Part 1 of this self-assessment exercise finished with an iteration of the Background Questions a legal job seeker should be asking before plunging into a job search. In Part 2 of this exercise, we’re going to look at the next set of key inquiries, the Generic Job/Career Questions.
Generic Job/Career Questions
Why do I want a new job/career?
- Dissatisfaction with my duties and responsibilities
- Dissatisfaction with my employer
- Dissatisfaction with my supervisor(s)
- Dissatisfaction with my co-workers
- Dissatisfaction with my subordinates
- Lack of promotion opportunities
- Seeking a new challenge
- Aligning with my background
- Aligning with my interests
- Overwork
What do I want to do?
- “Mainstream” law (law firm, in-house counsel, government, solo practice)
- Law-related/”JD Advantage” work (work for which a law degree is not required, but is an advantage).
- Something else
How hard do I want to work?
- Threshold question: How important to me is work/life balance?
Am I a workplace loner or do I crave interaction with colleagues, clients, etc.
Am I more comfortable if I have rules to follow?
Am I entrepreneurial/intrapreneurial?
Next: A Job/Career Self-Assessment Exercise: Part 3