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The excitement of joining a firm that felt like the envy of everyone around you eventually settles into familiar frustrations. A dream job becomes “just my job,” and for many attorneys, that shift triggers a repeating cycle of finding a new firm, enjoying an initial thrill, a slow decline of joy and satisfaction, and a renewed search. It feels inevitable, but it isn’t. There’s a way to step off the treadmill. 

We all deal with the devil on our shoulder whispering that we’re not good enough, not qualified enough, not smart enough, not enough.  Like an earworm these thoughts can stick with us far longer than they’re welcome and those falsehoods can become ingrained in us.  My mom’s secret was “Jingle Bells.”

I encourage everyone to take a look at their patterns.  Which ones still serve you?  Which ones don’t?  If you’re not sure if you’re headed toward a professional rut, schedule a time to talk with a trusted advisor (like your friendly neighborhood recruiter) and have a confidential, no pressure conversation about the current market and what options you have.

When we are rejected by a firm, after one, two, or even three rounds of interviews, it can be crushing.  Especially so if it’s the fifth firm where that’s happened.  It is natural to start doubting yourself: what am I doing wrong, why am I not good enough, why didn’t I go to a better law school, am I not diverse enough, am I too diverse?