Applying myself (in 250 words or less)

Well, I just sent off an application to my law schools clinic program* (specifically the Women and the Law clinic). And now I get to anxiously keep my fingers crossed and check e-mail even more compulsively than I normally do until they announce who is and isn't in.

I actually really want to do this, which coming from the girl who isn't involved in any extra law school journals, moot court or other such activities means something. And not just in the trying to pad my resume and give me a fighting chance in the upcoming law student grand melee fight to the death for the few jobs that will come into existence upon graduation way (good experience is like being armed with nun-chucks.) But, more than that, the program looks really interesting and the chance to actually work with real people and do real lawyer type things is tres appealing. Plus I'm a sucker for any program with the phrase women and the law. I do love the ladies.

However, to get into the program, I first had to spend a Friday filling out the application, which of course includes the standard awkward interview questions. I would think that blogging would have adequetly prepared for me to brag about myself in personal narative form. No, not so much. Blogging appreciates a self-deprecating wit that doesn't seem at home in a professional context.

What are my skills, interests or attributes that I feel will enhance your participation and the experiences of your colleagues and clients in the program? I really have no idea how to answer that. Skills wise I can turn a can of cheap tomato soup into something awesome with enough access to a variety of hot sauce and dried basil, my shower singing is almost enjoyable to listen in on, and I'm decent in bed. As for interests, I don't think my ability to delineate complicated television love triangles due to my excessive TV habit will come into play in a court room. (Although that would be the best case ever. I may or may not be interested in family law in the hopes that my melodramatic expertise can come in handy.) Attributes wise I can proudly say that to the best of my knowledge no one hates me, and I may be almost as funny as I think I am. I don't think any of those is exactly what they're looking for. I think I'm a  fairly decent human being, but there isn't anything specific about me that makes me the most perfect candidate ever. I'm just normal, but in a competent way.

I wish it was acceptable to just say "Look. We both know that most of my honestly unique attributes don't really matter all that much and the ones that do matter aren't unique. I'm reasonably competent, and while I may procrastinate, I always get things done. I'm a little awkward sometimes, but I generally can interact with other human beings acceptably. Bottom line, I may not be super sparkly and unique, but I'll do a good job. I care about this, and I care enough about my own time that I wouldn't apply if I didn't think I would be a good fit. So just give me a try, ok?"

They would probably get a better, more honest sense of who I am if I had written that instead of the bland fluff I settled on. Which is preciciely why those questions are so pointless and annoying. No one is actually going to answer honestly. A few people will have the perfect response that encapsulates their humanity into a few sentences, but most will be as bland and fluffy like mine.

Oh well. At least they didn't ask what my greatest weakness was, and I was spared from describing how I work too hard or care too much.



*What is "clinic" anyways? Well, just like med students learn how to be competent by practicing on people who need free services, young, adventurous and naive law students can try to figure our legal system out using real people in need of legal counsel as guinea pigs. Not that this is a big, scary responsibility or anything.