What Do I Want to Do?

A sensible first step in exploring is to determine what attracts you to a particular type of career. Take some time to assess your values/motivators (what drives you), skills (what you’re good at), and interests (what piques your curiosity). Armed with these insights, you can better determine what type or roles and organizations might be a good fit for you (likely after conducting some more research into those opportunities, to confirm they align with what your self-assessment has uncovered for you.

Some questions to consider as you assess your motivators, skills, and interests:

• What would you be doing if money weren’t a consideration? Prestige? Other people’s expectations?
• You’ve received an award at the end of your career – what is the award for?
• What are your strengths in an employment setting? How do they align with what you enjoy doing?
• When a new friend describes their job, what is most interesting/exciting to you?

Find below a starter list of resources that invite you to take stock of your preferences and attributes.

The above self-assessment process is an important first step. But it likely will not be sufficient in exploring possibilities. To sharpen the picture of what’s possible, it will be helpful to scan the career landscape to learn about specific roles and organizations. Doing so will help in two ways: 1) generate additional ideas about potential career paths; 2) help you align your preferences/wishes with what the labor market currently offers.

The challenge, of course, is that the career landscape is a vast one! It may be a landscape dotted with traditional legal roles in familiar settings; it may range beyond to the less familiar environs of “alternative” careers. Use some of the resources below to help narrow the field a bit. Additionally, as described below (see “Networking to Explore Possibilities”), lean on your network to fill in gaps and suggest new avenues of exploration.

There may be no better strategy than networking to bring alive the self-assessment and exploration that you engage in as you consider career possibilities. Speaking to contacts – be they family members, friends, former/current colleagues, alumni contacts . . . or anyone in between! – can enhance your understanding of a role/organization while giving you dynamic, real-time information about job realities.

Typically the most helpful form of networking is the informational meeting (or informational interview). This is a one-on-one meeting where you drive the conversation based on what’s interesting and helpful to you. It may be conducted in person or via phone/Zoom; it usually is not the sort of interaction you would have at a cocktail reception, conference, or crowded social event. Instead, it may be the desired outcome of attending such events: generating a contact who would then be willing to give you time later on to discuss their role, industry, organization, and/or career in more depth during an informational meeting.

A networking strategy might follow the general path below:

1. Find Contacts (LinkedIn and HoyaGateway are great starts; see resources below for guidance on how to use those platforms as well as a resource for brainstorming other contacts)
2. Conduct Outreach to Set Up Informational Meetings (see our Guide to Informational Meetings below for guidance)
3. Conduct Informational Meeting
4. Reflect on Lessons Learned and Refine Preferences/Goals Accordingly

Networking does not have to be anything more than professional relationship-building. Still, the thought of it agitates some job seekers. Often those agitated by it report a sense that the relationship-building is inauthentic – there is a transactional feel to the outreach and purported interest in the other person.

Sometimes a re-frame can help; seeing networking in a different light helps build momentum to engage in the activity and unlock its significant benefits. Consider:

• Networking to explore jobs and organizations is a form of research. Done correctly, it is not a request for preferential treatment in the recruiting process.
• Many of the contacts you would be interested in networking with have engaged in the very same activity in their careers; it’s an industry norm.
• Often people are happy to help others clarify interests and get actionable information on what a job entails.
• Organizations like hiring people they know – networking with contacts can be the base of a good match from the organization’s standpoint.
• You’d likely be willing to provide time and information to a person seeking input from you on your career. So why not let others help you?!

Those seeking a career change or looking to overcome uncertainty may benefit from working with a career coach. Like coaches who support professionals in other domains, career coaches seek to help their clients clarify goals, set up action steps to achieve them, and provide a sounding board for the inevitable ups and downs that the process may present. Fees may vary widely, ranging from ~$100/hr to $400+/hr.

Coaches may support clients on discrete tasks related to the job search (think resume preparation and cover letter themes) and/or help crystallize strategies and preferences. Some may prefer market experts; others may want to work with coaches who do not have deep experience in the legal field. Accordingly, some coaches may be subject-matter experts in the specifics of legal hiring and navigating the recruitment process; others may not be guides at the granular level, providing instead support in the form of helping you achieve insights about yourself and maintaining momentum in the search. Regardless of where they sit on the continuum, good coaches are good listeners, and they maintain an unblinking focus on your success and advancement.

Here are a few points to consider in vetting potential coaches:

• Expertise in your field – desired or not essential?
• Level of support – granular work with application collateral and mock interviews? Experience in that domain?
• Experience as a coach – types of professionals they have worked with? How long? Certified coach?
• Pace and format of meetings – how often will you meet? In-person, virtual, phone? Support between meetings?
• Style – is theirs a more candid approach . . . more compassionate? Interested in “tough love”? Use of tests, assessments, exercises, or more free form?
• Costs – as noted, fees may vary widely, ranging from ~$100/hr to $400+/hr. Discounted for longer-term packages?

Below find information about coaches who have worked at Georgetown or with our staff in the past. They have agreed to provide a discount to members of the Law Center alumni community. (NOTE: list will be expanding in 2023; if you are interested in coaching alumni, please contact Rob Cacace, Director of Alumni Career Services.)

Sandra Buteau/L2T Global Consulting, LLC

Sandra Buteau coaches on the following areas: Building and Strengthening Executive Presence;  Building Leadership Confidence;  Career Management; Career Transitions;  Career Changers; Communicate Effectively (including giving and receiving feedback, having crucial and difficult conversations); Confidence and Executive Presence; Cultural Competence;  C-Suite Level Executives; Leadership Coaching of Executives at all levels; Mindfulness-Based Strategic Awareness; and Team Building.

Sandra’s contact information: spbuteau@gmail.com

Click here to learn more about Sandra

Lawrence Center/Center Leadership Coaching

Larry Center coaches on the following areas: Maximizing career advancement; Understanding the difference between management and leadership; Improving time management and prioritization; Giving and receiving feedback; Cultivating paradigm shifts; Enhancing self-awareness; Identifying our blind spots; Enhancing oral and written communication skills; Eliminating “win-lose” and “lose-win” attitudes; Learning how to delegate effectively; Crafting effective goal-setting strategies; and Achieving stronger work-life balance.

Larry’s contact information: Larry@Centerleadershipcoaching.com

Click here to learn more about Larry

Jason Levin/Ready, Set, Launch

Jason Levin is an “attorney by marriage” and author of Relationships to Infinity. He coaches on the following areas: Business Development – Creating a business development plan; Identifying cross selling opportunities; Working with your firm’s marketing and business development professionals; Developing an authentic networking strategy; Leveraging LinkedIn; Defining an approach to conferences and associations; Identifying other profile raising opportunities.

Career Development – Retirement and career transitions; Defining achievable career goals; Raising your profile within your organization; Intentional approaches to mentorship and sponsorship; Overall networking strategy; Managing a layoff; Leveraging LinkedIn; Intentional job search strategies; Interview coaching (pre-recorded, phone, zoom, in-person); Compensation negotiation.

Jason’s contact information: jason@readysetlaunch.net

Fringe Professional Development

Fringe’s evidence-based approach to coaching gives anyone confidence in their ability to achieve results! Our coaches have worked for over 20 years in law firms, the government, and professional services, so we know what it takes to help you thrive. We specialize in supporting folks to achieve their professional goals through building interpersonal communication skills, developing leadership and management skills, and navigating career transitions. You’ll have the opportunity to hold chemistry calls with our coaches to ensure the relationship is a good fit. Once you’re onboarded, our automated processes make scheduling & communication throughout your coaching engagement a breeze!

Interested in learning more? Click here to schedule an initial call with our Client Service Team or check out our website for more information about our approach!

Lauren Gordon/Mindful Return

One:one coaching for parents returning to the workplace and/or managing childcare and professional responsibilities.

Email Mindful Return CEO, Lori Mihalich-Levin (lori@mindfulreturn.com) to use 10% GULC discount off a package of six private coaching sessions.

Donna Edbril Coaching

Donna Edbril (GULC alumna) coaches women lawyers with children to help them advance in their careers and find fulfillment. Donna’s 38-year legal career as a working mom prior to coaching, provides her with unique insight into the aspirations and challenges of women lawyers. She strives to build a supportive coaching relationship based on mutual trust, openness, honesty and respect.

Donna’s coaching is focused on supporting women lawyers to: develop clarity in what matters most to them and align their personal and professional lives with their values and sense of purpose;  identify their personal and professional goals, address whether these goals are aligned with their values and purpose, discuss what is holding them back in achieving these goals and develop an action plan to successfully move forward; develop tools/strategies to take risks, deal with self-doubt and the inner critic, to set boundaries, and move away from perfectionism, overthinking, over-planning and feeling “not good enough.”

Donna’s contact information: donna@donnaedbril.com.

Carroll Welch Consulting