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Developing Self-Awareness
Ensure Job Security In Your Career
by Paula M. Jones
“If you don’t manage yourself, someone else is going to manage you.” At a recent conference I was speaking to a man who had worked for a large company and had been downsized after about twenty years. The loss of his job had been devastating to him. He felt there was nothing else he was qualified to do for a living and had absolutely no idea what to do next. He had gone home, tried to regroup and went back to looking for a job the way he had twenty years before – by looking through job listings. Nothing appealed to him.
Fortunately, a good friend of his sat him down to talk through all possible options. Doing this helped the man...
Why Some Things Trigger Us - And Others Don't
by Paula M. Jones
If you’re hysterical, it’s historical. - Anonymous I had been having problems with my email lately. I dreaded calling technical support, since my experience in the past involved sitting for a long time on hold and listening to someone reading from a script instead of thinking creatively about my problem. However, since I could not fix the problem myself and I felt I had no other options, I called my internet service provider’s technical support line.
True to form, after thirty minutes on the phone we had barely moved past the point where I had repeated my name and account number to four different people. Then, after another hour on the phone while attempting to solve my problem, the technical support representative...
How To Pick A Mentor Invested In Your Success
by Paula M. Jones
People who are ‘brutally honest’ are more interested in brutality than in honesty. – Alan Cohen Every now and then a new attorney reaches out to me and asks for career advice. I am always happy to help, since mentoring is rare in the legal profession and I remember how difficult entering the profession was for me almost twenty years ago. It is not uncommon for attorneys of all experience levels to need support, either. After all, a competitive firm culture can turn into a cutthroat one fairly easily. There is a good reason why there are the same number of attorneys leaving the profession each year as entering it. The legal work isn’t the problem – it’s the fact that...
Anxious During Firm Interviews? Try This To Calm Down
by Paula M. Jones
“To venture causes anxiety, but not to venture is to lose one’s self..” – Soren Kierkegaard I have several colleagues who get really nervous during interviews. They are all very accomplished in their fields and any organization would be lucky to have them. One man sweats uncontrollably, to the point where the damp begins to seep through his shirt. Another colleague loses her train of thought and forgets to make the most salient points about her work. A third colleague gets so nervous he really is unable to listen to what questions are being asked and he comes across as vague and scattered. Unfortunately, all report that they have been unable to land opportunities that would have been a perfect fit,...
When to Say “No Thanks” To A Job Offer
by Paula M. Jones
You cannot swim for new horizons until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. William Faulkner When I first graduated from law school I had a successful interview at a small firm. We discussed employment terms, including salary and a start date and they told me they would send a formal offer letter. The letter never arrived and after leaving several phone messages over the next few weeks, I finally was told that the firm was not going to hire anyone new.
I still remember the devastation I felt after finally realizing that my very first job offer to practice law was never going to arrive. I had spent weeks telling everyone about my new job and had finally...
Is Self-Employment For You?
by Paula M. Jones
Being a self-employed means you work 12 hours a day for yourself so you don't have to work 8 hours a day for someone else. - Oliver Markus Malloy After twenty years at law firms, I left with my book of business and opened up my own practice. Words really can’t express the sheer happiness I have experienced since then. I bill fewer hours but take home significantly higher compensation. I actually enjoy practicing law again. I am finally able to combine my international practice with my love of travel, resulting in more trips abroad to meet with clients and expand my network. As my mentors and colleagues had assured me just prior to venturing out on my own, I wish...
