How early is too early to apply for jobs?

[AliciaD496]

I'm finishing up my paralegal certificate this December, meaning I'll be ready for the workforce sometime around the new year.

Good news is in the mean time I'm doing an internship with the state Attorney General's office, so I'll be able to talk about some specific paralegal work I've done at interviews and put it on my resume showing I have some non-school related experience. My professor from my legal writing class has also offered (without me asking) to be a reference if I need one. So I think I'm in good shape to start out applying now.

My question, though, is I'm REALLY looking to get out of Seattle. If I can get a job here I'd take it (considering the economy) but I really want to look for jobs in Boston or DC or maybe even Phili. I know the process of applying for jobs out of the area can take longer than looking locally, so I'm wondering...is three months too early to start sending out resumes and cover letters? Is looking at local newspapers and Craigslists for positions a good way to start or should I be looking for some kind of employment agency? Should I be looking into dates to travel to those areas in order to have a firm time for interviews there, or should I wait until I actually get some nibbles?

Another question...I dropped out of law school in February and decided to do this certificate program instead. Should I put that I attended law school on my resume or does it raise too many questions of "why didn't you finish" and make it look like I don't finish what I've started?

Maybe I should be talking about this stuff with the career center at my school, I don't know.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[B.J.]

No, 3 months is not too early. I'd almost say it's too late. From my own experience, I submitted my resume to my current company (through an on-campus job fair) in October of 1996. Got a rejection letter soon after, but in February 1997 they called me up for an interview in March and gave me an offer. Because of school, I didn't start until September 1997, nearly a year later.

As for the law school bit, my wife had a similar situation. After getting her first degree, she started at another school, going for a Communications degree, but never finished (mostly due to lack of interest and job opportunities). She puts that on her resume now, but it's listed as "coursework in Communications". I wouldn't try to hide it, and the experience could be viewed as an extra plus for you when compared to others, rather than a negative from not finishing.

 

[Adm_Hawthorne]

Do be prepared to get a lot of, "Contact us as soon as you graduate" communications, though.