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How to Land that First Job as a Patent Practitioner

Like any career, getting that first position as a patent agent or patent attorney will likely be the most difficult. You'll run into the problem of not having any experience, but feeling as though you cannot gain any. Not every company will want to hire someone with no background in the field.

Rest assured however, you can get that first job. This is a very typical problem that virtually everyone in any professional field runs up against. Logically speaking, everyone starts with no experience.

While it is true that not every company will think you are the perfect fit for their position, take heart in knowing that some will. Even without experience.

The reason for this is that to some companies, you represent the perfect opportunity. They know that you will work for less than a patent agent or patent attorney with years of experience behind their belt. They also know that you can be trained to do things exactly the way they want.

For these two basic reasons, many companies will be more than willing to hire you. So what should you do in order to get that first job?

The most important thing to remember is to take action. You must send out your resume and cover letter to as many openings as you possible can. Even if a particular position requires 5 years of experience, it may be worth your time to send in your resume. You may be able to convince the individual in charge of hiring that you would make a great addition to their firm even though you are lacking in actual experience. In addition, another position may open up that doesn't require the experience and your resume will already be on-hand.

Continue applying for jobs even though you will be rejected by many. This happens to everyone. The best plan of action is to just keep applying. Try not to take the lack of response or even rejection letters personally. Remember that everyone starts out with little to no experience so you're in the same place everyone has been in at one point in their life.

Someone will want to hire you. Once you gain the experience, then it will only get easier to find new positions later on in life. Take comfort in the realization that finding your first job is the hardest it will ever be. Once you find that first job, it will be a downhill sail.

Stick with it and you will get hired on. Stop applying and you won't. Although this may seem harsh, this really is a fact of life.

Here are a few basic tips for your resume/cover letter and interview:

• Always focus on your strengths ... never on your weaknesses.
  If you don't have experience writing patents, you don't really need to put that in big, bold letters in your cover letter. You also don't need to express how you realize it might be a problem right away (or ever) during the interview.
  
• Act confident in your ability to perform the tasks the position requires. If you've passed the Patent Bar, then you should be at a good starting point for writing and prosecuting patents. While it's not actual job experience, it does show that you have the capacity to do the job. Confidence in yourself (not to be confused with arrogance) will have a lasting impression in an interview and can even shine through a resume and cover letter.

If you'd like to have your resume written or edited by professionals recommended by the Wall Street Journal, click here.

   

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