South Texas College of Law Houston/Career Resource Center

Career Resource Center

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Welcome to the Career Resource Center

The Career Resource Center (CRC) provides access to valuable resources for law students and graduates regarding their job search. Starting a student’s first semester, our office offers a comprehensive collaboration of programs, individual counseling, and coaching. Through this comprehensive collaboration, our goal is to help students explore various career options, build valuable job search skills, understand strengths and abilities, and take responsibility for their own career planning in the process. The CRC also offers all of our services to alumni, such as individual counseling, resume editing, and interview preparation.

For employers, the CRC provides various avenues for recruiting, including coordinating interviews each fall and spring, providing access to an online job board, and facilitating information sessions.

CONTACT US

Career Resource Center
South Texas College of Law Houston
1303 San Jacinto Street, Suite 303T
Houston, Texas 77002
Phone Number: (713) 646-1866
Fax: (713) 646-1844
Email: cso@stcl.edu

The CRC Team

Nazleen Jiwani, J.D.
Director
njiwani@stcl.edu

Shantal Formia, J.D.
Assistant Director of Employer Relations
sformia@stcl.edu

Robin Boyles Hennegan, J.D.
Assistant Director of Special Projects
rhennegan@stcl.edu

Alex Smith, J.D.
Assistant Director of Career Development
asmith1@stcl.edu

Donna Longoria
Coordinator
cso@stcl.edu

Prospective Students

PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

The goal of the Career Resource Center (CRC) is to help students explore various career options, build valuable job search skills, understand strengths and abilities, and take responsibility for their own career planning in the process. We also offer all of our services to alumni, including career counseling, resume editing, and interview preparation.

Services and Resources Provided by the CRC

Career development – programs offered during the year
Individual counseling about job search strategies
Resume and cover letter review
On-Campus Interviews (OCI) and Resume Collections
Online job board (Symplicity)
Career Advisor Directory (CAD)
Career resources – career and job search handouts

Pathways to Practice

As you start on your path towards law school, you can learn about different career options in many legal fields, what it’s like to practice in those fields, and how to plan a curriculum to emphasize desired career goals on the Pathways to Practice website created by the professors at South Texas College of Law Houston.

Pathways to Practice

Graduate Employment Statistics

To access the Graduate Employment Statistics required by ABA Standard 509, click on the link below:

Graduate Employment Statistics

Current Students

CURRENT STUDENTS

Services We Offer

Career Development – programs offered during the year
Individual counseling about job search strategies
Resume and cover letter review
On-Campus Interviews (OCI) and Resume Collections
Online job board (Symplicity)
Career Advisor Directory (CAD)

Career Resources

Click on the link below to access additional career resources, including career and job search handouts, information about job fairs and recruitment programs, and the latest updates from the CRC:

Career Resources

Symplicity

The CRC receives job postings from employers throughout the year, which we post on Symplicity (our online job board). Click on the link below to access Symplicity:

Symplicity

Career Advisor Directory (CAD)

The Career Advisor Directory (CAD) is a place for students to connect with South Texas College of Law Houston alumni who have volunteered to share professional guidance and insight about a specific practice area. Current students can search for Career Advisors by practice area, location, or firm/company name using the directory’s search function. Click on the button below for more information on CAD:

More Information

Contact Us

Contact the CRC at 713-646-1866 or at cso@stcl.edu with any questions

Alumni

ALUMNI

The Career Resource Center (CRC) continues to support you in your professional pursuits even after you have graduated. We offer all of our services to alumni, including career counseling, resume editing, and interview preparation.

Services

Specific services available include:

(1) Counseling

To schedule an appointment for an individual counseling session, please email cso@stcl.edu or call (713) 646-1866.

(2) Job Postings

Job postings are maintained on the South Texas College of Law Houston Symplicity website. To obtain a Symplicity username and password, please email cso@stcl.edu.

Symplicity

(3) Reciprocity

Alumni who are looking to relocate to another geographic area can request to use the services and resources of other law schools outside of Houston. If you are interested in utilizing the services and resources of law schools outside of Houston, please email cso@stcl.edu with the following information:

the contact information for the school;
a copy of their reciprocity policy; and
notation of any restrictions, blackout period, etc.

(4) Career Advisor Directory

The Career Advisor Directory (CAD) is a place for students and graduates alike to connect with South Texas College of Law Houston alumni who have volunteered to share professional guidance and insight about a specific practice area. Current students and alumni can search for Career Advisors by practice area, location, or firm/company name using the directory’s search function. Click on the button below for more information on CAD:

More Information

Getting Involved

We encourage alumni to become involved with the Alumni Association and volunteer to help South Texas College of Law Houston continue to grow. Click on the link below to learn about how to get involved:

Alumni Association

One simple way to get involved is to be a Career Advisor on our Career Advisor Directory (CAD). As a Career Advisor, you will have the opportunity to coach and advise students and fellow alumni, simply by sharing your personal and professional experiences. Click on the button below to learn more about how to become a Career Advisor:

Become a Career Advisor

Employers

EMPLOYERS

At South Texas College of Law Houston, we pride ourselves on preparing law students to be productive interns and attorneys from day one. We hope that you will consider our qualified students and alumni as you look to fill any summer, part-time, or permanent positions within your organization. The Career Resource Center (CRC) assists employers by offering various avenues for recruiting.

Recruitment Opportunities

Fall and Spring Recruitment Programs

During the Fall and Spring semesters, the CRC holds Recruitment Programs where both On-Campus Interviews and Resume Collections are offered. The Fall Recruitment Program is held in August and September and the Spring Recruitment Program is held in January and February.

If you are unable to attend one of our on-campus recruiting programs, we would still love to assist you with your recruiting needs. Please see information about our recruiting mini-sessions. If you have any questions, please contact us directly.

Spring 2021 OCI Registration is Now Open!

Interview Dates: January 19-22, 2021

Click here to register.

Contact sformia@stcl.edu for more information..

Job Postings on Symplicity

Symplicity is the online job board available to South Texas College of Law Houston students and alumni. All employers have the ability to register on Symplicity and post open positions, or you can simply fill out the job posting form and we will post the position for you.

Job Posting Request

Recruiting Mini-Sessions

The CRC schedules monthly recruiting mini-sessions where both On-Campus Interviews and Resume Collections are offered to accommodate your specific hiring needs. Your opportunity will be marketed to qualified candidates and all application materials will be delivered to you in one convenient package.

Mini-Session Request Form

Information Sessions

Employers may choose to hold information sessions prior to (or as part of) their recruitment process. Contact Shantal Formia in the CRC at 713-646-1866 or sformia@stcl.edu to coordinate an information session.

Government & Public Interest Table Talk

Join us for our virtual annual Government and Public Interest Table Talk on Friday, February 12, 2021 from 11:00 a.m – 1:00 p.m. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to introduce students to various career paths in government and public interest, connect with potential volunteers, and raise awareness about your organization. If you are interested in participating, please contact asmith1@stcl.edu for more information.

Contact the Career Resource Center

Communicating with the CRC

Contact Shantal Formia in the CRC at 713-646-1866 or sformia@stcl.edu with any recruiting questions.

Employer Newsletter

Sign up to receive our Employer Newsletter. The newsletter is sent three times per year and includes news from STCL Houston, CRC Happenings, and Legal Market News.

Non-Discrimination Policy

Non-Discrimination Policy

South Texas College of Law Houston does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, age or handicap in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs or other school administered rights, privileges, programs, or activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.

By posting a position with South Texas College of Law Houston, an employer agrees to abide by our Non-Discrimination Statement.

Reciprocity

RECIPROCITY

The Career Resource Center (CRC) provides reasonable access to resources to students and alumni of other schools on the following terms:

Eligibility

Reciprocity privileges will be available only to other ABA accredited / NALP Member law schools that provide reciprocity privileges to students and alumni of South Texas College of Law Houston.

Requests for Reciprocity

Requests for reciprocity must be made in writing by a career services/placement official of the requesting law school on the student or graduate’s behalf.

Direct requests to the following:

Mail:

Career Resource Center
South Texas College of Law Houston
1303 San Jacinto Street
Houston, Texas 77002-7006
Email: cso@stcl.edu
Fax: (713) 646-1844

The student or graduate should wait for their copy of the response prior to contacting South Texas College of Law Houston. The individual should bring a copy of their letter when visiting our office.

Duration and Limitations

Reciprocity services are available for a period of four months, beginning with the date on the original correspondence granting reciprocity. Requests may be renewed in the same manner in which the original request was made and only one renewal will be granted during any given year (a total of 8 months in any 12 month period).
Reciprocity will be unavailable and all requests will be denied between August 1 and November 15 of each year due to fall recruiting schedules.
Through mutual agreement, reciprocity services are not made available to students of the other two Houston area law schools.
We will not grant reciprocity to students already taking advantage of reciprocal career services at any other Houston law school. Reciprocity services are only available with one of the Houston area law schools at any given time for the designated subscription period.
The CRC reserves the right to deny services for any reason, including the misuse of the facilities or services or any school surpassing a reasonable number of requests within any academic year. The reciprocity policy of South Texas College of Law Houston may be further amended or restricted if it is deemed necessary to do so in the interest of South Texas College of Law Houston.

Resources Available

Use of the resource materials & NALP publications
Use of on-site computer, phone, fax, & copy machine
Access to the job listings posted by the CRC via Symplicity ($35.00 check made out to “South Texas College of Law Houston” for four months access, which will be granted on the day payment is received)
THESE SERVICES MAY BE LIMITED FURTHER IF THE REQUESTING SCHOOL OFFERS ACCESS THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN DESCRIBED ABOVE (If, for example, the requesting school offers access for a shorter period or does not offer online access to South Texas College of Law Houston then access may be limited to that of the requesting school)

Unavailable Resources

Participation in on-campus interviews & job fairs
Resume forwarding, resume collections, & “blind” job postings
Individual counseling & marketing materials review

CAD

CAREER ADVISOR DIRECTORY

The Career Advisor Directory (CAD) is a place for students to connect with South Texas College of Law Houston alumni who have volunteered to share professional guidance and insight about a specific practice area. Current students can search for Career Advisors by practice area, location, or firm/company name using the directory’s search function. Advisors are available to answer questions about their career paths, review job search documents, and give professional guidance to advisees.

This directory is not intended to be a jobs board, but a place for students and alumni to connect as advisees and advisors. Those interested in specific career opportunities are encouraged to contact the Career Resource Center and utilize Symplicity, the law school’s online jobs bank, LinkedIn, or other job posting sites.

FIND A CAREER ADVISOR:

Career Advisors are South Texas College of Law Houston alumni who volunteer their time to share career advice, resources, and personal experiences with students and fellow alumni. As an advisee, you have the opportunity to build a one-on-one relationship with someone who has experience in the practice area(s) you are interested in. This individual attention will support you as you navigate career opportunities, professional development, and networking.

Connecting with an advisor takes just a few steps. Search the Career Advisor Directory by practice area, location, undergraduate institution, or other search terms. When you find an advisor whose experience and expertise are relevant to your questions or interests, send them a note introducing yourself. Be sure to mention that you found their contact information in the Directory. Review the guidelines below to get started.

Guidelines for Contacting Career Advisors:

Make contact with a specific purpose in mind. Plan ahead of your initial contact what you will ask. Clearly articulate what you are looking for and how the advisor may be able to help you.
The Career Advisor Directory is not a jobs board. Advisees are requested to refrain from contacting advisors about specific job postings within their organizations, as advisors are often not able to respond to such inquiries. Instead, focus your communications on your professional development and utilize resources such as Symplicity as a search resource.
Research the advisor’s law firm or company. Be able to demonstrate knowledge about their employer when you make your initial contact.
Be considerate of your advisor’s schedule. Respect his or her time and respond to emails promptly.
Send a thank you note after significant meetings or conversations. A personal, hand-written note can go a long way to forming a lasting relationship.

Potential Topics of Conversation:

Informational Interviews: Ask the questions you’ve always wanted to ask. “How did you get your foot in the door?” “Any advice for someone considering this area of practice?”

Resumes, Cover Letters, and LinkedIn Profiles: While the staff at the Career Resource Center is available to review your job-search materials, sometimes it helps to get an opinion from someone with experience on your particular career path.

General Advice: Weighing multiple job offers? Negotiating a salary or promotion? Considering your next step up the ladder? Try bouncing your ideas off an advisor.

Find a Career Advisor

Access the Directory

BECOME A CAREER ADVISOR:

Participation is simple. By choosing to list your contact information in the Career Advisor Directory, you invite advisees to contact you with questions about career development, interview preparation, networking, and other career-related topics. Respond with thoughtful answers and provide other resources, if available. Encourage your advisee in their professional growth. That’s it!

To complete your profile in CAD, click on the button below.

Become a Career Advisor