In law, sometimes it seems like it's all about who you know. Networking events run rampant, especially while you're in school, and people really do get jobs through personal connections.
Today I was talking with a fellow blogger (and real-life friend), Sharon, about the wine-and-cheese events that we went to during our first year. We both found the events profoundly awkward - how are you supposed to make a connection with a person representing a firm without sounding like all you want is a job? It seemed like there were specific answers that the firm reps were looking for, and they didn't always match up with the truth. (Sharon's example - when someone from a primarily litigation firm asks what course you liked most in your first year, "constitutional" is not the right answer).
It got me thinking about the connections that I made during my first year. The strongest ones were with fellow students, made while sitting together in classes, participating in events, or playing on intramural teams. You get to know people because you want to, not because you think you'll get a job out of it.
These connections have proven invaluable already. I've come to think of this web of relationships as a safety net, stretched below me as I navigate the life of a law student. After my last post, about how you know a lot of theoretical things but almost no practical things coming out of your first year, a fellow student sent me the UBC Law Student's Legal Advice Manual, which has a lot of basic information about how the law actually works. Today, while FB chatting with a friend who goes to USask, we got to talking about the Wills Clinic that they run at their law school and he sent me sample wills and powers of attorney that I could use at work.
The safety net provides a lot of emotional support as well. After a long, stressful week of work, Skyping with Chris made me feel a million times better. And talking today with Sharon about our shared experiences a few weeks into our jobs at women's centres showed me that I wasn't alone in my triumphs and frustrations. During exams, there was nothing like a Crumsby's cupcake to mentally prepare for a three-hour test.
While I'm still terrible at networking, that's something that I can improve over time. For right now, our best resources are each other. Knowing that I could post a question in the UVic Law 2014 Facebook group and get answers from five different people in an hour is an amazing feeling.
On that note, can someone please tell me what to do when someone wants to shake your hand, and you're holding a plate and a glass of wine and you've got food in your mouth? Or do I have to wait until PLTC to learn that?
If it helps, I've been told that the answer to the last question is to either have food or a drink at a networking event, but never both at the same time. That way you have something to distract you from fidgeting, but still have a hand free if you need to shake hands or grab a business card. Woo, serious answers to humorous questions!
ReplyDeleteThat was a serious question. Thank you!!
Delete