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Career Corner

 

Carol Fishman Cohen, HBS '85 and Vivian Steir Rabin, HBS '86 Back to Work: Resuming Your Legal Career after Time Out

By Carol Fishman Cohen, HBS ’85, and

Vivian Steir Rabin, HBS ’86

 

Have you left traditional legal work to spend time with your kids or pursue a non-traditional passion? Would you like to return to the professional world but are concerned about how to find an opportunity that will allow you to fulfill your family or other non-work obligations, nervous about how to “market yourself” to potential employers, or unsure about what type of work you want to do? We know how you feel. Although we’re not HLS graduates, we’re both Harvard MBAs who took time out to be home with our children, then relaunched our careers years later. Based upon our experience, and that of the more than one hundred women (including several lawyers) interviewed for our forthcoming book, as well as the career counselors, recruiters and employers whose advice we sought, we’ve developed a detailed process to help you negotiate this major transition. In brief summary:

 

  • 1. Relaunch or Not: You Decide. If financial reasons require you to return to work, go to Step 2. If not, determine whether you are ready to go back to paid work or whether deepening your volunteer involvement or engaging in a non-work passion might satisfy your restlessness. If you’re not sure whether or not you want to return to paid work, take our Relaunch Readiness Quiz at www.backonthecareertrack.com.
  • 2. Learn Confidence. If a lack of confidence is one of the obstacles holding you back, don’t worry. You can regain it. Remember, your former colleagues’ and classmates’ image of you is frozen in time. They think of you as a consummate professional, and as you start to renew your professional persona and reconnect to the professional world, your confidence will grow.
  • 3. Assess Your Career Options. Don’t think that returning to traditional legal practice is the only way to use your legal skills. The lawyers we interviewed did everything from heading up a legal nonprofit to running law school career services to writing briefs for state government offices to working part-time from home for a big law firm, and more. Play Job Building Blocks (think Lego): Break down your old job(s) or volunteer experiences into their component parts and focus on what you did best and what you liked best. Then try to think of new opportunities that build on those skills and interests. Genuine enthusiasm is hard to fake, and lukewarm pursuit of a position won’t cut it.
  • 4. Update your Professional and Job Search Skills. A sure way to increase your confidence and bolster your employability is to update yourself. Read relevant law journals, take CLE classes and attend industry events. In terms of job search skills, develop an elevator story—a brief but compelling account of who you are and where you want to go—that highlights your expertise and describes the kind of opportunity you seek.
  • 5. Network and Market Yourself. Start with one simple step. Order yourself a business card with your name and contact information. That way you don’t have to scribble on a piece of scrap paper if you meet someone who wants to keep in touch with you. Then, start talking to people, beginning with those you know well. Branch out to those to whom they refer you, and discuss your professional interests and the kinds of opportunities you’d like to explore. These informal conversations essentially function as interview rehearsals, as you gradually hone your message. You may think you don’t know anyone who could be helpful, but if you systematically review people from your past and present networks, you will surely identify people who can be resources for you. If not, create a new network. One of the women we interviewed established a college alumni organization for her alma mater in her city, where none existed, and reaped the benefit of new relationships. Prior to formal interviews, make sure you prepare extensively by studying the employer’s website and practicing answers to the most common interview questions. When asked about your resume gap, answer matter-of-factly that you took some time out to raise your children/take care of an elderly parent, etc., but that you’re now eager to get back to work.
  • 6. Channel Family Support. Get your spouse, if you have one, on board with your plans as soon as possible. If you encounter resistance, make it clear how important this is to you and point out that with extra income you might be able to outsource some of the tasks that neither of you wants to perform, such as cleaning and shopping. The older your children are, the sooner you should tell them as well. If you need to change your childcare arrangements, try to implement the changes before you start your new job, so you can work out any problems. Streamline your household routines to maximize time to devote to either work or family. Develop a support network of family and/or neighbors to help you out in a jam.
  • 7. Handle the Job or Find Another One. Congratulations! You found the right opportunity and you’ve relaunched. Initially, keep your employer’s expectations low. Better to under promise and over deliver, rather than the other way around. Help your colleagues whenever possible, so they’ll reciprocate when you need them. And, remember, this is just your first foray back to the professional marketplace. If it doesn’t work out, you can always make a change.

Here is a partial list of resources for those interested in resuming a career in law:

 

Carol Fishman Cohen, HBS ’85, and Vivian Steir Rabin, HBS ’86, are the authors of Back on the Career Track: A Guide for Stay at Home Moms who Want to Return to Work, to be published this June by Warner Books. For more information, or to contact the authors, visit www.backonthecareertrack.com.