Stop for a moment.
If I asked you right now what your long-term goals are, could you answer?
If you can, that’s great, but if you can’t, I’d like to suggest that mapping them out is the most important thing you can do today…
Goals aren’t just for sales people and entrepreneurs. As an attorney, it’s important to hold yourself accountable to your goals and ensure that you’re making the right moves for your career. But do you know what you would like to achieve?
Ultimately, not having your long-term goals figured out will prevent you from achieving your full potential and highest level of success.
Working towards a goal (or a set of goals) is really exciting. It gives you purpose and energy. What you do today has a direct impact on tomorrow. Let’s set some goals and position you for long-term growth and success!
I believe in the importance of short-term, medium-term and long-term goals. It’s important to set goals for each day, week and month as well as for the year and for 5-10 years out. This plan should include your career and personal goals.
Start thinking about what it is you want to achieve. Write it down, map it out and break it down into shorter term achievements that are attainable.
Your overall long-term success starts by achieving your short-term goals. I always welcome the opportunity to talk to candidates, find out what their goals are and how we can make the right moves to achieve them. Let’s create a plan together and start to execute it!
I believe in the benefits of getting a great offer. An offer not only provides you with an exit route, but it also gives you a measure of where you stand in the current marketplace. Personally, I haven’t seen many cases of someone successfully USING an offer to ultimately get everything they want at their current job. While I have seen cases where it does work out, it is few & far between & tends to put a negative association on you at your firm.
Here are some reasons to throw your hat in the ring, especially in a market that’s SO ROBUST:
- CONFIDENCE BUILDING: who doesn’t like knowing that they’re wanted by another firm?
- ADDITIONAL INTEL: exploring your options at other firms gives you a stronger handle on the market & what you could bring to the table elsewhere.
- APPLIES POSITIVE PRESSURE ON YOURSELF: it forces you to examine your situation & hold yourself accountable to your success.
- SCAFFOLD YOUR GROWTH: checking in on your professional growth in this ever changing landscape is the only way to achieve your long-term goals.
There’s nothing wrong with strategically gauging the market. You know you’re a valuable asset to your firm, but does your firm know it too?
We’ve all heard the expression “it’s not personal, it’s business,” right? It’s a nice sound bite, but I find it rather untrue, especially when it comes to negotiations. If you’re truly committed to your career, every decision you make affects you in a very personal way. And if you’re negotiating for the terms of your comp package, you better believe it’s personal.
It’s critical to convey real life examples to substantiate why you need more money. Negotiating without them makes your asks seem unfounded & paints you as greedy. If you depict your personal life accurately, you’ll definitely see your negotiating power increase with the firm. You’ll also appear more human, likable & worthy of the money.
Are you planning a wedding? Have a mortgage or student loans? Buying a house? Do you have kids & and if so, how many? Personalize your negotiations and you’ll ultimately get much further in them.
Consider this exciting hypothetical:
You got an offer! Amazing! It’s from a firm you really see yourself at, in a role that positions you for long-term success. You’re really happy. You sleep on it, let the idea set in a bit and then your mind starts to turn. You may start to wonder, “if they gave me an offer, what else would they be willing to give me?”
Signing bonuses are great. Who wouldn’t want an additional sum added to their package just for landing their dream job? But, a signing bonus is something that’s earned, not demanded. We will advocate and negotiate on your behalf to get the most comprehensive offer for you.
If you’re leaving your firm and are foregoing some compensation, the most important factor is timing. Were you counting on that year-end bonus to make a down payment on a house? Pay off your law school loans? Are you getting married or having a baby this year? In these situations, it makes sense to ask for additional funds, but you should be prepared to accept the offer without it.
Langer Search helps you negotiate your offer and we advocate for signing bonuses. We understand that there are nuances and employ an approach tailored to your needs and situation such that both parties are satisfied by the end of a negotiation. We take the time to understand our candidates as individuals and look forward to helping you navigate your placement from inception to completion.
You got through several rounds of interviews, fielded hypotheticals, talked about your deal sheet and met with a handful of partners. You got an offer. Amazing, right?
But there’s a problem. Your gut says no. It’s not the right fit, it’s not what you’re looking for, something isn’t sitting right. Saying “no” is not so easy and it’s a process that you should approach with care. It could impact your career in the future and is a reflection on you.
Relationships matter. The firm has invested a lot of time in you and you’ve invested a lot of time in them. You’ve met important contacts with whom you may very well cross paths with in the future. Interviewing is a form of networking and can be helpful for you even if you decline the offer in the end if you handle it strategically. Declining gracefully and professionally leaves the door open for you to reconnect in the future.
Langer Search will work with you to navigate your offers strategically. We will help you leave these doors open. Let us know how we can help support you.
