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Just laid off at Biglaw - advice?
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Anonymous
OP said "One consideration with relocating is that we have only one very old and unreliable car so need to be in a place that if the worst occured with that, we could do without for living and commuting for a time." She also has two medically fragile children, who could need help in the middle of the night, etc. She and her husband will be looking for jobs, needing to get to unemployment centers, possibly needing to move etc. I've been in this situation -- losing your transportation, having to rely on buses schedules, friends, calling for taxis is all expensive and time consuming and adds to the stress. Having a car that works is a BIG deal, not an unnecessary expense. I wasn't suggesting she go and put a bunch of new clothes on a credit card or something unreasonable lie that. Just get the ONE, old, unreliable car checked out to see what repairs it LIKELY needs. |
Anonymous
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OP, sorry to hear this news. I was laid off a few months ago, but pretty quickly find a new job at a boutique firm. Big pay cut, but I'm much happier and I actually have a great shot at making partner, which was definitely not the case in big law.
A few thoughts: 1. The feds are definitely ramping up hiring. It can take awhile but I had 6 or 7 interviews in the course of 2 months. I withdrew my applications to take my current job. Anyway, my point is, they are hiring, but you do have to be persistent. And think beyond just he popular agencies. 2. I hate to say it, and never say never, but biglaw is probably off the table for him now, at least for the time being. I did get 1 interview for biglaw after my layoff, but decided to cancel it since I just don't see myself ever going back to that type of environment again. For me, it just wasn't sustainable and I knew I would find myself in the same position as I grew more senior yet was not "partner material." 3. Going to small or medium-law is an initial paycut, but most people I know who have done it 1. end up happier and 2. end up making as much as or more than they did in Biglaw because business development and making partner is much more attainable a prospect. 4. Shannon & Manch was my outplacement firm. They were just ok. Don't hang your hat on your outplacement counselors. Most of what I got out of mine was "Yeah, the market's really bad. It's going to be hard to find a job." Wow, thanks for the insight. Sounds like this wasn't a universal experience, but it was mine. I did all my own hustling and it worked out. 5. He needs to hit the ground running and start getting his resumes out. Many of the people who were laid off with me spent the first month or so traveling, hanging out, etc. I didn't have that luxury and neither do you guys. I ended up finding a job and most of my former colleagues are still looking. You can't be half-assed in a job search in this economy. Good luck, I mean it. It sucks, but it will work out. The market IS getting better. He is much better off now than he would have been a year ago. |
Anonymous
| PP - Can I ask what your area of expertise was that you got 6-7 fed interviews in the past 2 months? Where were you applying? |
Anonymous
I'm curious, also! |
Anonymous
I don't want to be too specific since it would make me pretty identifiable. I went to a T2 school, but was top 10% and law review, blah blah blah. I did have a pretty specific and marketable undergraduate and graduate degree aside from my law degree, and I'm pretty sure that was my ticket in to most of my interviews. Note that none of my interviews were with the DOJ. That nut I was never able to crack. |
Anonymous
| Thanks for sharing PP. |
Anonymous
No problem. For a lot of this stuff, I honestly think it's all about having a "hook"--something interesting that distinguishes you from the 850 other applicants all applying to the same job. My graduate degree helps--for some of those fed interviews, it was directly related to the functions of the agency, but for several it wasn't--just a good conversation piece and it helped me stand out. So think broadly when you are doing federal resumes--any interesting, distinctive volunteer work, or course work, whatever. And definitely look beyond the DOJ!! I really think getting laid off has turned out to be the best thing that has happened to me career-wise, and I'm not a pollyannaish type at all. But I would totally have stuck with big law, not gaining any real-world experience, just cashing my big paychecks and then having to face the prospect of reinventing myself when I was an 8th or 9th year, which would be so much harder. Which is to say, being laid off is scary as hell, especially if you have a family, but I'm serious---the market is picking up steam, and you will find another opportunity. |
Anonymous
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Hey, PP, how about having to reinvent yourself after spending 20 years at Biglaw (including as a partner)!
Your advice is right on. |
Anonymous
Sadly, I know several partners who are out on the street and having to try to reinvent themselves. That's why I really urge young lawyers to really, truly THINK about what they want out of a career and realistically assess what they want to be doing in 5, 10, 30 years. Hanging out in biglaw is cool for a few years to payoff student loans and save up money, but there comes a tipping point when you either need to go all in and gun for partner, or cut your losses and go a different direction. Anyway, best of luck to everyone including the OP. Things are tough, but I'm pulling for all of you. |
Anonymous
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Anonymous
| Laid off too. Career counselor suggested addressing the "why are you looking question" in the cover letter and basically indicating I was laid off. I've never heard of anything like that. My focus in the letters was highlighting the experience they seemed to be looking for and indicating how I could add to the service of their clients. Have things changed since I was last looking? I've always hired with the understanding that people either want or need a new job, that is why they are looking. Hate this process. Is the counselor just another lawyer who couldn't find a job? |
Anonymous
My outplacement counselor was an exlawyer. I don't think it's a very good idea to put you were laid off in your cover letter. It's seems too desperate, too negative, even if they know that's why ou are looking. I used the standard "I'm looking to transition my practice to...." If you were laid off from a big firm and it made the legal press (like mine), your interviewer will probably know what happened, so there's no use trying to spin your story. Especially if your law firm, like mine, refused to keep you up on the website to give you the pretense of still having a job. If your layoff was stealth and your firm is keeping you up on the website for a period of time, you're in a much better situation. |
Anonymous
| Right. You want to keep it positive, positive, positive. Cover letter, resume, and interview. Like a first date. I would never put the words "laid off" in a cover letter. That counselor sounds crappy. |
Anonymous
| This may have been said already, but I would tell him to reach out to his law school's career office, no matter how many years he has been out of law school. I know that mine has a dedicated alumni counselor. Most employers these days are not willing to pay headhunter fees (because they don't need to!), so I'd be a little cautious about working with one. Law school career counselors are often very hooked up with employers and can help him for free. |
Anonymous
| OP here, thanks for the great ideas everyone, and the good wishes. We've both got a few possibilities, hopefully one (or two!) will pan out soon. Had not talked to law school career office, will follow up on that next week. Good luck to all who are looking! |