From the Single Mom's Law School Experience, then "Almost Attorney" to FINALLY an Esquire!: The Job Hunt

Saturday, November 21, 2009

The Job Hunt

The job hunt is a scary time. To be very, very truthful, the chances are that you will not find a job before you graduate. Unless you are a member of a top 10 school, then you might. The truth is that you will interview and interview, but unless you are in the top 10%, and ready to sell your soul for a big time firm that will chain you to a desk and work you for 80 hours, you are going to have to scrap.

I have been flirting with the idea of opening a solo practice. Barring that, maybe getting some other students together to open a small firm together. Not sure. What I do know, is that the stress of the unknown is a scary place to be. Don't be naive, assuming a job will fall in your lap. Work it. And be willing to go out on a limb.

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FAQ

Lots of people ask me: how do you do it? How do you attend law school and raise a child alone? My answer is simply that you prioritize. You approach school as an 8 to 5 job. I take Friday evenings and Saturday's off. Study a bit on Sundays. For me this works. It means not being a part of the "social" things at school, and that time between your classes is in the library studying. But that's okay. You will have different goals then the students who are single with no children.

How do you afford it? Student loans........yes, you heard me. My reasoning is that my earning capacity will double, but likely triple, which means that I can afford to take on the debt to pay for a better future for my daughter and I.

Does you daughter resent you studying? No. Sometimes she gets frustrated, but she really does understand the bigger picture. She is my biggest supporter. I have learned to include her by taking her to class with me when I can, by having her help me study with flash cards, and by taking her to appropriate events at school. In fact, I did an incoming student panel one year, and the administration of the school had her speak as well. We are a team, and that includes this journey.