My Dream Job

So, everyone probably has that one job they would totally love to do if money and loads of other factors weren't an issue or consideration. And yes, I'm one of those people. However, I might actually be closer than some to their dream jobs. Right now, I'm working as an intern with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD). I am in the Enforcement Unit handling the investigation of cases. Right now, I've got seventeen (17) on my plate right now. And I'm loving it.

I should probably backtrack just a tad. Last summer, I had the wonderful opportunity to intern with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). It's the federal agency that handles employment discrimination. MCAD is obviously the state equivalent. So this past winter when I was looking for jobs, I thought I'd see if MCAD had any positions open for interns. Lo and behold they did. I sent in my application and got an interview. The interview went great. I interviewed with the person who became my supervisor, Karen. She has been a great support during my first month with the Commission. She is very much a believer in the open door policy and she's always got time to discuss my cases with me. I think working for EEOC gave me a leg up in terms of understanding the process a case goes through and what are needed to prove a claim of discrimination.

I also came into my current internship with a semester of employment law and disability law under my belt. I thoroughly enjoyed both courses and am still in touch with my professors. So beyond just knowing how to write a disposition, I really know the law. I think having all this background knowledge on the subject matter is extremely useful. Plus it makes me feel as if I really have learned something in law school and that I have found a real, practical use for it. I am putting what I know into practice.

So as I said earlier, I've currently got seventeen cases on my desk that I'm working through. Sure I got through about fifty during my summer with EEOC but this summer, I am the primary investigator on thee cases. I'm the contact person for the complaining parties and the respondents. I think I'm making up for the smaller volume with the ability to really analyze each case more carefully and really think about what kind of information I need to ask fro to make a decision in each case. Another thing I've come to realize no that I've got my own case load and have requested quite a lot of information from various parties is that the process takes so long because there is a lot of waiting around for responses. I have been waiting on documentation on the majority of my cases since my first week on the job. I don't like to be idle when it comes to work. I'm extremely efficient (probably why I have 17 cases right now and other interns haven't even gotten through all o their original ten cases). I have a system I've developed when I get a new cases where I go through and summarize the complaining party's allegations and the respondent's position. Then, all that's left is really to apply the facts to the elements of the law and see what I get. It allows me to make excellent use of my time. But it also tends to leave me wanting more cases with a day or two after receiving new cases.

So you may be wondering how all that ramble about loving the work I'm doing right now ties in with y dream job. Well, I think it's pretty clear I would love to work for MCAD. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear they are hiring for the coming year in the Enforcement division (or any division for that matter). While I'm really enjoying my time with MCAD (and it's not just the work. I'm making a lot of friends with the other interns which I've never really had a previous job), I could see myself working for EEOC as well. I really want to work for a government agency at either level. But as I'm beginning to realize that government jobs are hard to come by, I might need to settle for actually working for a firm that handles employment law. So I'm planning to use the connections I've made in the last year with both my professors and my contacts at EEOC to see if I can find a way to stay in the employment discrimination area.