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[tiger_GC]

I am a Biochemistry postdoc applying for technical specialist positions. I have sent my CV to firms advertising positions in their websites. I have also sent e-mails to two lawyers with Ph.D. to start networking but no reply. I was wondering if anyone has any advice on the best way to get such a position. Is it better to keep sending CVs or better to try to get to know people who are already in the field. Does anyone have any suggestion on the best way to approach people in law firms?

Thank you!

[MaggieZ]

Well, I have the similar question.  I passed the patent bar exam and got registered, however no response from any firm. A lot of recruiters called me but so far no good news.

[biopico]

Please keep trying and be patient!  It does take time. In the meantime, get yourself familiar with the patenting process.   

[smurfette]

Network, network, network. I don't mean you need to show up at IP-related conferences and schmooze, but start figuring out who you have a connection to (friends, friends' friends, fellow alumni, etc) that also has a connection to the IP world. It doesn't need to be someone powerful, and it doesn't need to be someone in your same specialty, because your first goal should just be to learn about the field. Were the two lawyers you emailed connected to you in any way, or did you just see their names on a firm website? If you don't know anyone in IP, start with your undergrad/grad school career offices and alumni directories. Find recent grads who became tech specs or went straight to law school and then into patent law.
In my experience, requests for informational interviews were generally well received, and such conversations, free from the normal interview pressure, really helped me in later interviewing because I knew what the job was and why I wanted it.

[tiger_GC]

thank you for your replies. I have written to more Ph.D./lawyers, with a background similar to mine, found on firms websites. I got replies from a few of them and had a chat with some of them. In one case it really sounded like an interview. Questions like why you want to get into patent law? Why did you contact me? What would make you a god technical specialist? and so on. The other people gave more general advices. All of them were willing to look over my CV and make comments on it. I have also applied to law firms that were looking for technical specialists and got a few letters/e-mails saying they will contact me in a couple of weeks if they are interested. Can anyone comment on the chances of getting a job by sending CVs? Is it a useless exercise? Should I just keep networking and quit sending CVs?

[RoyOfChateau]

I have the same doubt too. Sending resume does not work well. Headhunters are reluctant to work with fresh PhD since there are not many openings for us too. 

[BotchedExperiment]

I've got a PhD in life science, and when I was looking for jobs in law most folks didn't know what a CV was, and now I'm certain they didn't read through it. 

Put together a resume and try to make it one page.  Two pages is the absolute maximum your resume should be circumstances, unless you can fill more than two pages with things like, "Appointed by the President of the US to give recommendations regarding..."