A time for everything: when and when not to ask for a job

A few nights ago I attended a talk at Tsinghua Law School. The speaker was a Philadelphia attorney, and his topic centered on investment by Chinese in the assets of bankrupt US companies. After the talk, of course, students gathered in a line to discuss with the attorney various things. One such student asked questions of the attorney, then proceeded to ask about the possibility of a job or internship.  The attorney replied that his law firm did offer internships, and for the student to send a resume.

When I observed what happened, I remembered what the Bible says, in Ecclesiastes 3:

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:…
a time to be silent and a time to speak

I know this attorney, and he is a cool guy, pretty easy going. He is not the type to be upset or offended by someone who, in a public setting in front of others, asks about a job. However, others might not be this way. I also don’t know how the other students in line reacted. For this reason, I spoke to the student later, and recommended an alternative approach—namely, to discuss the substantive nature of the talk, inquire about the attorney’s background, then to be sure to get the attorney’s business card. Then, the next day, or as soon as possible, contact the attorney in a direct private conversation and ask about job possibilities. This way avoids the embarrassment, on the part of the speaker or the other students, that could be associated with the original approach.

In other words, always be sure that the setting is correct for the conversation you wish to have.