Tag Archives: resume

Fast Forward: A 2018 Lawyer Life Strategy Guide in 4 Simple Steps

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The following guest post is written by Joseph E. Ankus of Ankus Consulting, and does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Lawjobs.com and ALM Media.  Visit Lawjobs.com to start your job search.

Welcome to the end of 2017! As we wind down a rather eventful year, our thoughts naturally wander to what we want to accomplish in 2018.

January 1st will be here before we blink – so let’s get ready NOW.

The reality is that many well intentioned New Year’s plans are made in late December and summarily discarded by mid-January. This blog gives you a workable (and attainable) formula to maximize your personal productivity.

These four simple steps are all you need to get started:

1. Be Honest: Do a “head to toe” assessment of your 2017 overall performance. This is meant to be global in scope and brutally honest in appraisal- critically review your professional performance (quality of your work, your hours billed, your base compensation, your bonus compensation, your business development, your relationships with your colleagues, your professional development, and your charitable/pro bono work). At the same time, critically review your personal performance (physical health, mental health, spiritual health, financial health and relationship health). Use a simple A-F “grading” system to have a uniform basis for comparison for each category listed above. Anything under a “B” deserves priority attention in 2018.

2. Identify Areas For Improvement: If you faithfully complete your assessment, you will have areas that you want to, or will need to, improve in 2018. None of us are exempt from betterment and there is no “wrong time” to start. Be realistic- if you aren’t satisfied with your career then consider making changes (by either improving circumstances in your current position or leaving for another opportunity) and if you aren’t satisfied with your personal performance then consider making changes that will have lasting and elevating effects. It has been proven that professional performance correlates directly to personal performance. If you aren’t doing well outside of work, you will not be able to do as well at work. Success starts with YOU and your own well being. It sounds callous to say that the world owes you nothing but It’s the truth. You, and only you, can take the steps necessary to improve. No one else will do it for you.

3. Commit To A Plan: For this step, you MUST write down ALL of your REALISTIC AND ATTAINABLE goals. You can’t just have random goals or half-made plans existing only in the ether of your mind. You must have a clearly worded and written “contract” with yourself that you promise to enforce. Keep a copy on your desk at work and another one taped to the mirror in your bathroom. Start modestly- success is best achieved incrementally and small, measurable steps are the way to start. Reward yourself as you make progress and don’t berate yourself if you slip up. Both will happen to you.

4. Share Your Plan: After you create your plan, please don’t put it on Facebook or tweet it on Twitter.  Oversharing creates unnecessary stress. On the other hand, I recommend confiding in one or two close people you sincerely trust and who will support you. To this end, I am a proponent of “measured accountability”. Encourage your supporters to keep tabs on your progress and to gently remind you to “pick up the pace” if is necessary. Remember that the primary reason some people don’t accomplish their New Year’s goals is because they set unrealistic targets and lack adequate support. I don’t want that to be you!

Best of luck as we all enter 2018.

AUTHOR:
Joseph E. Ankus, Esq.
President/Founder
954.862.1738
Ankus Consulting, Inc.
[email protected]
www.ankusconsulting.com

How to Land on Your Feet in the Legal Industry

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Getting let go or fired can be stressful, and if you’re like most people in the legal industry, you may feel uncertain about what options are available to you and what next steps to take. Here are some basic job search tips that everyone can use when they have lost their jobs. 

Update Your Resume

One of the most important steps you can take is to bring your resume up-to-date. All too often, we neglect this important document simply because we have a successful career. Keeping your resume updated with recent certifications, accomplishments and awards is important; take the time to review and update your resume today. Take some time to update your social media profiles as well; LinkedIn and other social sites can be a great source of new leads. 

Keep in Contact With Peers 

Networking is one of the best things you can do when searching for a new position. Remaining in contact with your former coworkers can help you stay updated on current changes in law that could have an impact on your future. Networking with those who are still active in the field will also help you feel less out of the loop from what is happening in the legal industry. Your existing network may also help you land a new position; always keep the word out among your peers that you’re looking for a new position. 

Take Job Hunting Seriously 

It’s easy to treat job hunting as something you must do. Chances are after a job loss you’re feeling despondent and ungrounded; make sure you treat finding a new position like a full-time job. The more seriously you take your job search, the more serious potential employers are to treat you seriously. 

Be Prepared for Interviews 

Many of us find the interview process stressful. If you have not been on an interview in a long time, you could benefit from a mock interview. Get a friend or family member to do a mock job interview so you can hone your interview skills. Make sure you feel confident about your answers to difficult questions you’ll likely face including why you are looking for a new position. 

Filling in Resume Gaps

You will need to explain to prospective employers why you are no longer at your previous job, whether you left by choice or not. It’s best to prepare an answer beforehand so you are ready to answer this question.

Sugar coating a firing can be challenging. The best way to handle this during an interview is to be honest about the circumstances without placing blame on anyone, including your former employer. Make sure you point out any lessons you’ve learned from being fired. 

Layoffs are fairly simple to explain; however, make sure your answer is truthful and brief. With the current state of the economy, and slow growth for the legal industry it is not uncommon for law firms to downsize. If needed, you may expand upon this with what you’ve learned from the experience.

If you’ve decided it was time to move on, you may have to explain what reasons were behind your decision. Make sure you avoid badmouthing the firm or its partners and instead, focus on the positives and what your prior position taught you about yourself and your career goals. 

How to Get Back in the Legal Industry

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Career changes and job changes are a constant for the typical American worker, and the constant state of flux in the legal industry only reinforces this general principle. Turnover in the legal industry costs roughly $9.1 billion annually. Much of this turnover is due to lawyers who seek a legal career change or lawyers who left law and aim to re-enter the industry.

This extensive industry turnover provides an excellent opportunity to re-enter the legal industry for anyone looking to use their law degree to practice law once again. If you are a legal graduate looking to return to the industry, the following tips should prove helpful for your legal re-entry strategy.

Tap Into Your Legal Network

Given that you were once an active member of the legal community, you likely created ties and connections to important people in the industry before you left. In the years since your departure from the legal industry, those peers likely have grown to enjoy hiring influence in their respective law firm and/or company.

As the old adage goes, it is often who you know, not what you know that makes the difference in the hiring process. This is no less true in the legal industry. Whether you tap into your peers or a network of passionate law school alumni, connections reduce barriers to re-entry and make it far easier to get your foot in the door.

Staying on Top of Legal Changes

Staying current with the latest legal changes is a critical component of making a successful return to law. Many educational institutions offer programs designed to help lawyers shore up their knowledge before re-entering the competitive legal marketplace. Bar associations may also provide similar programs and opportunities, so it pays to do your research in the state where you will be practicing. Not only will these programs help you find job opportunities, they are also critically important for shoring up legal knowledge.

As you know from your days in law school, many areas of law change rapidly. No matter what practice area you plan on resuming, you will need to find out what’s changed in your field since you left the law. Whether you take continuing legal education (CLE) courses or you need to take the bar, you will find the resources you need through local law schools and bar associations.

Refine Your Résumé

Once you reconnect with peers and refine your legal knowledge, you will be ready to commence the job interview process. While you may have an “in” with some of your former colleagues, you still need to tweak your résumé so you showcase your experience in the best possible light.

Depending on your desired practice area, highlight the skills you learned outside of law in the best possible light. For example, if you left real estate law to become a real estate agent, leverage that experience to highlight your nuanced understanding of real estate transactions from every angle. In short, sell your prior experience as something to be coveted and valued by legal employers.

Once you reach out to your network, regain familiarity with your practice area and hone your résumé, you will be well on your way towards a fulfilling return to law.