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When You Have To Go Get The Work
I’ve recently visited with attorneys from several different firms who have mentioned one of the keys to being successful as a clerk or young associate is the ability to go get the work. They&#\par
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We saw a non-legal industry version of that play out last week, when arguably the most popular and influential sports media personality, Bill Simmons, and his employer ESPN decided to part ways. ESPN’s point of view was essentially: “You’re great, but you don’t make us enough money to justify the salary you’re asking for.” If that’s the reality for someone like Mr. Simmons, what does that mean for the rest of us who aren’t the preeminent people in our field (I’m sure one or more of you will be, but the point is that doesn’t save you!). \par \par Whether or not you work for an employer whose work distribution rewards those who go out and seek it, this is a valuable lesson to keep in mind. In the one instance your professional survival at that employer may very well depend on it. But even if you are constantly given work and it doesn’t appear to be an issue, you can increase your reputation as a team player and devoted employee just by asking for extra work and offering to help someone else out.\par \par So this summer when everyone is leaving the office, look around and see who still has their light on. Go by and ask if there is anything you could do to help them out. Developing that habit now will pay off, and may even save your job.\par \par Connect with Daniel at Daniel_Hare@Baylor.edu and/or @BaylorLawDaniel on Twitter.\par \par Job of the Week: Each week I highlight a job in Symplicity you might be interested in but may have missed. This week's job is: Prosecuting Attorney at City of Fort With (3L/Alumni, Fort Worth) Log in to Symplicity to view this job and apply. \par ]]>\par
We saw a non-legal industry version of that play out last week, when arguably the most popular and influential sports media personality, Bill Simmons, and his employer ESPN decided to part ways. ESPN’s point of view was essentially: “You’re great, but you don’t make us enough money to justify the salary you’re asking for.” If that’s the reality for someone like Mr. Simmons, what does that mean for the rest of us who aren’t the preeminent people in our field (I’m sure one or more of you will be, but the point is that doesn’t save you!). \par \par Whether or not you work for an employer whose work distribution rewards those who go out and seek it, this is a valuable lesson to keep in mind. In the one instance your professional survival at that employer may very well depend on it. But even if you are constantly given work and it doesn’t appear to be an issue, you can increase your reputation as a team player and devoted employee just by asking for extra work and offering to help someone else out.\par \par So this summer when everyone is leaving the office, look around and see who still has their light on. Go by and ask if there is anything you could do to help them out. Developing that habit now will pay off, and may even save your job.\par \par Connect with Daniel at Daniel_Hare@Baylor.edu and/or @BaylorLawDaniel on Twitter.\par \par Job of the Week: Each week I highlight a job in Symplicity you might be interested in but may have missed. This week's job is: Prosecuting Attorney at City of Fort With (3L/Alumni, Fort Worth) Log in to Symplicity to view this job and apply. \par ]]>\par