In a down terrifying economy it’s hard not to agree
to work any job that will have you. Believe me, I know how scary it is to be
broke with law school debt looming. But here’s one thing I've learned: working a job
where you aren’t treated well isn’t worth it. It definitely isn’t worth the
mental and emotional anguish and it might not even be financially worth it.
Here are some things to think about before you take your summer position or
first job out of law school.
How good to you feel about the people you’ve met at the
company.
I know, I know, why are we talking about feelings? No one talks
about feelings in law school. Well,
maybe they should. Because, well, the feelings matter. If you are head over
heels in love with a new position you’ve been offered (and I’m not just talking
about being in love with the idea of a paycheck coming your way) then you
should take the job. If you like the people, you’ve gotten good references from
other people who’ve worked there, and it’s the kind of day to day work you’ll
be happy doing; then take the job!
But, if the hiring process seemed unorganized or your future
supervisor has a communication style that doesn’t seem to jive with yours…then
think twice. I’ve had two disastrous employment situations during my careers
and in both situations I didn’t feel great about my future supervisor even
before I was hired. You made it through law school, you’re a smart cookie…be ok
listening to your instincts if you don’t think a job or work environment will
be a good fit.
Taking a “bad job”
might not be worth it financially.
Let’s be honest, you didn’t go to law school because you
wanted to be poor. So I can understand why a job…any job…even one that treats
you poorly, looks good as you enter into the final weeks of law school. And,
maybe it is worth it financially (just make sure you have a line item in your
personal budget for therapy). But it might not be. Of all of my friends that
graduated from law school in 2011, only three of them are in full time,
benefitted positions that pay more than $55,000 a year. So, how much is that
job that you don’t feel great about really going to pay you?
If it’s less than $40,000 and doesn’t include benefits like
health insurance or child care, you might be better off taking a temporary or
non-legal job that allows you to continue looking for an employment situation that is a really good fit for you (or at least includes health care). If you’re going to make $40,000 a year working long days with no
vacation time you may be unintentionally closing yourself off from other
opportunities. It’s tough to keep searching for other opportunities when your
every waking moment is occupied by a job you don’t like. It may be worth it to
continue waiting tables (and hence have a bit more flexible schedule) if the
pay difference is an amount you can manage financially. Bad jobs feel worse if
you find yourself trapped in them with no time to apply/ interview for something
else.
If you find yourself
in a bad work situation, be as proactive as possible.
As with anything
else, it’s always a good idea to trouble shoot problems when they first occur.
If you haven’t gotten all the information or training you need…ask! If
something doesn’t seem right to you…clarify. And if something isn’t working... have the courage to say something.
In a down economy it’s easy to feel like employment is a
gift that you should be groveling for. While you should be thankful, grateful
and hardworking; you should also remember that you are a valuable member of the
team. Sure you’re still learning the ropes but you are still deserving of
respect. If you find that you aren’t in a respectful environment it might be
possible to correct the course before the situation gets too bad. In the worst
case scenario you may find that you’ve walked into a situation where respect
isn’t part of the culture…and you can make a timely and informed decision about
whether or not that’s the kind of work place you want to be in. While it’s
ideal to make these kinds of decisions early in the process, it’s never too
late to change your path.
