Assistant Dean for Career Development Tiffany J. addresses University of Houston Law Center 1Ls during a information session in Krost Hall.
Oct. 16, 2019 - First-year students at the University of Houston Law Center received career and professional development training during Session II of the Career Development Office’s Passport to Success Professional Development Series.
Passport to Success is a comprehensive professional and career development program consisting of four mandatory 1L learning sessions, as well as year-round advising and more than 30 networking and recruiting events for all students.
Passport to Success Session II, entitled “That’s the Ticket! Getting to your Destination: Professional Communications with the Legal Community,” focused on creating and building a strong personal brand, the 1L legal internship application timeline, tips for professional communications with the legal community, and a 1L resume and cover letter workshop.
Assistant Dean for Career Development Tiffany J. Tucker reviewed the application timeline for all major legal employers, including judges, government and public interest agencies, small, midsize, and large firms, corporations, and JD Advantage employers. She then provided guidance on communicating with attorneys for specific job applications and during networking.
“The key to building relationships in the legal community is networking and following up, usually by email. Emails are like auditions," said Tucker. "Employers see the way you interact with them, and they immediately think about 'If this person were to work with me, can I trust them to communicate with a client?'"
Assistant Director for Career Development Paul Klinger outlined the do's and don'ts when putting a resume together. One of his suggestions was for job seekers to include their interests and hobbies on their resumes to set them apart.
"Resumes are an opportunity to introduce yourselves to employers," Klinger said. "You want that opportunity to be clean and representative of your abilities. You don't want it riddled with mistakes and sending the wrong the message out about what you're capable of."
Upcoming Passport to Success sessions will focus on how to research and understand employers and their hiring processes and provide tips for a successful summer legal employment experience and strategies for gaining legal experience as a part-time student.
