I took some time to peruse the main page of the website and thought it may be of some interest to you. In order to use the entirety of the site, one must be willing to "sign up" with a valid email and password. Although many of the resources found on this site can be found elsewhere, it is sometimes nice to have these types of resources all on one page.
Friday, December 21, 2012
A Social Network for Lawyers
I recently saw a posting on LinkedIn for "A Social Network for the Lawyers."
I took some time to peruse the main page of the website and thought it may be of some interest to you. In order to use the entirety of the site, one must be willing to "sign up" with a valid email and password. Although many of the resources found on this site can be found elsewhere, it is sometimes nice to have these types of resources all on one page.
I took some time to peruse the main page of the website and thought it may be of some interest to you. In order to use the entirety of the site, one must be willing to "sign up" with a valid email and password. Although many of the resources found on this site can be found elsewhere, it is sometimes nice to have these types of resources all on one page.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
ABA Business Law Section Opportunities!!!
The ABA Business Law Section offers two outstanding initiatives specifically for law students:
1. In its 27th year, theMendes Hershman Student Writing Contest is a highly regarded legal writing competition that encourages and rewards outstanding writing on business law topics. Application deadline: January 11, 2013
2. TheDiversity Clerkship program promotes diversity in the profession by placing outstanding law students from diverse backgrounds into clerkships in business courts across the country. Application deadline: December 28, 2012
Detailed information and application processes are outlined below. Apply today for one or both of these initiatives that can help to advance your career in Business Law!
1. In its 27th year, theMendes Hershman Student Writing Contest is a highly regarded legal writing competition that encourages and rewards outstanding writing on business law topics. Application deadline: January 11, 2013
2. TheDiversity Clerkship program promotes diversity in the profession by placing outstanding law students from diverse backgrounds into clerkships in business courts across the country. Application deadline: December 28, 2012
Detailed information and application processes are outlined below. Apply today for one or both of these initiatives that can help to advance your career in Business Law!
Saturday, December 8, 2012
A Major Career Mistake Capable People Make
Below is a very interesting article by Greg McKeown, a Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum who also writes a blog for Harvard Business Review. In the article, The #1 Career Mistake Capable People Make, he illustrates something I think many high achievers (like law students and lawyers) struggle with throughout their career. I'm not sure if it is the #1 mistake, but it can definitely have its consequences. This article is a great read and something to consider before you take on multiple tasks at a time...
I recently reviewed a resume for a colleague who was trying to define a clearer career strategy. She has terrific experience. And yet, as I looked through it I could see the problem she was concerned about: she had done so many good things in so many different fields it was hard to know what was distinctive about her.
I recently reviewed a resume for a colleague who was trying to define a clearer career strategy. She has terrific experience. And yet, as I looked through it I could see the problem she was concerned about: she had done so many good things in so many different fields it was hard to know what was distinctive about her.
As we talked it became clear the resume was only the symptom of a deeper issue. In an attempt to be useful and adaptable she has said yes to too many good projects and opportunities. She has ended up feeling overworked and underutilized. It is easy to see how people end up in her situation:
Step 1: Capable people are driven to achieve.
Step 2: Other people see they are capable and give them assignments.
Step 3: Capable people gain a reputation as "go to" people. They become "good old [insert name] who is always there when you need him." There is lots right with this, unless or until...
Step 4: Capable people end up doing lots of projects well but are distracted from what would otherwise be their highest point of contribution which I define as the intersection of talent, passion and market (see more on this in the Harvard Business Review article The Disciplined Pursuit of Less). Then, both the company and the employee lose out.
When this happens, some of the responsibility lies with out-of-touch managers who are too busy or distracted to notice the very best use of their people. But some of the responsibility lies with us. Perhaps we need to be more deliberate and discerning in navigating our own careers.
In the conversation above, we spent some time to identify my colleague's Highest Point of Contribution and develop a plan of action for a more focused career strategy.
We followed a simple process similar to one I write about here: If You Don’t Design Your Career, Someone Else Will. My friend is not alone. Indeed, in coaching and teaching managers and executives around the world it strikes me that failure to be conscientious about this represents the #1 mistake, in frequency, I see capable people make in their careers.
Using a camping metaphor, capable people often add additional poles of the same height to their career tent. We end up with 10, 20 or 30 poles of the same height, somehow hoping the tent will go higher. I don't just mean higher on the career ladder either. I mean higher in terms of our ability to contribute.
The slightly painful truth is, at any one time there is only one piece of real estate we can "own" in another person’s mind. People can't think of us as a project manager, professor, attorney, insurance agent, editor and entrepreneur all at exactly the same time. They may all be true about us but people can only think of us as one thing first. At any one time there is only one phrase that can follow our name. Might we be better served by asking, at least occasionally, whether the various projects we have add up to a longer pole?
I saw this illustrated recently in one of the more distinctive resumes I had seen in a while. It belonged to a Stanford Law School Professor [there it is: the single phrase that follows his name, the longest pole in his career tent]. His resume was clean and concise. For each entry there was one, impressive title/role/company and a single line description of what he had achieved. Each one sentence said more than ten bullet points in many resumes I have seen. When he was at university his single line described how he had been the student body president, under "teaching" he was teacher of the year and so on.
Being able to do many things is important in many jobs today. Broad understanding also is a must. But developing greater discernment about what is distinctive about us can be a great advantage. Instead of simply doing more things we need to find, at every phase in our careers, our highest point of contribution.
I look forward to your thoughts below and @gregorymckeown.
Monday, November 26, 2012
It’s Time to Get Involved!
Here is a small article I wrote for the November 2012 South Dakota bar newsletter on how to become more involved in your community. Not only does community involvement stimulate professional development and networking opportunities, it is also just a way to give back in a way that is important to you. I hope you find it helpful.
Happy Reading!
The Young Lawyers Board has an array of activities going on state-wide throughout the year and we hope all attorneys, new and veteran, take advantage of them. But as a new admittee or young lawyer, one may ask, “how else can I become involved?” This is a great question with a variety of answers, and the opportunities are endless depending on the amount of time you would like to volunteer toward becoming involved in your city, state, or even country.
Happy Reading!
The Young Lawyers Board has an array of activities going on state-wide throughout the year and we hope all attorneys, new and veteran, take advantage of them. But as a new admittee or young lawyer, one may ask, “how else can I become involved?” This is a great question with a variety of answers, and the opportunities are endless depending on the amount of time you would like to volunteer toward becoming involved in your city, state, or even country.
City Level
A quick Google search of
volunteer opportunities in Sioux Falls led me to a website with 343 current openings;
the list had everything from non-profit board of directors’ members and Sunday school
teachers to animal caregivers and math tutors. A small town may not have their
volunteer opportunities posted online, but word of mouth has incredible power
in a small town. I would suggest talking
to local non-profits, and churches or clinics to see if there are any
opportunities available and let business owners know that you would be
interested in helping out. You will have
offers before your know it. Also, take
advantage of any young professional groups where you live as they offer an
extensive list of benefits including networking luncheons and humanitarian
projects where you can meet new people and learn new skills.
State Level
Joining a bar committee is an
incredible way to get involved with the state bar of South Dakota. You can elect to join a committee based on
your own practice and skill set, or join a committee completely different than
your current work. Committees range from
administrative and criminal work to office technology and project rural
practice. There are also a wide variety
of in-person CLE’s, helplines and conferences you can attend and participate in
as a state bar member FOR FREE! You can
also pick a cause that is meaningful to you regardless of it being law related
or not and contact them for potential volunteer opportunities in your
area. You may be surprised at what you
find. Another way to become involved on
the state level is to run for a position in our state legislature. If you have
a passion for the law and for working toward creating appropriate law for the
state, the legislature may be your calling.
National Level
Just as there is an opportunity
to serve in the legislature at the state level, one could consider running for
one of our three Congressional seats.
There are also significant opportunities through the American Bar
Association. There are hundreds of
openings within the governance of the ABA as well as committee work. I suggest you take a look at the ABA website
to determine if you are interested in serving in any of those capacities: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/committees.html. The ABA also
promotes volunteerism on a global scale and international opportunities to
volunteer can be found through a variety of ABA committees and sections. The JAG Corps is also a great program to
consider through law school or after a few years of practice. Each branch of the military has their
specific credentials to qualify, but many accept applicants past 30 years of
age.
As one can see, there are
countless ways to become involved on multiple levels. The list above hardly covers what is
available to you. Find an organization
or a business that means something to you and allows you to make a difference
in your community.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
DEVELOPING THE PLATFORM AND A PLAN FOR YOUR JOB SEARCH
Below is an article I was able to co-write with another Young Lawyer, Stephanie McCoy Loquvam, for The Young Lawyer. There are a variety of resources on the article's topic at the bottom of this post as well. Stephanie is an associate with Aiken Schenk Hawkins & Ricciardi P.C. in Pheonix, Arizona where she focuses her practice on commerical litigation. Both Stephanie and I are members of the ABA Young Lawyers Division Member Services Team.
YOU CAN GET THERE FROM HERE: DEVELOPING THE PLATFORM AND A
PLAN FOR YOUR JOB SEARCH
Elizabeth Overmoe and Stephanie McCoy Loquvam
Job satisfaction is not happenstance. Most people who find their work personally meaningful have invested considerable time figuring out what they want to do. They spend time examining their values, interests and skills, and determining how these pieces can be best applied at work.
Deborah Arron, author of What Can You Do With a Law Degree?, believes self-assessment for lawyers involves finding the answer to three questions: “Who Am I?”, “What Do I Want?” and “What Am I Willing to Give Up to Get What I Want?” As you begin your professional journey it is important to ask a variety of questions, including the three mentioned above, to determine exactly what you want and need to support job satisfaction. This includes understanding what makes you unique (i.e., your values, interests, personality, skills).
VALUES ASSESSMENT.
Gaining an understanding of personal and work values is critical; they serve as criteria for judgments, preferences, and choices. Your values have been shaped by life experiences, including your upbringing, environment, gender, culture, socioeconomic status, and education. Making career and life choices that agree with core values is essential to satisfaction and happiness. Make sure to ask, “What are my values?” OR “What is important to me?” AND “What type of work best suits those values?”
KEEP YOUR INTERESTS IN MIND.
Your interests include activities you enjoy or want to do as well as subject areas that arouse your curiosity or hold your attention. The more pleasurable or appealing the experience is for you, the more inspired and motivated you will be to pursue it. Considering your coursework during school may provide you with some insight as to what you may enjoy as an area of practice. Also consider what you like to do during your free time. You may find that your interests lead you on a completely different career path than your degree, and that’s ok. But remember, while your interests reveal what you enjoy, you may not want to pursue those interests professionally because they may conflict with other interests or values.
YOU’VE GOT PERSONALITY.
John L. Holland, a career theorist, stated in his book Making Vocational Choices: A Theory of Careers, that job interests can be viewed as an expression of personality. Holland’s work focused on six personality types: realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, and conventional. Although an individual may exhibit features from all six personality types, one or two will be predominant. Holland explained that people tend to seek an environment similar to their personality type. When you work in an environment that is similar to your type, you are more likely to be satisfied with your job.
DETERMINE YOUR SKILLS SET.
One of the best ways to recognize your skills is to identify your past accomplishments. Think of at least five accomplishments that made you happy. These should be things you did well, enjoyed doing, and found energizing. Now, determine what skills you possessed in order to be successful. Were you the decision maker? Did you delegate responsibilities and communicate effectively? Did you organize everything to increase efficiency? Did you earn the respect from colleagues by being a team player and motivating others? The resources identified at the end of this article have many tools to assist you in determining your skill set.
DEVELOP A PLAN.
Whether you are looking for your first job out of law school, considering the next “next step” in your career, or are ready for a career change altogether, assessing your skills, strengths, values, and needs provides a necessary foundation for developing a career plan. They should help you to understand your “big picture.” Use the following tips and tools to prepare your plan.
SET GOALS.
Your goal might be to get a job or it might be to land in the corner office. However, mere aspiration is not sufficient. Short term (weekly or monthly) goals can help drive your job search. Such goals might include: “identify and apply for 5 positions per week” or “make at least 2 new contacts per week.” Long-term goals (3-5 years +) help to make sure that you are not losing sight of that big picture. Write down your goals, track your progress, and consider sharing with a trusted friend or mentor. We tend to be more active in pursuing goals when we have some measure of accountability.
ASSESS YOUR RESOURCES.
What are the key resources in your job search? What resources do you need to develop? Do you have a strong academic record? Valuable work experience? An expansive network? Your strongest resources should provide a foundation for your job search. By identifying weaker areas, you can also include goals and plans to increase your platform of resources.
TAKE ACTION.
Remember a job search and a career plan are much more expansive than responding to job postings, submitting applications, and drafting cover letters. It may include planning for relocation, developing additional skills, or finding a new practice area. Again, assessing your strengths, skills, values, and needs will help you prepare and develop the right plan.
Take a Tiered-Approach. One approach to planning your job search is to develop a tiered plan. In the first tier identify those jobs/opportunities/experiences that are at the top of your list, the ideal job, a practice area that excites you, etc. In the second tier consider jobs/opportunities/or experiences that you would like (but may not love). In the third tier identify your last-ditch efforts. These might include less favorable ways to meet your needs, but should provide opportunities to advance to your second and first tier choices.
Consider a Step-Plan. Some people are more comfortable with systematic processes than tiers. If you are creating a step-plan ask yourself for each step: What do I hope to accomplish? How long will it take? What resources will I use? How does it help me advance toward my goals? And, what next? Using your goals to clearly define each step of your process will help ensure that you are effectively and efficiently directing your efforts and that you don’t lose sight of that big picture.
Make a Contacts Roadmap. In his book, The New Lawyer Survival Guide, Vol. 1: From Lemons to Lemonade in the new Legal Job Market, Richard Hermann suggests creating a “Contacts Roadmap.” In summary, a Contacts Roadmap is a detailed business plan for your job search. It identifies your objectives, prospective employers, and your qualifications. Rather than maintaining your contacts roadmap merely for your own records, Hermann suggests that you share your roadmap with your contacts.
KEEP GOOD RECORDS.
Whatever plan or method that you choose, be sure to keep good records. Tracking the jobs that you apply for, the cover letters that you send, and the people that you meet can help you to stay accountable to your goals. It can also help you avoid duplicating your efforts and can help to manage your job search timeline.
BE REALISTIC.
This job market is unlike any that the legal market has seen in the past. It will take time. It will take creativity. But if you are willing to put in the work, you will be able to find your perfect job. However, your perfect job right now may not be your perfect job forever. Chances are you will not land in the corner office in your first interview; that doesn’t mean that you won’t get there, or that you should stop trying. Understand that what you learn in the job search process is just as important as the result. While job searches will start and stop, your career development is a continuous path.
Keep an eye out for future articles in TYL aimed at assisting you with specific aspects of your job search and career development including developing your resume, pro-bono work, and nontraditional careers.
RESOURCES
www.strengthsquest.com
www.nalp.org
www.decisionbooks.com
http://www.law.harvard.edu/current/careers/opia/toolkit/self-assessment/selfassessment.
html
http://www.mcgeorge.edu/Students/CDO/Career_Handout_Series.htm
http://www.sfbsearch.com/section.cfm/ID/8
http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/news/blog/girls-guide-guest
http://www.lawyeravenue.com/2010/05/21/career-assessment-update-for-laid-offlawyers/
http://www.americanbar.org/publications/law_practice_magazine/2011/july_august/make
_the_right_move.html
http://www.nycbar.org/career-development/your-career-1/self-assessment
http://www.cba.org/cba/practicelink/careerbuilders_advancement/self_assessment.aspx#v
alues
YOU CAN GET THERE FROM HERE: DEVELOPING THE PLATFORM AND A
PLAN FOR YOUR JOB SEARCH
Elizabeth Overmoe and Stephanie McCoy Loquvam
Job satisfaction is not happenstance. Most people who find their work personally meaningful have invested considerable time figuring out what they want to do. They spend time examining their values, interests and skills, and determining how these pieces can be best applied at work.
Deborah Arron, author of What Can You Do With a Law Degree?, believes self-assessment for lawyers involves finding the answer to three questions: “Who Am I?”, “What Do I Want?” and “What Am I Willing to Give Up to Get What I Want?” As you begin your professional journey it is important to ask a variety of questions, including the three mentioned above, to determine exactly what you want and need to support job satisfaction. This includes understanding what makes you unique (i.e., your values, interests, personality, skills).
VALUES ASSESSMENT.
Gaining an understanding of personal and work values is critical; they serve as criteria for judgments, preferences, and choices. Your values have been shaped by life experiences, including your upbringing, environment, gender, culture, socioeconomic status, and education. Making career and life choices that agree with core values is essential to satisfaction and happiness. Make sure to ask, “What are my values?” OR “What is important to me?” AND “What type of work best suits those values?”
KEEP YOUR INTERESTS IN MIND.
Your interests include activities you enjoy or want to do as well as subject areas that arouse your curiosity or hold your attention. The more pleasurable or appealing the experience is for you, the more inspired and motivated you will be to pursue it. Considering your coursework during school may provide you with some insight as to what you may enjoy as an area of practice. Also consider what you like to do during your free time. You may find that your interests lead you on a completely different career path than your degree, and that’s ok. But remember, while your interests reveal what you enjoy, you may not want to pursue those interests professionally because they may conflict with other interests or values.
YOU’VE GOT PERSONALITY.
John L. Holland, a career theorist, stated in his book Making Vocational Choices: A Theory of Careers, that job interests can be viewed as an expression of personality. Holland’s work focused on six personality types: realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, and conventional. Although an individual may exhibit features from all six personality types, one or two will be predominant. Holland explained that people tend to seek an environment similar to their personality type. When you work in an environment that is similar to your type, you are more likely to be satisfied with your job.
DETERMINE YOUR SKILLS SET.
One of the best ways to recognize your skills is to identify your past accomplishments. Think of at least five accomplishments that made you happy. These should be things you did well, enjoyed doing, and found energizing. Now, determine what skills you possessed in order to be successful. Were you the decision maker? Did you delegate responsibilities and communicate effectively? Did you organize everything to increase efficiency? Did you earn the respect from colleagues by being a team player and motivating others? The resources identified at the end of this article have many tools to assist you in determining your skill set.
DEVELOP A PLAN.
Whether you are looking for your first job out of law school, considering the next “next step” in your career, or are ready for a career change altogether, assessing your skills, strengths, values, and needs provides a necessary foundation for developing a career plan. They should help you to understand your “big picture.” Use the following tips and tools to prepare your plan.
SET GOALS.
Your goal might be to get a job or it might be to land in the corner office. However, mere aspiration is not sufficient. Short term (weekly or monthly) goals can help drive your job search. Such goals might include: “identify and apply for 5 positions per week” or “make at least 2 new contacts per week.” Long-term goals (3-5 years +) help to make sure that you are not losing sight of that big picture. Write down your goals, track your progress, and consider sharing with a trusted friend or mentor. We tend to be more active in pursuing goals when we have some measure of accountability.
ASSESS YOUR RESOURCES.
What are the key resources in your job search? What resources do you need to develop? Do you have a strong academic record? Valuable work experience? An expansive network? Your strongest resources should provide a foundation for your job search. By identifying weaker areas, you can also include goals and plans to increase your platform of resources.
TAKE ACTION.
Remember a job search and a career plan are much more expansive than responding to job postings, submitting applications, and drafting cover letters. It may include planning for relocation, developing additional skills, or finding a new practice area. Again, assessing your strengths, skills, values, and needs will help you prepare and develop the right plan.
Take a Tiered-Approach. One approach to planning your job search is to develop a tiered plan. In the first tier identify those jobs/opportunities/experiences that are at the top of your list, the ideal job, a practice area that excites you, etc. In the second tier consider jobs/opportunities/or experiences that you would like (but may not love). In the third tier identify your last-ditch efforts. These might include less favorable ways to meet your needs, but should provide opportunities to advance to your second and first tier choices.
Consider a Step-Plan. Some people are more comfortable with systematic processes than tiers. If you are creating a step-plan ask yourself for each step: What do I hope to accomplish? How long will it take? What resources will I use? How does it help me advance toward my goals? And, what next? Using your goals to clearly define each step of your process will help ensure that you are effectively and efficiently directing your efforts and that you don’t lose sight of that big picture.
Make a Contacts Roadmap. In his book, The New Lawyer Survival Guide, Vol. 1: From Lemons to Lemonade in the new Legal Job Market, Richard Hermann suggests creating a “Contacts Roadmap.” In summary, a Contacts Roadmap is a detailed business plan for your job search. It identifies your objectives, prospective employers, and your qualifications. Rather than maintaining your contacts roadmap merely for your own records, Hermann suggests that you share your roadmap with your contacts.
KEEP GOOD RECORDS.
Whatever plan or method that you choose, be sure to keep good records. Tracking the jobs that you apply for, the cover letters that you send, and the people that you meet can help you to stay accountable to your goals. It can also help you avoid duplicating your efforts and can help to manage your job search timeline.
BE REALISTIC.
This job market is unlike any that the legal market has seen in the past. It will take time. It will take creativity. But if you are willing to put in the work, you will be able to find your perfect job. However, your perfect job right now may not be your perfect job forever. Chances are you will not land in the corner office in your first interview; that doesn’t mean that you won’t get there, or that you should stop trying. Understand that what you learn in the job search process is just as important as the result. While job searches will start and stop, your career development is a continuous path.
Keep an eye out for future articles in TYL aimed at assisting you with specific aspects of your job search and career development including developing your resume, pro-bono work, and nontraditional careers.
RESOURCES
www.strengthsquest.com
www.nalp.org
www.decisionbooks.com
http://www.law.harvard.edu/current/careers/opia/toolkit/self-assessment/selfassessment.
html
http://www.mcgeorge.edu/Students/CDO/Career_Handout_Series.htm
http://www.sfbsearch.com/section.cfm/ID/8
http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/news/blog/girls-guide-guest
http://www.lawyeravenue.com/2010/05/21/career-assessment-update-for-laid-offlawyers/
http://www.americanbar.org/publications/law_practice_magazine/2011/july_august/make
_the_right_move.html
http://www.nycbar.org/career-development/your-career-1/self-assessment
http://www.cba.org/cba/practicelink/careerbuilders_advancement/self_assessment.aspx#v
alues
Saturday, October 27, 2012
CEB Blog: Another Resource Just for You!
The following blog has a wide variety of information available to its viewers. The breadth of the discussion spans from news in different areas of the law to professional development, social media and the practice of law. I encourage you to take a look!
Thursday, October 18, 2012
South Dakota Project Rural Practice
Have you ever thought of starting up your own practice or working in rural South Dakota? If so, then you should definitely check out the new website designed and created by lawyers for lawyers who are transitioning or beginning a small town practice in South Dakota.
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