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Taking Control over Your Career and Your Life:
Taking Control - How to Search for Satisfying Positions
The Search
Now you know what setting you want to be in, the field within that
setting and the description of the duties and responsibilities of a
position consistent with your personal and professional goals. Remember
- only a small percentage of openings are advertised in writing so don't
spend much time responding to ads. In fact, a high percentage of
professionals persuade employers to create positions which take
advantage of their unique experience and talents. Many others start
organizations and become their own bosses.
Packaging Yourself
NOW and only now can you prepare the material you need to describe
yourself - after you have gone through the process of exploring your
goals, skills and options and have decided what you are going to do.
You can't promote yourself if you don't know who you are and what you
are seeking. We refer to "material" because you may not need a resume
in the beginning. In fact, if you choose not to be an employee, you may
need a brochure or a proposal. In any event only now can you present
yourself as someone with the desired qualifications, commitment, and
potential.
Who Practices In Your Chosen Field
Now you have to develop a list of potential workplaces. Many resources
you have always known become useful tools once you know where you are
heading. If you want to practice with a small firm in the area of
family law or tax law in a medium size firm or work as a lawyer for a
software developing company or as an advocate for a non-profit involved
in workplace safety - find out about alumni/ae from your law school who
do that, talk to staff at a bar association, explore the Legal Subject
Index on FindLaw, do research on-line on West Law Directory and
Martindale-Hubbell, talk to court officers, use on-line industry and
non-profit directories. Continue to enlist the help of friends, family,
and other lawyers.
Promoting Yourself
You have compiled a list of many individuals and organizations, and
numerous places where you might like to work..(H)owever, you do not know
of any openings. What you have to do next has been described in many
ways including "networking" and "self-advocacy" or "promotion."
Highlight the names of those people you spoke to during informational
interviewing, and others likely to be "warm" contacts. Call, make it
clear that you are not asking for a job and attempt to set up a
"promotional interview". Remember that the objective is to make the
interviewer aware of your background, commitment to the area and
availability so that if he or she hears about an opening elsewhere, your
name and resume will be passed on.
Get Involved
As soon as you have decided what you want to do, take your choice
seriously - get involved with those doing it. You need not wait until
you are employed or earning money in that field. Take courses, work or
volunteer on a part time basis, and join a professional organization.
You will not only make contact with others but also have the opportunity
to grow as a professional in that field.
Selling Yourself
You have an appointment to talk about the opening. Remember that
since you were looking for positions not publicly advertised, you may be
the only person under consideration. Your primary competition is
yourself. From your perspective you should know the skills and
experience needed and show you have them. From their perspective the
interview is a time to get a sense of your commitment, your experience,
your potential and your personality.
Making A Decision
If you are offered a position, the question is "Do I want it?"
Evaluate the extent to which it is consistent with your goals, values,
and skills and have the strength to reject it if there is a clear and
strong conflict. Congratulate yourself if you accept it. You are on
the road to career satisfaction.
Reassessment and the Career
Your first position may not be perfect, but because you chose it based
on what you thought was good for you, it is much more likely that you
derived some benefit from it. The next one will be easier to find
because of what you have learned about yourself. What you do and where
you end up are to a great extent up to you.
Choose A Satisfying Career Serving the Legal Needs of the Public
If you went to law school seeking to work for social and political
goals, to help people and groups with whom you sympathize, or simply to
do "something that matters", do not let yourself be "placed" somewhere
else. Your professional degree provides you with a unique opportunity
and a privilege few have - the possibility of autonomy, satisfaction,
dignity, integrity, self-respect and, most meaningful of all, the
prospect of sleeping well after a long day on the job and waking up
looking forward to going to work.
And All You Have To Do Is Take Control
