How to Land a Law Job

Like most professional fields, law has taken a big hit in the recession. Law firms, once considered safe havens, have laid of employees in droves. And, of course, new jobs are hard to come by — especially for law students.

That means once a student (or recent grad) lands an interview, she has to be ready to nail it. Looking for interviewing advice last year, I found many websites and blogs had the same old rules — show up early, dress impeccably, ask good questions. We go beyond the standard protocol, with tips will push your interviewing skills to the next level and will help you land the job.

Talk about Your Non-Legal Experience

Just because you are interviewing for a legal job does not mean that you can or should only talk about your legal experience. Discuss your non-legal experience that relates to the work you will do at the firm. Since I worked as an executive recruiter before law school, I would talk about the parallels between recruiting and practicing law.

Screwed: 6,380 in Romania

A daily review of the employment fallout around the country and the world.

Today’s Total: 6,808

CFR Marfa, Romania’s national rail company, plans to lay off 6,380 workers in April…Washington, D.C.’s Metro system is considering cutting 150 jobs…Pfizer is letting go 116 people in New York…Clark County, Nevada, pushed out 67 employees, mostly building inspectors…53 people will be let go from San Francisco’s transit agency…Louisiana’s college system will let go 42 workers to save money…

Recession Briefing: Job Doesn’t Equal Happy

What you need to know today to survive and thrive in the recession.

Hit by the recession, many families are moving their children from private to public schools. The shift is already bringing subtle changes to the culture of many public schools as some families seek the personal attention they received from private schools. (USA Today)

As the sour economy leaves people less and less able to pay their debts, the abuses by debt collectors have become so flagrant and numerous that authorities have moved to shut down several agencies where the most heartless and bullying telephone calls originated. At least 20 people have been sued or arrested on criminal charges. (Associated Press)…

Recession Briefing 11.20: Tuition Up a Ton

What you need to know today to survive and thrive in the recession.

Strapped for cash after deep state budget cuts, The University of California’s Board of Regents has approved a plan to raise undergraduate fees — the equivalent of tuition — 32 percent next fall. (New York Times)

Some states have hunger problems that far outpace their poverty rates, an indication that it isn’t just the fragile economy that’s to blame. (The Daily Beast)

Last winter as the American economy seized up, the Flea Theater commissioned six rising playwrights to write 10-minute plays for a series titled The Great Recession. The show debuts tonight in New York. (Los Angeles Times, The Flea)…

Cost-Cutting at College—Separating the Good from the Bad

Tuition costs are rising and financial aid funds are scarce, but that doesn’t mean you should sit back and watch your college dreams go up in smoke.

Since the recession began last year, thousands of tips and tricks have been published listing ways to make college more affordable. From small shifts (like buying used textbooks rather than new) to big changes (like moving off campus to save on housing), there’s no doubt that the thousands of published ideas could save students money. But whether many—or any—of these ideas are actually feasible for the average student is another story entirely…

Recession Briefing 10.21: Downturn Sends College Prices Up

What you need to know today to survive and thrive in the recession.

The recession helped push up the cost of college this year, with students facing bigger bills because of reduced state spending on higher education and diminished campus endowments. Four-year public colleges in the U.S. raised annual tuition and fees by an average 6.5%, to $7,020 this fall. (Los Angeles Times)

The financial panics of last September and October will always be part of the story of this recession. But recent research questions the claim that the financial panics themselves contributed to their contemporaneous and severe employment downturns. (New York Times/Economix)

A British survey has found that more people are visiting museums during the recession. (Art Daily)

Recession Briefing 10.20: Hawaii Schools Out for Recession

What you need to know today to survive and thrive in the recession.

School’s out for recession: Teacher furloughs in Hawaii will shut down the school system for 17 Fridays beginning this week. (Honolulu Advertiser)

Companies across the economy are holding off on hiring even as the profit outlook improves, amid economic uncertainty and their own success at raising productivity in rough waters. (Wall Street Journal)

Among the recession’s more unlikely victims have been infertile Western couples wanting children and prepared to travel abroad to use Indian surrogate mothers as a cheaper alternative to fertility clinics back home. (Agence France Presse)…

Recession Briefing 10.9: Rappers Not Recession-Proof!

What you need to know today to survive and thrive in the recession.

The recession is even affecting rappers like Slim Thug, their hangers-on, and those that make their bling. “I haven’t sold a single diamond-encrusted glock in about two years.” (Daily Show)

As Harvard cuts back as a result of the recession, students no longer have hot breakfasts in their dorms and varsity athletes are no longer guarantees free sweat suits. (New York Times)

Airline delays at South Florida airports have eased during the recession because fewer people are traveling and fewer planes are flying. (Miami Herald)…

Recession Briefing 10.06: Family Businesses Close, Sadly

What you need to know today to survive and thrive in the recession.

After months of slow sales, many family businesses are being forced to close, ending legacies and leaving behind a wake of sad customers and loyal employees. (Wall Street Journal)

As the recession grinds on, more students are choosing to attend community colleges. Sky-rocketing university tuition, along with more reluctance to take on huge loans has spurred students to reconsider an alternative they once dismissed. (Boston Herald)

The adult entertainment industry certainly hasn’t been in freefall like the auto manufacturers, but it has felt the pinch of consumers with shallower pockets than they once had. Many agree the multibillion dollar industry is finding it harder to sell sex. (CNN)…

Recession Briefing 9.11: Marijuana Farming Grows

What you need to know today to survive and thrive in the recession.

The typical American household made less money last year than the typical household made a full decade ago. (New York Times/Economix)

Marijuana farming has increased during the recession as hard-luck entrepreneurs supplement their income with backyard pot plantations. (Associated Press)

Both Harvard University and Yale University have reported that the value of their respective endowments fell about 30% in the past fiscal year. (Associated Press, Wall Street Journal)…