Taking Action

The next step in the process is to develop an action plan, steps which will make your goals a reality. An action plan consists of concrete things you can do. Just as you wrote down your goals, it can also be helpful to write out a plan of action items to accomplish that goal. This will keep you organized, you will know what you need to be doing, and you can make these tasks a part of your weekly to-do list. Checking items off the list as completed can be satisfying as well as contributing to the feeling that real progress is being made.

Here is a sample goal and some action steps:

Goal Statement: I want to get a summer internship in a New York or Boston law firm.

Possible Action Steps:

1. Read about law careers online or in Career Services' library, to identify the types of practice that are more appealing (e.g., corporate, criminal, tax).
   
   
2. Investigate the specifics of an internship - what particular qualifications do you need, what duties would you perform?
   
   
3. Talk to Princeton alumni who are practicing law, gathering information to answer the first two action steps but to also network to uncover possible job openings.
   
   
4. Seek the advice of faculty, career counselors, or others who may provide guidance and information.
   
   
5. Search TigerTracks for the online internship listings offered by Career Services.
   
   
6. Use law directories or CareerSearch online to identify firms in New York and Boston.
   
   
7. Identify specific internship opportunities.
   
   
8. Write resumes and cover letters.
   
   
9. Interview for the job.
   
   
10. Take the job.

This is not an meant to be an ideal path to a legal internship; the above is only offered as an example of an action plan. Within each action step can be a number of other action steps. For example, interviewing for an internship is a whole process itself, requiring a subset of action items. However, once you begin to identify specify action steps, you will be more likely to make forward progress toward achieving your goal.

Seek Experience

Look for opportunities to put your interests to the test! Internships (paid or volunteer), summer jobs, or yearlong positions are excellent ways to test your interests in realistic settings. Do not underestimate the value of course projects, independent study options, study abroad, and on/off campus activities, as they are other experiential learning situations that also help to build your skills.

In preparation for informational interviews or job/internship hunting, a resume will be helpful. This one-page document will outline your education, courses, projects, activities, high school (in some cases), previous work experience and skills. Be sure to review the Resume & Cover Letter Guides on the Job Search menu at the top of the screen.

Graduate & Professional School

Graduate study is a very serious decision and requires careful consideration. For those who have fixed interests and goals, attending graduate school after college is a typical path. But for those who are unclear about their focus, graduate school can be seen as a convenient option and agreeable to family and friends who inquire about post-college plans.

Since it requires a significant committment of time and financial resources, there are a number of aspects to evaluate. They include being sure that the subject area is one that you really wish to pursue further; the necessity for a graduate degree in order to do the work that you are considering; the career paths that others have who have been in this discipline pursued; the current and future job market and compensation in the field; the potential benefit to getting an internship/job for a 1-2 years prior to going to school.

Should you decide that you might like to attend a program at some point in the future, it might be helpful to arrange to take the necessary exam (e.g., GMAT, LSAT) while you are still in school, as the scores are usually valid for 5 years. Representatives from many programs visit Princeton in the Fall and Spring to discuss admissions information. Some application material, videos, catalogues and directories are available in Career Services. Be sure to check web resources as well.