The Job Search, The Journey, Don't Stop Believing
Law school…How did you end up there? Was it a dream of making tons of money or perhaps working to right social wrongs? If you are a recent graduate like me you realize now that there is no big money to be had, let alone for some of us even a job. Additionally, you now realize that even if you desire to right social wrongs you are likely unable to afford to do so! However, now is not a time to feel sorry for yourself or to throw in the towel but rather an excellent time for reflection on what can be learned from the often frustrating process of searching for a legal job.
To be a great lawyer you must be the quintessential Renaissance man, an individual who is able to understand and apply the law to clients problems, market yourself to potential clients, and be able to close the deal. An attorney is an advocate, a marketer, and a salesperson. Likewise, to be a great job searcher you must fulfill the same roles, you must advocate for yourself, market yourself, and ultimately be able to close the deal. While at the current time I am unemployed I am not throwing in the towel by any means. This blog, my involvement on twitter, and my social activities are all designed to enable me to continue learning from more experienced practitioners, to market myself as a knowledgeable and professional individual, and to enable me to better understand they key issues facing people in the construction and green building industries so that I will ultimately be better situated to assist them in the future.
If you are currently a law student, a recent graduate, or even an unemployed attorney consider how you too can use technology to better position yourself for the future. I encourage you to find something you are passionate about and then to make both the financial commitment and the commitment of time to engage in dialogue with others.
I owe a tremendous debt to the following individuals who have helped me get to where I am today and who have assisted me in my job search as well as my understanding of the field of construction law and green building.
My family, Vik Duggal, Chris Cheatham, Shari Shapiro, Stephen Del Percio, Christopher Hill, James Bedell, Professor J,J Brown, Professor John Rains and to all those who I have forgotten to mention.
