It’s the sad truth that many law students come to the end of their third year of school and think to themselves, “Do I really want to be a lawyer?” Don’t get me wrong, I think it is very important to question it, but at the end of three years and an investment of $50,000 to $200,000 in an educational degree I would hope you have an inkling, a suspicion, that you are on the right track. One thing I would hear time and time again as a law student questioning my decision is, “Hey! At least it’s a professional degree!” What is that suppose to mean?
Exactly. It means absolutely nothing to an individual who eventually elects not to use it. So where do we go from here? It’s time to re-evaluate. On top of the studying, extra-curricular, volunteering, and anxiety over class recitation, I want each of you to evaluate what you would LOVE to do for the rest of your life. If it’s not related to the law at all, FANTASTIC! If it is, GREAT! This is an opportunity for you to reflect on your life and what’s important to you.
In my line of work we call this “person centered thinking.” I advocate for the rights of individuals with disabilities; making sure their voices are heard around a table of people makings decisions FOR them. With person centered thinking, an individual with a disability is given as much responsibility and independence in making a decision about their life as we can allow. It’s amazing to work with an individual you know has the potential to raise their own concerns, but has never been encouraged to do so, become their own advocate. This philosophy causes me pause, because I think that we, as advocates for others, forget to advocate for ourselves.
I guess that is what I am asking of each of you, become your own advocate. Push everything else aside; family and friend influence, stress of financial difficulties, location for job security, etc…
Next, think about what you would tell a potential employer in a cover letter for your ideal job.
The following video is narrated by Brad Karsh, CEO of JobBound. Before you get started writing your cover letter I suggest you watch it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYvKyOQ58tA
Now, write your cover letter.
