reflections on recruitment
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"I have the rest of my life to be a lawyer. The study of law is not just to prepare for a career but to develop my lifetime skills as a lawyer. There are so many courses I want to take and I don't have the time for this now."
after the madness of last week's hiring craze, i thought it would be apropos to reflect on what was undoubtedly one of the most stressful times in my life... the following excerpt from a washington post feature was originally funny albeit seemingly over-the-top when i first read it, until i put it into perspective with what i've just gone through... while the last thing i should be is disappointed, seeing as i did come away from the process with a job (it would've been worse if i hadn't, knowing how behind i am on schoolwork), it's also been an eye-opening experience to realize how infectious the competitiveness is -- especially for someone like me who has never been greatly inclined to join in mob states of panic... if ever Darwin's theory could have immediate proof, look no further than in the law school nearest you... it's a sick game that we've all implicitly acquiesced to, and it's probably too late to turn back the clock... until and unless the next generation of law students affirm that they are, first and foremost, interested in the academic and sociopolitical aspect of the study of law, then this commodification of our education is bound to continue... i might be forgiven in that i opted for a position with a government office, except i would probably be singing a different tune were i to have become a bay streeter... in any case, i'm glad that -- if only for the next little while, until clerkship and articling applications come due -- i can focus on being a student again...
Over 300 top law students across Canada were offered jobs by Toronto's major law firms last week and all of the new hires were second-year students who had only their first-year marks to show prospective employers. The students have been offered summer jobs and most are expected to return to the law firms to article after their third and final year of law school. British Columbia firms bagged their second-year students last month, and Quebec and Maritime firms are set to interview in January and February. Some firms are so keen to snap up students in the early days of their studies that they offer them jobs before they complete first year.
The aggressive hiring of students in the early stages of their studies is stirring debate about law firm recruiting practices. Few other professions slot students onto career paths so early, prompting some experts to worry that too much job stress is shouldered by students at a time when they should be focusing on their studies. Others worry that employers are scooping up students before their legal analytical and problem-solving skills have been properly assessed.
"It's a problematic trend," said Charmaine Lyn, assistant dean of external affairs at McGill University's law school. "First year marks are just a one-off snapshot about a person's ability to understand basic legal issues. It doesn't tell you anything about students' ability to think critically or constructively about legal challenges."
Gina Alexandris, an assistant dean at Osgoode Hall, Canada's largest law school, says the race is becoming too disruptive. "Students start worrying about their job chances before they even open their textbooks in second year."
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"I have the rest of my life to be a lawyer. The study of law is not just to prepare for a career but to develop my lifetime skills as a lawyer. There are so many courses I want to take and I don't have the time for this now."
-- Albert Chen, 2nd year student (McGill University Faculty of Law)
after the madness of last week's hiring craze, i thought it would be apropos to reflect on what was undoubtedly one of the most stressful times in my life... the following excerpt from a washington post feature was originally funny albeit seemingly over-the-top when i first read it, until i put it into perspective with what i've just gone through... while the last thing i should be is disappointed, seeing as i did come away from the process with a job (it would've been worse if i hadn't, knowing how behind i am on schoolwork), it's also been an eye-opening experience to realize how infectious the competitiveness is -- especially for someone like me who has never been greatly inclined to join in mob states of panic... if ever Darwin's theory could have immediate proof, look no further than in the law school nearest you... it's a sick game that we've all implicitly acquiesced to, and it's probably too late to turn back the clock... until and unless the next generation of law students affirm that they are, first and foremost, interested in the academic and sociopolitical aspect of the study of law, then this commodification of our education is bound to continue... i might be forgiven in that i opted for a position with a government office, except i would probably be singing a different tune were i to have become a bay streeter... in any case, i'm glad that -- if only for the next little while, until clerkship and articling applications come due -- i can focus on being a student again...
The search for new talent goes deeper and deeper. High school football coaches recruit superstar middle-school running backs. AAU coaches scout elementary schools for the next playground legend. And now, the U.S. government is no different in its search for pee-wee code breakers who could grow up to crack the next-gen al Qaeda codes. Take a look at the National Security Agency's recently launched website for kids. It features the cartoon "CryptoKids," seven crime-fightin' math / code / language / technology baby geniuses. Amongst other things, the site teaches kids the difference between a code and a cipher and includes code-themed brain teasers and games. It's a pretty quick evolution for a government agency that didn't admit it existed until about, oh, 15 minutes ago.
Over 300 top law students across Canada were offered jobs by Toronto's major law firms last week and all of the new hires were second-year students who had only their first-year marks to show prospective employers. The students have been offered summer jobs and most are expected to return to the law firms to article after their third and final year of law school. British Columbia firms bagged their second-year students last month, and Quebec and Maritime firms are set to interview in January and February. Some firms are so keen to snap up students in the early days of their studies that they offer them jobs before they complete first year.
The aggressive hiring of students in the early stages of their studies is stirring debate about law firm recruiting practices. Few other professions slot students onto career paths so early, prompting some experts to worry that too much job stress is shouldered by students at a time when they should be focusing on their studies. Others worry that employers are scooping up students before their legal analytical and problem-solving skills have been properly assessed.
"It's a problematic trend," said Charmaine Lyn, assistant dean of external affairs at McGill University's law school. "First year marks are just a one-off snapshot about a person's ability to understand basic legal issues. It doesn't tell you anything about students' ability to think critically or constructively about legal challenges."
Gina Alexandris, an assistant dean at Osgoode Hall, Canada's largest law school, says the race is becoming too disruptive. "Students start worrying about their job chances before they even open their textbooks in second year."
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posted by þΛųL jØŋαŦhΛŋ @ 18:30
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