Rutgers School of Law-Newark rising 2L Nick Hastings, a Nanuet, N.Y. native, was not having luck with his traditional job search, so he decided to cold-call 15 small law firms in New City, Nanuet and Nyack to express an interest in working with their attorneys this summer. He left a few voicemails, spoke with a few secretaries, and had a conversation with one lawyer, who encouraged him to place an ad in the Rockland County Bar Association’s newsletter. He did just that (for free) and a few weeks later, a small firm in nearby Orangeburg hired him for a paid position, where he will focus on business matters, employment issues and litigation. “Try an idea that you think might work because the worst thing that can happen is that it doesn’t,” Hastings recommends to his peers. “Put yourself out there in a constructive way,’ he adds.

As it did for Hastings, constructive creativity will serve law students well over the next few months. In a down market, summer hires will need to perform at the highest level of professionalism, but also connect with others as effectively as possible. “I am going to try to speak to as many attorneys as I can, ask questions about the law and try to establish a good reputation,” Hastings says. In fact, that mindset will be critical this summer given the contraction in overall hiring and resulting increase in competition.

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