Just Keep Swimming: Navigating Transition During Uncertain Times
BY COURTNEY SCHAEFER, ESQ.
Just Keep Swimming: Navigating Transition During Uncertain Times
BY COURTNEY SCHAEFER, ESQ.
As a D.C.-based legal recruiter, I am speaking with many government attorneys about their options. Many are considering the private sector for the first time. Having practiced in government and private practice before becoming a recruiter, I can relate. A few suggestions for lawyers considering this transition:
Marshal Your Resources.
Be intentional about letting people know that you are looking! You want to be top of mind for as many people as possible when they hear about new opportunities.
Arrange conversations with people who might have helpful information about the market and job transitions. Every interaction does not have to be about a specific job to be useful.
Engage with alumni organizations and bar associations. They are a great resource for advice and connections.
Connect with current and former mentors.
Attend conferences in your specialty.
Consider engaging a recruiter or career coach. Not only for specific positions, but they can also provide useful feedback on your resume and cover letters, insight into market conditions, and guidance on additional options to consider based on your strengths and priorities.
Identify A Concrete Ask.
Be prepared to make specific requests of people in response to offers of assistance. A few suggestions:
Get Feedback on your resume or cover letter.
Conduct a mock interview to knock the rust off and provide feedback on your performance.
Introduce you to someone specific in their network.
Attend a particular event as their guest.
Identify thought leaders in the industry to follow.
Suggest organizations worth joining.
People are more likely to refer someone for a job when they’ve met them in person.
LinkedIn is a Powerful Tool.
Engage with it. Start slow if you need to.
Update your picture (you’re a human, not a bot!).
Add meaningful descriptions of your work history. Recruiters are scouring profiles to see if your experience aligns with their needs. Provide more than just your title and employer.
Connect with colleagues and former classmates. Follow groups and organizations that relate to your background and experience.
Like and comment on posts - seeing notifications of your activity reminds people in your circle that you exist. When you network with new people, connect with them on LinkedIn, which leads me to my next point:
Network in Person!
Other people are doing this, and you should be too.
People are more likely to refer someone for a job when they’ve met them in person.
Bring a buddy; networking is less intimidating with a friend.
Use the QR code function on LinkedIn to share your profile at the event and reach out to people later to follow up with them. Don’t hand out your resume, but do . . .
Keep Your Resume Fresh.
Your resume is a living document and should play to your audience.
Space is at a premium—use it wisely and strategically. Left-adjust bullets to maximize available space on each page.
Delete things like a four-week fellowship 20 years ago, undergraduate clubs, familiarity with the Microsoft suite, etc. The space is better utilized by providing substantive information about your more recent positions.
Do not be afraid to let certain experiences fall off your resume over time. Over time, it becomes increasingly less appropriate for a resume to include every position you have held.
Sparing use of government-specific jargon that may not be accessible to the reader.
AI is a tool, not a crutch. Maintain control and meaningful authorship of the document. Same with cover letters.
Consider creating a Representative Matters addendum. The absence of Objectives/Summary sections is rarely noticed, but poorly executed and forced ones are.
Controversial opinion: list your graduation years. You will be asked, and we can approximate it anyway. Spare everyone the mental gymnastics and provide a clear timeline of your experience.
Think about using different working versions of your resume that are tailored to specific audiences/positions.
Address the Elephant in the Room.
If most or all of your career has been in the public sector, be prepared to discuss your plan for navigating the transition to private industry, and to acknowledge that you are going to need to bring more than just subject matter knowledge to the table.
Do Your Homework.
Attempt to understand the new market you are considering and avoid potentially costly pitfalls or embarrassing missteps.
The next chapter in your career may end up looking rather different from what you are envisioning right now.
Familiarize yourself with market salaries. Know what similarly positioned attorneys in comparable roles are demanding. Do not simply negotiate your salary based on your current or most recent salary.
Learn the lingo. Does the firm have shareholders, members, or partners? How are relevant divisions titled? Are there particular acronyms that someone qualified for the position would be familiar with?
Be Flexible and Patient.
Being a government lawyer is unlike working anywhere else. Rigid expectations for your next position do you a great disservice.
Competition in the DC market is stiff, and the future is uncertain. The government provides many distinct benefits. Hours, flexibility, pensions…private practice is different from what you may be accustomed to. Mentally prepare yourself for something different (which isn’t always bad!).
Regardless of experience, law firms are hesitant to bring in senior attorneys (from government or anywhere else, really) without a book of business, a solid business development plan, a record of success in private practice, and/or a top leadership
position (especially if they don’t already know you, see above re: networking).
There have never been enough in-house jobs for every lawyer who wants one, and departing government lawyers will increase the already stiff competition for those jobs. Cast a wide net; the supply of attorneys has increased significantly while demand has not changed considerably.
JD-preferred and attorney-adjacent roles may be a great option depending on your substantive experience. Don’t discount those positions immediately.
Be prepared to approach a potential employer more than once. Sometimes it just comes down to timing. Things are constantly in flux, and needs, resources, and priorities are constantly shifting.
The next chapter in your career may end up looking rather different from what you are envisioning right now. Consider opportunities even if they do not align perfectly with your criteria matrix. The legal market is in a period of significant transition that most people are exceedingly sensitive to and eager to help in any way they realistically can. The smart move is to be open to offers of help, advice, and connection—it is impossible to predict where the next good opportunity may come from. Good luck, everyone, I’m rooting for you.
Courtney Schaefer is a D.C.-based Senior Consultant with Beacon Hill Legal. She is a Penn Law and Duke University graduate who draws on her almost two decades of experience as a litigator in government and private practice to connect highly qualified attorneys in all practice areas with corporations and large, mid-sized and boutique law firms throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast.
