Page 28 and 29: UNSOLICITED Maude E. Atkinson 5435
Page 30 and 31: THANK YOU LETTER 107 Westminster Ro
Page 32 and 33: Tips for Successful Interviews Firs
Page 34 and 35: The Interview General Reminders An
Page 36 and 37: Networking Tips 35
Page 38 and 39: Bar Exam Information 37
Page 40 and 41: The Ohio Bar Examination The State
Page 42 and 43: Due Dates: February 2006 Ohio Bar E
Page 44 and 45: State Contact Information Date/Loca
Page 46 and 47: Judicial Clerkships Benefits of a J
Page 50 and 51: LawMatch Reference Guide 49
Page 52 and 53: NALP Guidelines 51
Page 54 and 55: Summer Employment Provisions for Fi

UDSL Job Search Manual - University of Dayton

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