A post from student blogger Brittany

As the end of the program quickly approaches, my priority has been to find a job that I can transition into fairly easily from the program. I couldn’t dare tell my mother that after all of this schooling I don’t have a job and I need to come home until I find one, not to mention we would drive each other crazy.  I’ve been applying to different law firms, companies and search firms since the later part of the first semester with the theory of the early bird gets the worm. Let’s just say I’m still looking for that damn worm.

This has probably one of the most stressful aspects of the program. At least once a day in class I just blurt out “ are they hiring?” because job placement has been an uphill battle even with my PhD. Outside of the direct competition from my classmates, I have to remember that there are people across the US that are vying for the same positions as me.  Initially I told myself I would say yes to whoever gave me an opportunity to get my feet wet in the world of patent law but as the program has progressed I’m pinpointing what I want in my future workplace as it relates to the people, location, reputation of the company, and the opportunity for professional growth.

I’ve interviewed at a few places that comprise the gamut of potential career opportunities for practicing patent law. Each had something unique to offer however I had to evaluate each opportunity based on my immediate and future needs as a young professional. The MSPL program has done an excellent job at introducing us to patent law and prosecution however challenges and obstacles will arise when we get into our respective positions that we didn’t encounter during the program.  My goal is to work in a challenging environment where I can further develop the skills learned in the MSPL program and gain practical experience in all aspects of patent law. So let me get back to filling out these applications…..