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Career Fairs

Generally held in February and March each year, Career Fairs are a fabulous opportunity for students to gather information about a large number of law firms and government organizations.

Prior to the Career Fair day, students should obtain a list of the law firms and government organizations attending their school's Career Fair. From this list, students should determine those firms or organizations in which they are most interested. Students should then develop a plan to best take advantage of the Career Fair and ensure they visit each firm or organization identified.

The school's Career Services Office will generally provide nametags for the students. Students should wear their nametag prominently. It is also beneficial for the nametag to indicate the student's year of study, so that the representatives will know in which stage of the recruitment process the student is interested.

Before arriving at the Career Fair, students should consider what qualities or attributes they are seeking in a law firm and should prepare questions to ask of the representatives to elicit such information. Students should take a copy of the firm brochures, promotional materials and representatives' business cards.

Many law schools also offer a number of panel discussions during the Career Fairs. Panel discussions normally cover tips on the recruitment process as well as general overviews of particular areas of practice. Students are encouraged to plan their day so they can attend these sessions, in addition to visiting the Career Fair tables.

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Application Process

Students should take the time to fully consider their options and preferences before sending out application packages.

Students should first decide in which city or cities they wish to work, then determine which practice areas are of interest, and finally apply only to firms or organizations that suit those preferences.

Students should ensure their application package arrives on or before the application deadline date, as set by the Law Society of Upper Canada. It does not matter whether the application is hand-delivered, mailed or emailed, so long as the application package is complete.

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Application Package

Cover Letter

The cover letter is a crucial part of the application package. It is a student's first opportunity to make an impression and is basically considered a writing sample. And as a writing sample, it must be flawless! Cover letters should be limited to one page and while it may seem unnecessary to say, ensure it is addressed correctly and to the proper individual. This is a common yet easily avoidable mistake.

Most cover letters follow the same general format:

Introductory sentence indicating your school, year of study and the position for which you are applying;

Paragraph(s) outlining why you are interested in this particular firm;

Paragraph(s) outlining the qualities and accomplishments which make you suited for the position; and

Concluding sentence thanking the reader for his or her time.

It is certainly acceptable to deviate from this format, but students should generally avoid jokes or gimmicks in their cover letter. What may be funny to you, may not come across that way to the reader. However, it is important for students to always be themselves. And so if you would only want to work somewhere that understands your sense of humour, then you should by all means write your cover letter in that manner.

Students should tailor each cover letter to the particular firm. When describing why you are interested in the firm, include references that are unique to the particular firm and which demonstrate the letter has been drafted with this firm specifically in mind.

When describing your qualifications, state with confidence but not arrogance. Use the cover letter to highlight the strengths of your résumé and explain how your experiences have prepared you for the practice of law. Discuss the transferable skills you have acquired through these experiences.

You may also want to address any gaps in your academic or employment history, or explain any grade anomalies. These areas may also simply be included as an addendum to your transcript in order to save space in your cover letter. It is not generally necessary to discuss a single grade anomaly as most firms can appreciate a student having one bad grade. However, if you had a bad term due to extenuating circumstances, then you may want to provide a brief explanation of those circumstances. See the Transcripts section for more on this topic.

Résumé

Your résumé tells us about who you are and the experience you will bring to the position.

Student résumés should normally be a maximum of two pages. If space is an issue, avoid the tendency to include everything you have ever done or list every duty a job entailed. Determine which experiences are the most relevant to the position and include only those. Be careful not to exaggerate your experiences or accomplishments, as anything within your résumé may be raised during an interview.

As with your cover letter, take the time to ensure your résumé is error-free. Appearance is also important. For legibility, the font should be no smaller than 10 point. There should also be clean lines and plenty of "white space".

And similar to the cover letter, résumés for summer and articling positions follow a standard format; however, there are times when the standard format may be altered. For instance, mature students may wish to highlight their work experience first.

The standard format for summer and articling position résumés is:

Education:

list beginning with most recent

list all post-secondary education, including years attended and any major or area of concentration

Note: secondary information is not generally necessary.

Employment Experience:

list beginning with most recent

include basic description of most relevant/important duties only

Legal Experience:

if applicable, include any positions which provided exposure to the legal field

Note: legal experience can be listed as a separate category or may simply be included under Employment Experience or Extracurricular Activities.

Academic Awards:

include if applicable

Extracurricular Activities:

list any groups or organizations to which you belong or any volunteer work experience

Interests:

list what you enjoy doing outside of school—we want to know who you are outside of work and school

Transcripts

Be sure to include all post-secondary transcripts. Generally students place their transcripts in chronological order.

If there is a gap in your educational experience that is not obviously explained by your work experience or extracurricular activities, you may wish to explain this gap in your cover letter or in an addendum to the transcript.

Students with one grade anomaly may, but need not, mention or attempt to explain the poor grade. Firms realize even the best students can have a bad grade. However, if there is an entire term or year with below average grades, and there is a valid explanation (e.g., illness, death in the family), then students may wish to address this situation in either their cover letter or, given the space constraints of the cover letter, in a note attached to the transcript.

References

While references are mandatory at some firms, at Gowlings reference letters are optional.

Students who wish to include a list of references should list them at the end of their résumé, after their Interests. Be sure to include the full name, title, organization and contact information of the reference. Two or three references are generally sufficient. It is standard to include both a personal reference as well as a professional reference.

If a student has written references, they should be included at the end of the application package. Reference letters should be from individuals who can highlight your abilities and the personal characteristics they have observed which make you an excellent candidate. A generic reference letter from a professor that simply says you attended class regularly, were an active participant in class and received a certain grade—while not harmful—does not add much value.

There is no need to say "References Available on Request" at the bottom of your résumé. Students should either include references or not refer to them at all.

Writing Sample

Writing samples are also optional at Gowlings, but again are required by some firms. If you decide to include a writing sample, choose something you feel to be your best work-but keep it short, no more than four-to-five pages.

As firms receive upwards of 1,000 résumés for the summer recruit, the professionals reviewing the résumés do not have much time to spend on each one, and therefore, extensive writing samples will generally not be read. Further, if the piece is too long, it may not even be copied and distributed to the reviewers with the résumé.

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In-Firm Interviews

Call Day and Scheduling

The Law Society of Upper Canada sets the day and time that firms in Waterloo Region may contact students to arrange for an in-firm interview.

Be ready to accept calls and ensure any call waiting features have been disabled as firms may want to leave a message if they do not reach you immediately.

Prior to call day, students should prepare a list of their top choices for an interview and create a draft interview schedule for themselves. It may not be possible to follow this schedule completely, as your time slots may not fit with the firms' available interview slots, but it will be useful as a rough guide.

Students need not worry about the specific timing of their interview. However, at Gowlings we prefer to conduct most of our first in-firm interviews on Monday and Tuesday, and leave Wednesday open for second interviews. Therefore, we recommend scheduling your first interview with us on either Monday or Tuesday.

Students should leave at least two hours between interviews, as most firms—like Gowlings—will have you on their premises for approximately 1.5 hours. Students must then allow themselves enough time to prepare for and get to their next interview. In order to properly schedule their time, students should feel free to ask how long the firm expects the interview to last.

If a student does not hear from a firm with whom they were hoping to interview, they can contact that firm to request an interview or ask to be put on a cancellation list.

If a student accepts an in-firm interview but then decides to cancel due to time constraints, he or she should let the firm know as soon as possible so that your interview spot can be given to another student.

The Interview

The length and format of the In-Firm Interview will vary firm to firm. At Gowlings, you will initially meet with a team of two professionals, usually a partner and an associate, for 40 to 50 minutes. The interviewers will usually spend the first half of the interview asking you questions. Anything included in your résumé may be discussed. Know yourself and be prepared to answer questions about your abilities, qualifications and interests. Be prepared to explain why you are interested in our firm and why you feel you are suited for our firm. During the latter part of the interview, you will be given an opportunity to ask questions of the interviewers. Prepare your questions in advance. Know what is important to you and ask questions that will help you determine whether the firm meets your needs. Ask questions that are not answered on the Web site and ones that are specific to the firm. Feel free to bring notes into the interview with you. Firms understand you will be interviewing with a number of firms and may need to refresh your memory.

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After the In-Firm Interview

Either when you arrive at the firm's reception desk or before you leave, ensure the firm has your local contact numbers, including your email address. Check your voicemail and email regularly during the day and evening, as firms may be contacting you to schedule a further interview.

If you are interested in the firm, be sure to communicate your interest. Call or email your interviewers or the Director of Recruitment to express your interest. If the firm is your first choice, tell them so. But if the firm is only one of your top choices, be sure not to mislead them.

If you are no longer interested in a firm, let the firm know. This may open up a position for one of your colleagues.

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Additional Tips

Be yourself at all times—in your application package and during the interview process.
Proofread. Have someone else review your cover letter and résumé. Typos can move an otherwise fabulous application to the bottom of the pile.
Include your contact information on both the cover letter and each page of your résumé.
Include Mr., Ms. or Mrs., especially if your given name is uncommon.
Do not bother with high quality, expensive or fancy paper. Firms will make numerous copies of your résumé and so it is an unnecessary expense. Résumés can also be paper-clipped instead of stapled as it will be easier for firms to copy.
Also, have an extra copy of your application package on hand.
Talk to lots of people: fellow students, current summer / articling students, firm directors of recruitment.
Use your school's career services office—they are an invaluable resource.
Attend law school / firm seminars on the recruitment process.
Don't be late for an interview but if you must be late, call ahead to explain.
Get familiar with Waterloo Region's downtown core and office buildings—it will save you time and possible frustration during the interview process.
Wear comfortable shoes—don't wear new shoes for the first time on interview day!

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