Guerrilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of Your Dreams

Rating:
Summary: More Good Than Bad...and I Got a Job
Review: I agree with some of the other reviews that the writing is "cutesy" in this book, but it is a self-help book. But I actually followed a lot of its guidelines and I believe it worked to help me get a job in a tough market. Where it is helpful is where it discusses interview preparation and tips for writing cover letters. I really felt prepared for my interviews based on the book's recommendations for preparation. A lot of the other stuff you can skip. And DON'T follow her advice on thank you notes -- she says to send a hand-written card, very unprofessional! But if you are a 3L and having a hard time with the whole job search process I think this book is a good way to start getting organized.

Rating:
Summary: Realistic Advice That Works
Review: I bought this book during my second year of law school and have found it unbelievably helpful. The author genuinely knows what she is talking about, and after following her advice I now have three job offers at major law firms in Los Angeles.

Rating:
Summary: Mixed Feelings
Review: I have read this book, and admittedly not employed all of its suggestions. However, from what I have read and tried, my feelings are mixed. First of all, I'm a graduate from the bottom of the class of a "Top 10" law school. I could not get into any firm, thus I don't have the problem of having to explain not receiving an offer after my summer (I'm interested in gov't at this point).

Grades/school: this book is great for people who are currently enrolled and doing fairly ok-to-well in law school, and want an extra boost to get into a better firm/employer. Students at the very top and very bottom of the class are unlikely to benefit from the book. Why? Because most firms only look at grades, then school, nothing else. Almost all big firms, the ones most capable of hiring graduates, won't hire below the top 75% of a top law school. Kimm suggests avoiding firms that are concerned about grades. Well, unfortunately, that would be almost all of the firms except the ones that pay $28K a year.

Small firms: the author suggests looking at small firms. The problem is these firms also tend to be fixated on grades, sometimes even more so than large firms. In addition, small firms tend to be very low paying ($40K and below) and you will be required to work the same long hours as at a big firm. Grant it, you will have your foot in the door. On the other hand, small firms don't hire until you admitted to the bar, so you're looking at a few months without an income, or longer if you don't pass the bar the first time.

Volunteering: the book suggests doing this at various gov't agencies like DA's or City Attorney's offices. Watch out: most of these places will use the free help and not offer a job. They DO hire volunteers in boom times, but then everyone hires in a boom time so there would be no point in volunteering in the first place. You have to be at the right place at the right time. The experience you will get from volunteering is limited, on the other hand if you are unsure about what you want to do (i.e., corporate vs. litigation), it can be helpful.

Networking: Kimm suggests ways to network. I actually tried her suggestions, and found that I was meeting partners from large grade-heavy firms who could never hire me if they wanted to, OR, solo practicioners. This makes sense, because these are the people who need to make appearances at public events the most. I never really ran into that associate/partner at an up and coming small or mid-sized firm that was recruiting heavily. Although we are in a recession, many firms are doing well. Maybe I'm just looking in the wrong places. However, it seems that more and more firms have set procedures for hiring and are not willing to be schmoozed as easily as in the past.

Mass mailings: her opinion of mass mailings have been confirmed by many attorneys who received my resume. However, I did receive 3 interviews that way. Moreover, if one does not do a mass mailing, how is one supposed to contact employers? Afterall, it is a numbers game. To her credit, I think Kimm talks about well-tailored emails to alum at law firms. This works well, but again, if the firm has a grade-floor, there is no way around it generally.

In conclusion, while many of Kimm's suggestions would be fruitful for that student in the top 55% of a top 25 school wanting to work in NYC, it is not right for everyone.

Rating:
Summary: Sound and accurate advice, but no guaranty
Review: I read this book as a practicing young attorney for two reasons: 1- for tips in getting my next job and 2- for my friends still looking for their first legal jobs. I found most of what she wrote to be right on the money (i.e. mass mailings are useless, networking is key, and, perhaps most importantly, never settle for a job you don't really want). However, I've known a couple of people in NYC who have followed her advice to the letter for over a year and haven't landed any job, so in terms of a guaranty, sorry, but there just aren't any! But it is worth reading and I definitely think that following her advice will both increase your chances of getting a job you like and save you from wasting your time on useless job search endeavors.

Rating:
Summary: Good book for law students to read before OCI's
Review: I read this book, no kidding, the night before I had an OCI (on campus interview). I didn't get much from the book - there isn't much in it that you either don't already know or isn't common sense, but it does have a few practical and substantive tips that I found useful. As the matter of fact, the book gave a suggested way to answer to a common OCI question, and sure enough, that question was asked, I used the suggested answer approach, and the partner told me that my answer was one of the reasons I was given an offer (which I ended up not accepting). Don't read this book expecting it will tell you how to make such a great impression on the interviewer that you will be made an offer on-the-spot - it's not that good of a book; but it might be worth checking out of the library and skimming, because when you're interviewing for a legal position, every little bit helps.

Rating:
Summary: Good tool, but not a magic wand.
Review: This book won't magically open the door to the legal job of your dreams, but it might empower you with some tools so that you don't totally goof up a great opportunity. Much of the advice is very common sense- yet the explanations behind some of the advice are what is helpful.

I found the book very well supported, even though I did not agree with all of the author's advice. For example, I appreciated her explanation of how to handle the interview question regarding a "weakness." On the other hand, I disagreed with her unorthodox advice to not broach the issue of salary and benefits in an interview. I found her emphasis on the importance of networking to be lengthy. After all, if you're extremely connected within the legal community, you probably don't need this book. Also irritating was the advice to sell yourself in an interview like an "infommercial." I did, however, appreciate her take on certain interview questions and the advice to keep your answers focused on "what is in it for the interviewer."

There is no magic formula in this book, but it is a good presentation of one person's attack strategy in the legal job market. I gave it only three stars because the book made grand promises that I felt it didn't keep and because it is a bit overpriced.