Feeling a little lonely? In need of companionship? You should call Mary Sheffer, Assistant Dean and Co-Director of Career Services. She's looking for a new home for her son's 2-year old guinea pig. Her little guy has developed an allergy and needs relief post haste! Of course, you can also turn to Mary for important things like career advice and interviewing tips. Who would have guessed?

A successful career in Human Resources eventually led Mary to consider a change in direction. With a Pierce Law degree in hand she started working in Portsmouth, NH on bankruptcy cases. During our interview, she waxed nostalgic about the Chapter 7 and occasional Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases she worked on. After two years of practice, Mary and her husband welcomed the birth of their son Will. Delighted, the couple moved back to Concord, NH to pursue new opportunities.

After a short break to care for her son, Mary found herself back at Pierce Law working in Career Services. Save a short stint as the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, she has spent the last 12 years in Career Services. Her background in Human Resources has proved invaluable when helping students identify their professional goals as they enter the legal employment world.

Mary is full of ideas, advice, and options. I asked her what she can do for students and was pleased with the concrete tools available. Students looking for a job can access Pierce Law's alumni network. She also spends time rubbing elbows with legal employers nationwide, at conferences and career fairs, building contacts students can use. Often times it is necessary to have an 'in' at an employer just to get your foot in the door.

If you're feeling lost about what type of employer you want to work for Mary suggests asking yourself the following questions:

1. Do you enjoy working alone or in a team?
2. Does working in a fast-paced deadline-heavy environment excite you?
3. Do you want constant feedback or minimal feedback?
4. How much money will you have to make?

Providing honest answers can help you identify the working environment you'll function best in.

Students often wonder what they should be doing from day 1 of law school to prepare for legal employment. Mary suggests identifying areas of law your passionate about and finding ways to explore them. If you decide you'd like to make a career in say Public Interest law - start building your credentials. This can range from Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminars to summer employment. Essentially, you're taking steps to make yourself standout from the rest when it comes time for the job search.

Finally, a bit of advice for 1L's: Career Services will be making presentations to Legal Skills classes on Thursday, October 30th from 1 - 2:30 PM in the Rich room. In addition, you are welcome and encouraged to schedule a 1-on-1 meeting with Career Services for anytime after November 1st (per National Association for Law Placement (NALP) guidelines). You will have ample opportunity to go over your resume, cover letter, identify summer employment possibilities, and ask questions.

Should you decide to schedule a meeting, come armed with as much information as possible. That means searching the NALP Directory and identifying legal employers that hire 1L's and making a list of which ones you'd like to apply to, updating and reformatting your resume, drafting a sample cover letter, and putting together a list of any questions you might have. Rest assured a trip to Mary's office is like a trip to the psychologist; the soft glow from her desk lamp and comfy chairs are sure to relax you.

For more information visit the Career Services website: www.piercelaw.edu/careers.