In Law School? Social media internship a path to job as lawyer or law firm social media director

Law students are always looking for part-time work or summer clerkships at law firms. It’s not only a way to gain experience, but builds relationships that can lead to employment on graduation.

Becoming a social media intern with a law firm may be a new way to get your foot in the door.

Stephen Brooks (@StephenM_Brooks) of the Michigan State University State News, reports on the job outlook growing for social media interns.

When it comes to social media interns — a relatively new position rapidly growing in popularity ­— the job involves more than sitting in front of a screen counting Twitter followers.

As more corporations and organizations increase their efforts in the social media realm, the need for knowledgeable people to oversee the various outlets has become apparent.

Per Karin Hanson (@Karinehanson), a career consultant at Michigan State:

The number of positions working with social media started to increase about a year and a half ago. These positions can include a variety of responsibilities including blogging and compiling social media strategies for other companies…….Results are everything when it comes to social media work. Being able to show employers tangible evidence of one’s work on social media… can help set prospective employees apart.

I’ve seen law firms hiring social media people from the ranks of journalists, public relations professionals, and marketers. A background in the law, even though still a law student, can give you a leg up — especially if you have a background in journalism, business development, and the like.

Not only may a social media internship get you in the door as a means to landing a job as a lawyer, but it’s also an in to a job in social media in a law firm.

Law degrees are valuable whether you go on to practice law or not. Law firms are going to be hiring people to work with their attorneys, business development folks, and ultimately the firm’s leadership in the area of social media. Many already are.

Why not leverage your law degree and a passion for new media, if you have one?