Career Expert Answers Your Questions
Does law school make sense if you're already saddled with student loan debt?
March 2, 2009 -- Each month, ABC News On Campus career columnist Lindsey Pollak answers questions submitted by readers. We receive many e-mails and regret that we are not able to respond to each one.
Have a question? Click here to send Lindsey Pollak an e-mail.
I graduated in May with a political science major and am wondering what to do next. My plan was to apply to law school, but with so much student debt already incurred I am having second thoughts. I am currently working at a bank as a teller, but this is not the career I wish to pursue. With the current recession and unemployment rate I am terrified that I will be a bank teller forever. Any suggestions?-- Lauren, Racine, Wis.
LINDSEY SAYS: Lauren, you are smart to consider your finances when making a decision about law school. However, if you're sure you want to be a lawyer, I believe that where there's a will there's a way. Start researching scholarships, financial aid packages and part-time programs (which allow you to continue working) as ways to lessen the financial burden. Law can be a very lucrative career, so it's OK to take on some debt to finance your education. However, if you are not sure you really want to be a lawyer, don't apply until you've made up your mind.
Regarding your fear of becoming a bank teller forever, that is entirely up to you. If you are securely employed in that position right now, my best advice is to make the best of it, learn as much as you can in that position and network with your colleagues to help build your connections and your access to future opportunities.
In this tough job market, I wouldn't recommend giving up a decent job. (Of course, if being a bank teller is sucking the life out of you, then you need to make a change, even if it means working in a pleasant retail environment or a coffee shop.)
Whether you keep your bank teller job for the short-term or not, it's important to keep researching and networking in the industry in which you'd like to work. If it's law, then subscribe to law journals, read legal blogs, attend networking events and professional association meetings for lawyers and ask everyone you know to introduce you to attorneys who would be willing to provide you with some advice and guidance.
Just because you're not working or studying full-time in a field does not mean you can't be part of it. Every action you take and connection you make now will help you position yourself for a career move when the economy turns around.
What advantages do students receive from doing an externship (job shadow) compared to an internship experience?-- Kevin, Lynchburg, Va.
LINDSEY SAYS: Different colleges and organizations have different names for their experiential work programs—internships, externships, co-ops, job shadows, apprenticeships, volunteering and more.
Recruiters and hiring managers have told me that the name or type of program is less important than what you make of the experience. A two-day job shadow at a hospital could alert you to the fact that you really don't like working with sick people and help focus you in another career direction.
A semester-long volunteer stint at a nonprofit can result in valuable project management experience you can describe on your resume and discuss in job interviews. Or, a prestigious corporate internship could be a waste of time if you sit alone at your desk every day, do the minimum amount of work possible and avoid networking with your peers and managers.
In any experience you have, follow these tips for making the most of it:
Volunteer for leadership positions and additional projects. Show that you are eager and willing to go the extra mile in everything you do.
Request informational interviews with professionals who work at the organization so you can learn more about what that organization does and what possible future opportunities might exist.
Document your achievements and accomplishments in a notebook or computer file so you'll remember to discuss them in future job interviews.
Ask your superiors for letters of recommendation.You might also request that they write brief online recommendations on your LinkedIn.com profile.
Spend time with your peers. Anyone you meet during a work experience may become a valuable professional networking contact—or personal friend—in the future.
Experience Counts
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