Fed. Lawyers-How did you get the Job?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the last two years, I have been offered jobs in U.S. Attorney's Offices, at Main Justice, and the SEC. I have always just applied through USAJobs or by responding to DOJ postings. I have literally never even gotten an interview by using a connection. I know there's this perception that you have to know someone on the inside to get these jobs, but that has not been true in my case. I don't think that's how most of my coworkers got their jobs either, but they probably wouldn't tell me if they did.

I'm assuming you have a crazy resume that attracts all the hiring folks, but regardless this is encouraging to hear for those of us who don't know people on the inside or know relatively junior (non decision makers) on the inside. I have noticed that random contacts - i.e. friends of friends - are not wanting to pass along resumes with their seal of approval if they can't vouch for your work; happy to talk about the agency but then quick to say 'let me know if you get an interview [on your own merits].'

[Anonymous]

I'm the PP you quoted. I have a good résumé, but not a crazy amazing one. I have one thing on my résumé that makes me stand out slightly (don't want to say what for fear of outing myself) and a federal appellate clerkship, but wasn't a S.Ct clerk or Rhodes Scholar or anything like that.

Your experience with talking to friends of friends is typical. I get calls every time my office has openings from random acquaintances, and I'm happy to talk to them, but unless I really know someone and their work I can't vouch for him or her. And even if I was willing, I doubt I could get anybody an interview who couldn't get it on his or her own.