According to a recent report, only 4 out of 10 employers expect to hire new graduates this year.  That doesn’t bode well for recent law school graduates who are already facing a tight job market.  So how does a recent law school graduate overcome these dismal hiring statistics?

1. Think small.  Thinking small doesn’t necessarily mean that you diminish your dreams and goals but it means that you look at smaller markets which may be more willing to take a chance on a recent graduate.  Recent law school graduates may increase their chances of finding a job if they are willing to look at smaller, less prestigious law firms who can nonetheless offer them an opportunity to gain valuable experience and an opportunity to grow.
2. Be willing to relocate.  It’s better to be a small fish in a big pond, than a big fish in a small pond.  Recent law school graduates who are willing to cast a wider geographical net for their job search are more likely to snag a job than their more geographically limited peers. 
3. Use volunteer opportunities and internships as leverage in your career.  When volunteering or doing an internship, those experiences are not just about gaining experience, they are also about building relationships that you can leverage to obtain a job in your field of choice.  Taking the time to cultivate those volunteer and internship relationships can pay off in really big ways during your job search.