You’ve landed that elusive role at a large commercial law firm. Few are fortunate enough to get the chance to commence their careers like this. You probably hustled your way through law school, with many sleepless nights and coffee-fuelled study sessions, dreaming of the day when you’d finally get that coveted piece of paper. And you got there. Congrats! Unfortunately, though, the hard work isn’t over. The next question is: how can you get on a proper progression track and maximise your chances for career advancement? What small things can you do to make the job work for you? And more importantly, what things should you avoid doing?

Many graduate lawyers enter the profession with huge expectations about the doors that will open to them. They can’t wait to experience the interesting, challenging and varied work that’s ahead of them. They’re excited to start building professional relationships with clients and colleagues. And yes, these times are exciting, but it doesn’t take long for reality to set in. There is no doubt that doing a stint in a commercial law firm will add value to your career – but the value is what you make it. The key to getting the most out of your experience is to be proactive, enthusiastic and curious.

Often, the day-to-day work doesn’t turn out to be as interesting as you expected. You thought you’d have ample opportunities to collaborate with your peers when in reality you’re just competing for work. For many young lawyers, this is not sustainable. Only the lawyers who are able to accept this reality and work proactively are successful in the long-term.

Why is this? Well, the top performers tend to come into the job with an attitude of enthusiasm and gratitude that their more entitled colleagues may not possess. This attitude impacts hugely on your progression and enjoyment of the job. You’ll establish better networks within the firm and build respect from partners and colleagues. These relationships are crucial to progressing your career.

It might be hard at first, but finding a way to check your ego at the door is the smoothest path to the success you’re looking for. For those who are committed to practice, with the goal of becoming a partner one day, here are 5 areas where the best associates shine.

They Have Realistic Expectations

It’s hard not to believe the hype about yourself, right? You were one of the best and brightest law students and a true high achiever. You outshone the competition and landed the top graduate role. You deserve to be where you are and you deserve all the great things you have coming to you.

For young lawyers, this is an easy trap to fall into. It is also something that can really hold you back from advancing in a large law firm. Stepping on toes might work in the short-term but, in the long-term, it’s a recipe for failure. The most respected junior lawyers are realistic in their assessment of themselves and of the day-to-day work they will undertake.

They know they have little real world experience. They know that this means they need to put their heads down, learn as much as possible and produce the best work they can before they earn the respect of more senior colleagues. They also understand that they are a part of the business and have to operate within the reality of this structure.

You don’t practice law in a vacuum, so taking a commercial approach to your work and outlook is a huge leg up.

They Are Patient

It can be easy to get ahead of yourself. You can be forgiven for expecting the very best work to be directed your way from day one. Firms are notorious for creating the misplaced expectation that you’ll be handed interesting work on a silver platter.

This usually isn’t the case, as workflows and allocation are complex issues. Remember, you have zero experience. You need to start at the bottom. You need to learn before you can step up. Building knowledge, experience and credibility is a slow process.

The best young lawyers recognise that it is all a process and that patience is key. Don’t let impatience prevent you from learning all the incremental skills that form the foundation of something much bigger. Importantly, start building your personal brand while you’re young, and it will reap dividends as you climb the ranks.

They Are Enthusiastic

Time and time again, senior lawyers and partners tell us about the importance of enthusiasm from juniors. Being genuinely enthusiastic about learning and doing the work is the surest way to ensure your success. Yes, even when you’re doing dull day-to-day stuff.

Being enthusiastic means that you bring a totally different level of energy to work. This is something that partners and senior associates pick up on easily. Turning your nose up at work you think is below you, or huffing and puffing about having to do menial tasks will get you nowhere.  By doing this, you appear closed minded or unwilling to do what is required to succeed within the firm. This impacts the work that will be delegated to you.

Your learning and development is a long process. Try to be enthusiastic about whatever tasks are handed to you and learn as much as you can. This will make you stand out in the eyes of those in charge of your progression.

They Are Proactive

Young lawyers often have a misplaced expectation that their firm will deliver internal and external opportunities. Law firms are businesses and partners are very busy people, so they might not be in a position to make these things happen for you.

The most successful lawyers are proactive. They make the most of any opportunity that could separate them from the herd. They explore and learn about how the firm operates. They actively seek avenues for mentorship and discover ways to contribute in non-billable areas. They seek out these opportunities themselves and look to take advantage of them.

It takes effort and enthusiasm to achieve this. But, if you want to separate yourself from your colleagues, you need to seek out mentorship, business development opportunities, client facing time, seminars, and other ways to make yourself indispensable to the firm.

Actively position yourself as a doer – someone who can be trusted to get the job done. This gives you the opportunity to flex your autonomy and independent thinking muscles. By proactively taking part in activities that you enjoy you are already one step closer to making your career work for you, and not the other way around.

They Are Honest

For some, having the courage to speak up is the hardest part. It can be terrifying to put your hand up and ask for help, or suggest a different approach, but will anything change by remaining silent?

If those you work with don’t know that you are unhappy, for example, there is very little they can do to address potential issues or make the necessary changes to help you. So, be honest and seek out guidance from those in more senior positions. An open and honest approach to work issues can open doors and gain you the respect of your colleagues. Chances are, they may be thinking the same thing but lack the confidence to speak up.

Bear in mind that senior staff and partners in firms are time poor, so be selective about when you make an approach and how you raise the issue.

Conclusion

Given how competitive the legal profession can be, some of the above points may seem counterintuitive. But, in our experience, it is an approach that lends itself to long-term success in private practice.

While you have worked hard and achieved a great deal to get where you are in your career today, an element of luck also comes into landing an elite graduate role. Don’t lose sight of this fact – it will direct your actions in practice in a far more positive way: a little gratitude goes a long way.

What other personal qualities do you think are critical in building a successful legal career? Let us know in the comments! 

Using an entrepreneurial approach for career stress management 

Don’t expect too much from yourself too soon in your career.

The seemingly ‘instant’ success stories Elon Musk, and many other young entrepreneurs such as Jodie Fox, co-founder of Shoes of Prey and Jane Lu, founder of ShowPo, feed into an ever-accelerating cycle of millennial career propaganda. This is founded on the notion that if you have not ‘made it’ within the first few years of your career, or your business life, then you are doing something wrong. The reality is that it takes many years of hard work, persistence and determination to establish a solid career.

One effective approach is to ignore everything you think you should be doing and instead adopt an entrepreneurial mindset towards your career and life.

The ‘domino strategy’, described by Ramit Sethi, is an approach used by many successful entrepreneurs around the world. It involves setting one small career goal and knocking it over first. The beauty of this approach is that it removes the immediate psychological pressure you may feel to be an ‘overnight success’ by accounting for timelines that fall outside your direct control.

So, for example:

1. Your first step may be to update your resume
2. Your second step may be to send your resume to your ideal prospective employers

It could be a simple matter of sending an email to inquire about current or future vacancies. This helps you determine whether your idea for your career has potential. From here you can decide whether your skills and experience match the needs of the organisations or firms you wish to work for.

3. If your skills do not match, you can adjust your strategy and put your next steps into motion. For example, by obtaining an extra qualification or gaining more experience in a related field.

“Put the dominoes in just the right sequence so that each small step makes the next, bigger step possible” – Ramit Sethi

If you try to knock over the final domino before you have tackled the necessary preceding career steps, for example, the domino won’t fall. This means that you won’t be offered the job, and you will fail to achieve your ambitions this year.

A ‘domino sequence’ that works for one individual will not work for another – the challenge is to work out which sequence is right for your career.

Look at the career path of people you admire and replicate it

Well-rounded people have well-rounded careers.

One way to map out your perfect ‘domino sequence’ is to study the career pathways of people whom you admire and wish to emulate. A quick LinkedIn search can reveal the educational and professional histories of key industry players and give you a basic idea about what steps you should be taking. Ask yourself:

• Where did they study?
• What did they study?
• Where have they worked?
• Which job was the critical nexus that naturally flowed into their current role?

You can even go one step further by reaching out to these professionals.

Connecting with like-minded, experienced and accomplished individuals in your industry – whether for professional collegiality or mentorship – can help you to maintain healthy long-term wellness strategies and to cultivate strong industry support networks.

Expanding your professional network can not only provide balance and perspective to your work life but also drastically advance your career prospects. Justice Neil Gorsuch, one of the youngest U.S Supreme Court Justices appointed in recent history has credited his rapid career progression to the mentoring and support he received from other high-achieving judicial officers.

Relax and go with the job flow

Your first job out of university will not be your last.

A recent report by the Foundation for Young Australians found that the skills you develop through one role can be transferred to an average of thirteen other positions.

If your current job is still a few steps away from your dream job, then consider a side hustle. This could take the form of a passion project like design work, freelance writing, building websites, teaching fitness classes over the weekend or even chasing your professional interests through a part-time Masters degree. For current and future employers, this highlights your ambition, drive and creative talent.

It is highly likely that your first few jobs out of university will not be a perfect fit, but the flexibility and skills you acquire early in your working life gives you more career mobility.

These initial ‘dominoes’ help you get closer to where you really want to be in your professional life.

Develop your professional skills

Most employers seek applicants who have flexible skills that can be adapted and applied in many different forms. If you want to avoid the wilderness of unemployment or accelerate your career progression in a specific field, a postgraduate qualification can give you an edge over top candidates for competitive positions.

A practice perhaps pioneered by Susan Kiefel, the recently appointed first female Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia who completed her law degree part-time while working as a legal secretary in the 1970s, it is increasingly common for graduates to balance part-time postgraduate study with busy lifestyles.

In a recent study on education and work by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, it was found that:

In May 2016, approximately 1 in 5 Australians (20%) aged 15-64 were enrolled in formal study [and] … People with higher levels of educational attainment were more likely to be employed, with 80% of persons with a Bachelor degree or above, 75% of persons with an Advanced diploma or Diploma, and 76% of persons with a Certificate III.” 

In an increasingly specialist legal marketplace, employers recognise the value of postgraduate study with Masters qualifications frequently listed as ‘highly desirable.’

Making the decision to study

If you are freshly graduated or revising your career goals after a few years of work experience, or are concerned that your existing skill set has not prepared you for the job you want, further study may be one of the key ‘dominoes’ you need to invest in your future.

Ask yourself the following questions to determine whether it is the right career move. Are you pursuing postgraduate study to:

• boost salary and career prospects?
• prepare for senior roles in firms and organisations in the public and private sector?
• enhance specialist skills and knowledge?
• progress an existing career or kick start a career change?
• fulfil yourself?
• be seen by potential employers as more qualified than other candidates?
• develop relationships with leading industry professionals?
• develop your practical skills and your ability to express those skills?

If you answered yes one or more of the above questions, it may be worthwhile exploring which universities offer study options that align with your current lifestyle and goals.

A number of fast and flexible online postgraduate qualifications, such as a Masters of Business Law through Southern Cross University, are specifically designed to integrate with full-time work commitments and require only 15 to 20 hours of study per week.

Conclusion

In his book The One Thing, Gary Keller, (founder of one of the largest real estate franchises in the world) says:

When you see someone who has a lot of knowledge, they learned it over time.
When you see someone who has a lot of skills, they developed them over time.
When you see someone who has done a lot, they accomplished it over time.
When you see someone who has a lot of money, they earned it over time.”

This year, follow the lead of successful entrepreneurs. Rather than setting yourself overly ambitious and unrealistic goals, aim to start small and enjoy the ups and downs of your professional journey. Line up your ‘dominoes’ and build momentum steadily, over time, towards your dream career.

Once you knock over those first few ‘dominoes,’ the rest will effortlessly fall into place.

This post is proudly sponsored by Southern Cross University. For more information on how to jump start your legal career in 2017, click here.

Nowadays, the pressure to stick with and succeed in one chosen field has, in many ways, lessened as more young Australians vote with their feet and regularly change careers.

Commonly referred to as a slash career, these alternative career pathways can manifest in many different ways. You may hold down a full-time job but have a side hustle or work on a passion project over weekends. You might run multiple projects simultaneously or even focus on one full-time job but consciously change careers every few years to keep your interest alive and skills current.

This type of career can blend multiple professional titles, such as writer/lawyer/entrepreneur, or it can involve making giant career leaps from actor to banker to lawyer. However you choose to look at it, slash careers are widely considered to give you a competitive edge.

Now, a growing trend is seeing many Australians pursue further education as a means of segueing into a different career or upskilling to increase their chances of securing a better career opportunity.

Latest research

According to Melbourne-based startup, training.com.au, more Australians are turning to upskilling through further study to ready themselves for a career change.

Many within the education industry are predicting that online education and course delivery is the way of the future, with the annual growth rate of the Australian university sector projected to slow to 1.6% (IBISWorld, 2017) between 2017-2022.

In a recent survey of over 3,000 Australians, training.com.au sought to gain a better understanding of what motivated people to consider further study as well as the role of technology in the delivery of courses.

Marketing director, Mike Thomas said:

We were surprised to find that 43% of all survey respondents advised that they were seeking alternative employment in the coming 3-years and a further 41% identified that a lack of qualifications was their greatest professional limitation.”

Although 55.06% of survey respondents said that technology had positively impacted their ability to upskill, not all suggested that online education was their preferred study stream. Times Higher Education has reported that about 20% of students who choose external study options drop out in their first year, compared with approximately 7% for those on campus.

For tertiary institutions, this could mean potential losses in student fees since student course completion is a prerequisite for securing fees through the HECS-HELP study assist structure.

Regardless of individual preferences to study online or offline, it is clear that technology is playing an integral role in modern learning environments. Although the results of this survey show that flexibility of course delivery, technology and online learning options influence overall student interest in further study, it is clear that student preference for traditional campus delivery is still very much alive and well.

Have you considered further study as an option to help smooth your transition into a different career? Let us know in the comments!

Gone are the days of a job for life, and thank God, how boring. Today we must all be ready to adapt and embrace change. The only certainty in our professional and personal life is that things will change whether we are ready or not. So instead of fighting it, make it happen the way you want. Consider the benefits of slash careers, write your own story and don’t be limited by the scepticism and fears of those around you. And remember, even when you feel lost and uncertain and second-guess yourself, don’t worry, it’s normal, we’ve all been there. Just hold strong and have faith in yourself and if all of that is too hard, then just pretend until your ego catches up to your success!

I wanted to be a famous actress

For me, the attributes of embracing change, remaining adaptable and having a love and understanding of language have all been integral to my career. These attributes were incubated in the performing arts. Yes, I wanted to be a famous actress. I know, not the most common starting point for a lawyer.

Or … maybe a lawyer

After studying performing arts at UWS Theatre Nepean and taking up acting, I then found myself
teaching … something I had never planned on doing. Then, with the intervention of a good friend, I decided to take the leap and study law.

I remember being terrified because I really didn’t think I had the brainpower. I was always the fun, bubbly, arty one … not the serious lawyer. Thankfully, my brain cells managed to multiply and I ended up practising law for about nine years before moving from the legal arm at one of the big four banks to the frontline as a bank manager.

Now I am thankful for the skills I’ve picked up along the way because they enhance my client-centric focus in my current role at Nexus.

Opportunity doesn’t knock, it whispers!

To me, life is like reading a book. You don’t turn to the last page to find out how it pans out. You want to see how it develops.

If someone pointed me out to you in the theatre while portraying Hermia in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and said, “Wow… she’d make a great general manager for a bank in 20 years’ time”, you’d laugh. For me, this is the most exciting thing about my career to date. I never saw any of it coming.

As my father once said to me, “opportunity doesn’t knock, it whispers, and you have to be listening.”

My journey into the law was amazing and a turning point for how I saw myself and my potential. Can you believe it? I was awarded first-class honours! And while I loved law and its practice, I didn’t like the way the traditional firms operated so, embracing change yet again, I moved to Hobart and began a PhD in bioprospecting.

Eventually, I came back to Sydney and worked in a couple of law firms including Truman Hoyle, which embraced my non-traditional lawyer personality. The more I practised law the more I became interested in what my clients did. I used to call it the “so-what” factor.

The law books say you can’t do it, but so what?

Really … a banker?

I contemplated work in business and ended up as legal counsel at Westpac. My inquisitive nature is never quelled and I started looking on the bank’s intranet to better understand its business. I thought the frontline sales team could do with some co-ordinated support, so I put together a proposal for a new job for myself. It coincided perfectly with Gail Kelly’s move to create a customer-centric culture. A series of secondments upskilled me to the extent I was then appointed as the bank manager at Hurstville, one of the top four branches in the country.

It was amazing. I loved it. Again I could feel my brain cells multiplying. It was a completely different skill set. Everything I had learnt as a lawyer actually hindered me. I had to learn to retrain a lot of things, even just simple communication.

I realised that legal language is terrible. After my experience as a bank manager, I now approach it differently. I can appreciate the mindset you get into as a lawyer, it is challenging, but it doesn’t work for everyday Australians, and that is who we are servicing. Communication fascinates me and I learnt that bankers are very good communicators because they are sellers. Lawyers traditionally aren’t.

And back to law … but no longer a “handbrake!”

Now back working as a lawyer I appreciate just how difficult it is to run a business unit. It’s a completely different skill set and I have huge respect for my clients and the work they do. What we do as lawyers is such a tiny facet of their business. It’s not everything, not the be all and end all. When you’re in a law firm you can trick yourself into thinking it’s a really important thing. It’s not, and for business it’s a headache and they don’t even want to think about the headache. No one wants to know about it.

The challenge is to be seen as part of the solution, not part of the problem.

When I was moving into the business arm of Westpac, the people who gave me a shot were more interested in my performing arts background. That’s what gave me the edge. My legal background was a concern to them. A lawyer in their minds was a handbrake. But a lawyer can be part of the solution.

What people think they need isn’t necessarily what they do need, and that’s where the skill set of the lawyer and the skill set of the banker come in. The theatrical background and love of teaching were integral to my success in the national manager role at Westpac, especially upskilling regional bank managers. Everything is simply a problem to be solved.

Many businesses and legal firms talk the talk when it comes to collaboration and collective wisdom, but few walk the walk. They baulk at bringing in people with different skill sets. That’s not the case at Nexus. It’s all about complete collaboration and striving for success. It’s all client-centric. Law is the only industry that thinks it doesn’t have to concentrate on customer service. My skill set from Westpac is a perfect fit – for me, the client is at the centre of everything.

Good business structure involves flexibility and strength. Those attributes apply to a good lawyer and a good law firm.

So remember … enjoy the journey, own your path and don’t apologise for taking a different route. Often it’s the choices that fill us with the most fear and make the least sense that end up defining our success and happiness.

What do you think about the prospect of sticking with one career for your entire professional life? Is the diversity and constant interest of a slash career something that interests and excites you? Let us know in the comments!

Knowing the right time to leave a job is one of the most difficult decisions anyone can make. Weighing the relative costs of leaving a familiar position with the benefits of trying a new career can be a daunting exercise.

How do you know if you are doing the right thing? What if your new role is a disaster? What if there is no scope for career development? What if you can’t do the job? What if you hate your new colleagues? Or, worse, what if your new colleagues hate you?

This tidal wave of career cognitive dissonance, confusion and sleepless nights can leave you drowning in a sea of worry. So, rather than take a leap of faith into unknown territory, you may retreat to safety and choose inaction.

But accepting the status quo means stifling your ambition and denying yourself the chance to explore dream career opportunities.

So how do you know if it is the right time to make a career move?

Why Do We Hesitate When Making A Career Change?

At a basic human level, everyone suffers from crippling self-doubt.

Sticking with what you know, even if your current work situation is no longer ideal, is the easy and comfortable choice.

Taking on a new job disrupts your sense of safety and leaves you feeling anxious because it holds a mirror up to your true self, your strengths and your weaknesses. It is a litmus test of your overall value, your skills and experience. By working in an unfamiliar environment, you gain a clear insight into how well you think you perform vs how well you actually perform as an employee.

Accepting a new position, or a promotion, means more work. It involves more time at the office learning a new role, dedicating time and energy forging new office alliances (or identifying potential adversaries) and treading carefully around office politics.

Is Your Loyalty Holding You Back?

Reluctance to leave your current role may be motivated by familiarity and connection.

You may genuinely love your job and have strong ties to a particular organisation. You may have worked with your employer and colleagues for years and made lasting friendships. You may even have developed your role from scratch and feel hesitant to hand over the reigns to anyone else.

If you play an integral role in an organisation it can be difficult to leave, even though you may be ready to move on. Inevitable sentiments of company loyalty, solidarity, guilt and shame may come into play and you may feel like you are letting the team down.

In truth, remaining in a position which no longer provides you with any intellectual challenge or job satisfaction is defective thinking.

A healthy career is one that boasts a broad range of experience.

If a better opportunity comes along, or if you feel that it is time to try something new, never allow yourself to stay in a role out of duty, responsibility or fear of the unknown.

Is Your Boss, Your Office Or Your Resume Stopping You?

You may be at the point where you hate your job and it takes every ounce of strength to get up in the morning and go to work.

Maybe your boss is emotionally or psychologically manipulative or you work long and thankless hours. Perhaps your colleagues are useless and actively take credit for your projects, or you may have zero options for career development.

Even though you are desperate to leave, you may not feel that it is possible in the circumstances either because you feel a strong sense of obligation, think that the company will collapse without you or because of financial considerations.

Another alternative might be that you only discover the true toxicity of your work environment shortly after starting the job. Having only been in the role a few months, you may feel that resigning in less that 12 months will reflect badly on your resume and make you seem flaky to future employers.

Contrary to corporate propaganda, leaving a job in less than 12 months, or having a gap in your employment history, does not automatically result in a black mark on your CV.

This is something can be easily resolved with future employers by explaining at interview either that there was no infrastructure to support your previous role, that you did not see a future with your prior organisation or that you wished to take the opportunity to travel overseas.

In general, a good rule of thumb is to change jobs every two years. It takes at least 3 months to learn a new role, 6 months to feel as though you are beginning to get on top of that new position and 12 months to feel like you are confident in the performance of your duties without close supervision. After two years, having acquired all the knowledge and experience you can from a given role it should be time to consider moving on and gaining experience elsewhere.

Having experience in a range of industries is an attractive asset to employers. It shows that you are adaptable, confident, motivated and willing to take on new challenges.

When To Make A Move

Whether you love your job or hate it, there are always clear indications that it is time to leave.

Usually your emotional and physical health are the best metrics in determining the right time to resign.

Other indicators include:

• You are not getting as much out of your job as your employer is getting out of you. For example, you may be working overtime or taking on extra responsibility without increased salary incentives.

• You no longer look forward to going to work.

• You are only there for the money and have no professional development or job satisfaction.

• You feel that your boss is taking advantage of you, is manipulative or pathological.

• You find that your colleagues are, or have become, unpleasant to work with.

• Your organisation looks like it has no future. For example, it could be a startup that is headed towards bankruptcy or is being poorly run by management.

• You do not like the values of the company you work for, or they do not align with your own.

• You are working in a toxic, or highly competitive, environment.

• You find that your performance is suffering and that you have stopped caring enough to do your best work.

• You find reasons not to go to work, to leave work early, or to arrive late in the morning.

• You notice that your health is suffering. For example, chronic stress, anxiety, headaches, insomnia, weight loss, brittle hair, nausea, high blood pressure, heart palpitations.

• You are working with bullies or psychologically manipulative managers.

• You are constantly stressed about work and regularly check and respond to emails after hours.

• You do not fit in with company culture.

• You are overdue for a pay increase that is unlikely to come through.

• You feel unappreciated, unnoticed and undervalued as a team member.

• A better opportunity arises in the form of a promotion or an exciting role in a different company.

• You have been in the same role for more than two years.

How To Leave A Job The Right Way

Always try to leave an employment relationship on good terms.

You may require a good referee report from your supervisor in the future or need to be re-employed by the same company down the track.

Once you have made the decision to leave or take up a position elsewhere, notify your employer that you will be terminating your employment contract.

The best way to do this is to have a face-to-face chat explaining your decision and the notice period you propose. This gives your manager an opportunity to negotiate with you. It may mean you are asked to train a new staff member to replace you, or that you finish up a project before leaving.

Resignation Template Email

After you have had an informal chat with your manager, follow up your conversation with an email stating your intention to end your employment relationship.

Subject heading: Notice of termination of contract – [insert your name]

Dear [insert name of your employer]

As discussed, I have decided to terminate my employment contact with [insert name of the company/organisation that employs you] with effect from [insert date you wish to end your employment agreement]. Please accept this as 2 weeks [or 4 weeks notice] of such termination.

As you know, I have enjoyed working at [insert name of the organisation that employs you] and love the type of work available here. I would, however, like to explore what opportunities there may be for me to develop my professional skills and gain experience further afield [For example, you may wish to work overseas, in a different industry, or in a different role].

I would be happy to consider future freelance work from [insert name of the organisation that currently employs you if you wish] when I am able.

Thank you very much for the experience and opportunity to develop my interest and skills in this industry.

I greatly value the friendship, support and professional development that I have received working with you.

I look forward to staying in touch.

Warm regards,

[insert your name]

Conclusion

Your employment relationship is a two-way street. Employers want to invest in you and create incentives to retain good staff due to the valuable work you produce. But most of us forget that our careers are equally about acquiring an arsenal of skills and experience that we can leverage, build on and add value to each new organisation we work at.

The trick to having a long and successful career is to balance gaining all the experience you can in each job before moving on, with staying in a job too long and becoming stagnant.

The only question left to answer is, where is your career path taking you next?

Do you change jobs often? How do you know when it is the right time to leave? Let us know in the comments!

Congratulations!

Welcome to full-time work – including all the joys of early starts, lunch meetings, CLE points, figuring out team dynamics, and triple-checking an email before you send it to anyone in the office!

It’s pretty easy to fall into a bit of billable cynicism and weekend-pining when you finally start working at your law gig. So here are a few ideas and insights from those who have gone before you to help make your first years a little easier.

• You’re Going To Make Mistakes

Without a doubt, you will make mistakes. It’s not called the “practice of law” for nothing.

But let’s be realistic: as a junior lawyer you’re rarely going to be put in a position where something you do (or don’t do) will lead to an ‘end of the world’ scenario. Regardless, be open to the fact that despite your perfectionism, attention to detail, and fastidious nature, at some point you’re going to make a mistake – and that’s OK. See the next dot point.

• It’s How You Handle Mistakes That Matters Most

Okay, so you’re now aware of your error.

If you discovered it, think about what has or hasn’t happened and consider possible ways that you can fix it.

Never try to cover up what has happened. This is not the time for pride. Now, go and see someone more senior and give them the straight run of facts. You don’t need to apologise profusely, but do say that you’re sorry and that you messed up. Suggest ways you think the situation can be fixed and werk, werk, werk, werk, werk until the problem is fixed or the issue is mitigated.

If the mistake has been identified by someone else, then you need to apologise immediately and open a dialogue as to how you think the problem may be solved. Don’t blame anyone else at this point. You need to wear it.

Once the problem is no longer a problem, or the fall-out has been substantially minimised, start a conversation with your manager or partner to figure out why the mistake happened in the first place, and how you can do things differently in future. This conversation is super important.

Senior lawyers know you’re going to make mistakes – they’ve been there before, even if they don’t always seem to remember what it was like. They’re not going to make you feel great about it when the inevitable happens. But the real test of your character, and your resilience, is to do everything you can to fix the problem and to identify strategies to diminish the risk of a repeat scenario.

• Communication Is Key

You’re going to work with people at many different stages of their legal careers.

Make sure you are always respectful in your communication – whether it’s via email or in person. If you’re giving a clerk or paralegal a task, remind yourself what it was like to be in their shoes and explain the task slowly and considerately.

If you’re called to anyone’s office to discuss a task ALWAYS take a pen and notepad with you. Write everything down. And always ask questions. If you don’t understand something when you’re receiving initial instructions for a task it’s far easier to ask straight away rather than later that afternoon when you’re trying to recall all the other things that were said!

It’s also essential that you ask when the task is due and how long you should spend on it. This way you can manage your time effectively. It also means you’re likely to be adding value to the file, rather than spending too long on a task with the time later written off.

• Dealing With Different Personalities

It’s not always easy working with different people who have unique working styles.

Try not to be disheartened if you feel you don’t “click” with someone. Keep trying, even if you feel like you’re not making progress.

• It’s Okay To Say “No”

If your workload is maxed out – don’t be afraid to say “no” to extra work.

It’s important that you manage your tasks so that you can finish the work that has been assigned to you in an achievable timeframe. It’s better to be realistic and say to a Senior Associate:

I’m pretty snowed under this week because of due diligence for the Commercial team, but I will have capacity on Monday.”

This is the preferred approach.

It’s much better to be clear about your existing workload, rather than a) taking on more than you can manage; b) offloading the task to someone else at the 11^th hour; or c) giving it a bare minimum crack.

Be honest about your time and manage the expectations of others.

• Time Is Important

As cold and callous as it may sound, if you’re working in any kind of firm that makes money you’re probably going to have to bill for your time, meet KPIs, or both.

While things are changing, and some firms are offering alternatives, the vast majority of commercial firms charge by the 6 minute unit.

You have to get good at billing and establish a routine of entering your time as soon as you’ve completed a task. Otherwise, you’ll probably miss time which means you won’t be meeting budget and you won’t be demonstrating your value.

It can be really depressing looking at “the clock” and seeing how many more units need to be done for the day. So try and plan your day around getting short and sharp units on the clock first thing in the morning – like firing off emails and telephone calls. When you start the bigger tasks a little later in the day, it’s not so daunting and you have already posted some good time.

Figure out what works for you – but make sure you bill, and bill honestly. If a three-page letter took you three hours, you’ve got to bill for it. This is also the partners’ way of seeing how you spend your time, so that if you’re spending too long on something they can help you.

• Get Involved And Give Back

Young Lawyers and the various Law Society Committees are a great way to meet other people and attend cool (often free! open bar!) events in the law.

If you’re in a big graduate program, it’s important to be involved with the other graduates and participate in your firm activities and events. However, don’t let this limit you to the world outside your firm. There are lots of interesting law and other speaking events, competitions and networking opportunities that are great for meeting other people and growing your personal brand. You just need to be aware of what is available and tap into it.

Once you have become settled into the full-time routine, you may wish to think about volunteering your time at a community legal centre.

As a lawyer, you’re in a pretty privileged position and giving something back is a nice way to recognise this.

• Take Time For Yourself And Your Health

It’s no doubt been drummed into you all the way through law school, and sounds like such a textbook suggestion, but it’s really important that you have a life outside work.

Take time for yourself, your friends and family and continue to enjoy the things you like doing in your spare time. Whether this takes the form of enjoying weekend sleep-ins, competing in Iron Man events, having dinner with friends or relaxing with Netflix and wine, it’s crucial that you carve out some dedicated “you” time.

Working in law can be high-pressure and competitive. To perform at your best during work hours, it is critical to take time for yourself and pursue interests outside the office.

This gives you a bit more balance in your life and means that you will be in a better position to cope with work-related stress when it arises.

• Get Yourself A Mentor

This doesn’t necessarily need to be someone working in law.

Find a person who can give you guidance and support, especially in your early years working as a solicitor.

There are many unforeseeable challenges that come with full-time professional work, not to mention the challenges that are specific to law. It’s nice to be able to soundboard problems or ideas with someone who has a few years on you and has literally “been there, done that” before.

You might already have someone like this in your life, which is great. Use them as a resource to fast track your professional development!

Otherwise, Young Lawyer Mentoring Programs can assist. LinkedIn is another great networking resource. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people you admire, or would like to get to know better, and seek out their time and advice.

Just remember to always be very grateful and respectful of their time!

What are some of the main challenges you face as a young legal professional in Australia? What strategies have you found are the most effective in helping you cope? Let us know in the comments section below! 

Further Information

For light-hearted guides and resources on how to survive law school and beyond visit:

• Survive Law

To find out more about young mentoring programs get in touch with:

• NSW Young Lawyers Mentoring Program
• Law Society of NSW Womens Mentoring Program
• Womens Lawyers Association Mentoring Program
• Victorian Womens Lawyers Mentoring Program
• Law Society of South Australia Womens Mentoring Program
• Australian Corporate Lawyers Mentoring Program
• AICD Coach and Mentor Connect
• ACT Law Society Young Lawyers Mentoring Program
• Adelaide Law School Young Lawyers Mentoring Program
• Law Institute of Victoria Mentoring Program

Universities run Alumni Mentoring Programs twice per year:

• ANU Alumni Mentoring Program

For support coping with work-related psychological or emotional distress contact:

• Lifeline for Lawyers – telephone crisis support every night between 8pm to 4am (AEST).
  Call 1800 085 062; or start a live chat.
• Lawyers Assistance Program – Open 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday.
  Call 1800 777 662 or email to access support.
• LawCare – a professional and confidential counselling service for solicitors and their immediate family members. Counsellors are practising GPs experienced in dealing with unique difficulties faced by legal professionals. Initial phone assessment and referrals are free. Costs only incurred for face-to-face consultations and much of this can be claimed back through Medicare or private health cover for clinically relevant medical conditions.
  Call 0416 200 788.

• Vic Lawyer’s Health – LIV members and their families have complimentary 24-hour access to the Vic Lawyers’ Health line. Up to three face-to-face counselling sessions are free.
• The Tristan Jepson Memorial Foundation Psychological Wellbeing – Best practice guidelines for the legal profession are intended to support the profession in raising awareness of mental health issues.
• R U OK? – Helpful tips for having a conversation about mental health openly and respectfully with those around you.
• R U OK At Work? – Workplace resources to educate and inform managers and employees to ask for help and manage difficult situations.

“If you’re in control, the chaos will happen around you, not to you.”

It’s a fine theory. Unless, like us, you fall into a special category of people in this world who thrive on being Master Procrastinators.

Awash With Ineptitude 

The brain of a procrastinator experiences a regular flood of self-loathing combined with steady undercurrents of guilt and shame. The more we will our minds to work in a certain direction, the more the raging current of our subconscious sweeps us down a different, and usually more scenic, stream.

A stream that requires minimal intellectual effort and the allocation of important time and energy to infinitely more enjoyable pursuits… such as finding the perfect dancing gif to go along with a Facebook birthday message (because being a really good friend is your most important job in life).

The Perfect Gif. Look at him go.

Somewhere in the time it takes us to fall groggily out of bed in the morning, accidentally step on the dog, and pour juice into our cereal we convince ourselves that, irrespective of the chaos around us:

We research countless productivity apps such as Evernote, 30/30, Wunderlist, Reminders, and spend hours dreaming about a perfect, goal-kicking and uninterrupted work day.

If only we could find the perfect playlist to drown out that annoying colleague with chronic baby voice, then we could definitely stay focused on a single task long enough to see it through to completion. As it happens, here’s a perfect productivity playlist we prepared earlier:

O-Tip: The right choice of tunes really can help you remain sane and productive in a challenging workplace. If all else fails, opt for noise-cancelling headphones.

Point Of Permanent Paralysis

Somewhat ironically, procrastination can help us get jobs done. Putting off important tasks forces us to reconsider tackling non-urgent items on our ‘To Do’ list that we may not ordinarily make time for. However, beware of becoming complacent and teetering too close to the zone of no return.

When you least expect it, you can enter the Point of Permanent Paralysis – a procrastinator’s version of absolute zero. It’s a dangerous frozen mental state that is usually brought on quite suddenly after several days/weeks/months of intensive procrastination.

It happens when crushing work pressure comes at you from all angles. Panic sets in and you cannot decide which task to begin first because, thanks to your procrastination, now everything is urgent. Your brain has no option but to trigger its emergency coping mechanism and punch out early for the day.

During one of these episodes, and in spite of your best efforts to snap into action, you can resign yourself to an afternoon of:

1. absently chewing the edge of an empty styrofoam cup;
2. searching for divine inspiration from a pile of paperclips; and
3. imagining how you would celebrate winning The Amazing Race (by sumo wrestling in suits of bubble wrap, of course).

To avoid sabotaging your career by tumbling down the Point of Permanent Paralysis rabbit hole, it is essential to establish firm contingency plans that save you from yourself.

Make Order Of The Chaos

Your first order of business is to organise your tasks. Once you do this, everything else will fall into place.

Step 1: Write it down 

Getting all your thoughts on paper frees your mind of the mental burden required to recall everything you need to achieve. It creates thought space to problem solve and allows you to work through each task systematically.

Step 2: Sort your thoughts

Decide what you need to prioritise, according to the Eisenberg Matrix, below. Then catalogue your tasks in a corresponding list with four columns.

• Important, but not urgent

For example, deciding whether to have laksa or sushi for lunch. Save menu surfing for 10 minutes before lunch, rather than right after you arrive at 8.30am.

• Urgent and important

For example, writing a proposal due by COB today. Start this as soon as you get to the office. Everything else, including checking your emails, can wait.

• Not important, and not urgent

For example, clearing out your exploding inbox. If it is impacting your workflow, set aside 20 minutes later in the afternoon to organise your emails. Only move to this if you have already finished your most urgent, and intellectually taxing, task for the day.

• Urgent, but not important

For example, re-writing a company training manual. If it’s not important enough to demand your time, delegate this to someone more junior than you. You can go over their work and make corrections once they finish the first draft.

The good thing about organising your tasks in order of priority is that it frees you to channel the wasted intellectual energy you ordinarily spend stressing about what you need to do, into being productive and actually getting it done.

Step 3: Reward yourself 

Work for an hour, then reward yourself by getting up for a break.

Why not interrupt the steady work flow of one of your more disciplined work friends? Everyone loves to be harassed for a compulsory break, especially if it means grabbing a coffee or peppermint tea, and a brownie.

A chat and walk in the fresh air will make you feel incredible and creatively rejuvenated for the rest of the day. Plus, the cocoa in your brownie will help with your chronic exhaustion.

Conclusion

As with any difficult task, the hardest part is making a start. Tell yourself that you will spend an hour reading up about a particular subject, or writing a few notes down. Before you realise it, you will be 2-3 hours into the project and almost finished.

This psychological sleight of hand is one of the easiest, and most effective, ways to outwit your procrastinating alter ego and beat your ‘To Do’ list into submission.

What strategies do you use to get work done when your brain would rather have an unscheduled holiday? Let us know in the comments section below!