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Are you finding it difficult to fill your day with billable work?
Are you beginning to feel like your job is in jeopardy? Here
are some practical suggestions:
- Do nothing – At the first signs of a slowdown in workload, it
is important not to be rash. Career decisions, like financial investment
decisions, are best made in a cool and rational manner. Rumors of a slowdown
in work will spread quickly, and before you know it headhunters will be
calling. Do nothing. Resist the temptation to follow up on these opportunities
until you have had the chance to reflect properly.
- Be proactive and positive – The best defense is a good offense.
Don't sit around waiting for partners and clients to call. Find out
if anything needs to be done and do it. Most importantly, don’t
become a whiner or someone who contributes to the rumor mill about the
demise of the firm.
- Carpe diem – If you thrive on deadline, then
looking for ways to fill your day can be a scary proposition. Carpe
diem (seize the day)!
Look at the opportunities presented by your newly discovered free
time. Take the time to organize your office and schedule lunches with
potential
referral sources. Sign up for CLE’s, catch up with your professional
reading.
- Invest in yourself – Use CLE’s to explore new practice
areas. Remember that article you wanted to write? Getting published
is a good way to raise visibility. Perhaps co-author it. Surely you
can find someone at the firm who hasn’t had time to get started
on such a project, and who could share the load with you.
- Get active in an industry group – Volunteer to speak on a legal
topic for an industry group that interests you. Look for ways you can
be helpful to an association. Professional services marketing is all
about relationship building. The sooner you begin to cultivate relationships
with potential sources of business, the sooner you begin to reap the
rewards of bringing in your own business. Take note: it takes awhile
before relationships translate into business.
- Take some vacation time – Spoil yourself. The soul needs to
be recharged periodically and you'll be more focused when you return.
The reward for hard work should not be more work. If you spent a lot
of late nights in the office last year, now is the time to take that
trip you dream about.
- Be flexible – Look for areas in your firm that are busy, and
volunteer to take on new assignments. You may find yourself out of your
comfort zone and in a less-interesting practice area. But remember,
the partnership hired you to make money for the firm, not to ensure
that you are always satisfied with your assignments. Demonstrating flexibility
will increase the firm's commitment to you down the road.
- Assess your financial situation – Do you have the resources
to weather a period of unemployment? If not, this is the time to cutting
expenses and saving. If you started practicing within the past five
years, all of this uncertainty may be very anxiety-producing. But you
might as well get used to it and learn to make the most of the downturn.
Unless you plan to retire soon, this is only the first of several downturns
you'll experience during your professional life.
Periods of market decline are never easy. But if you apply some of
these techniques, the next downturn will be a little easier.
By Steve Seckler, JD, legal career consultant, www.counseltocounsel.com.
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