If you have finally passed the bar exam, you should feel a sigh of relief as the hard part is over and you can start working in your industry. You deserve to relish the joy that you feel from passing, but it is important to get started on your career as soon as possible. Finding that first job in the field is your stepping stone to starting the lifelong career that you have always dreamed of. You can find five tips in the list that is written below to help you know how to start your career in the legal field.
Figure Out Future Education
You may think to yourself that you just finished your education in order to become a lawyer, especially since you passed the bar, meaning that you passed law school. To start though, there are NY CLE requirements in that you continue your legal education on a yearly basis to stay atop of the trends in the field. There are also certification courses if you want to enter a certain specialty so that you can gain even more clients. You can even get an even more advanced degree in order to become a judge or some other type of legal professional if you desire.
Assess Yourself
After graduating from law school, you need to take an honest look at yourself to determine the fields that you would be best suited to. Think about your strengths, but do not be afraid to look at your weaknesses as well, which may help you to narrow down where to work. Some legal offices will require you to complete more paperwork than others, for instance, and if this is not your strong suit, you may want to look elsewhere. There are law offices, however, that have legal aids in place that are meant to help you when starting.
Use Previous Experiences
Do not be afraid to speak of your previous experiences when you are interviewing at law offices. If you previously worked as a social worker, for instance, you can bring this up if you are looking to get into family law. If you previously worked in the healthcare industry, use the skills you developed to obtain a job working as a lawyer for medical malpractice, for instance. Every experience that you have had is worth it and will benefit you in the future as there was a reason for them all.
Perform Research
When you decide on a specific field that you are interested in and start interviewing, make sure to research this field. Researching will give you a certain edge at the legal office as they may feel that you already know a decent bit about the position you are going after. You will also be able to see typical salaries for this field in your community to determine if you receive a good offer. Do not be afraid to talk to other lawyers who are working in the field as well to get more firsthand knowledge you can use.
Start Networking
The final way to start building your legal career is to start networking with other lawyers and legal professionals. Often, in the workforce, people hire people they trust and feel like they know, and when your network, you are building those necessary relationships. Call any law firms in your area and get involved in the local networks in your community so that you can start putting faces to names. Attend trade shows when you are able to and stay in contact with the other alumni from the law school that you attended.
Final Thoughts
Becoming a lawyer is a very fulfilling career, and you can become extremely successful in the field once you start your career. After you pass the bar, it is important to start preparing yourself for what comes next and know exactly what you are getting into. You will have to prepare for the future educational requirements and for the relationships that you will build with others who are already in the field. You also need to maintain confidence in yourself so that you can walk into the legal interview knowing what there is to know in your field.
