Dear Unemployed Rookie

I know that you are feeling cheated! ‘Who moved your cheese?’ Who flipped the script? Isn’t your newly acquired gown supposed to cloak you with instant success and your wig a worthy crown?! I know that it feels like a steeplechase with no finish line because you are still jumping hurdles.

Good news is you really have crossed over. It’s no small feat! You are made of the stuff of Rock-star Advocates! Only thing is this new race is not exactly one you signed up for but still have to run. I hope this post will be a refreshing water point as you continue on your path.

If you are truly committed to your job search (I trust that you are), I know that by now you have read a lot of resources on how to land yourself a job. Here are more four tips to help you along:

1. Don’t be too picky

You are in a desperate situation and cannot afford the luxury of only applying for the jobs that fit what you always thought would be your career path. You need some post admission experience. Anything to get the ball rolling as you work towards what you want. Yes, that includes part time work and work outside the city.

2. Join a Committee

The Law Association of Zambia has several committees that meet regularly. Find one that genuinely sparks your interest and become a committed member. This is an excellent way to network with potential employers and to demonstrate the infamous ‘works well in a team’ requirement. Volunteer! Be the eager beaver. If you picked a committee you are genuinely interested in, this shouldn’t be too difficult to do. Genuine enthusiasm will get you noticed by Seniors.

3. Be on the radar

‘Put yourself out there’ is a tried and tested way to get a job. Yes, now more than ever the jobs are hard to come by. That doesn’t mean you should disappear into the jobless abyss and only resurface when you see a job ad. Tell as many people as you know that you are searching so they can keep a look out for you. Some job ads are not placed in mainstream media but on people’s Twitter timelines. If people know you are searching, they’ll tag you in any ads they see. Talk about your interests and experience, especially with the Seniors you know. They have a wider network and may be able to recommend you to their peers. 

4. Get your grit on

Okay, so you’ve tried ‘everything’ but you are still unemployed. That only means it’s time to ‘get your grit on’! But what is ‘grit’ anyway!?

Dr. Angela Duckworth, author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, a New York Times bestseller defines grit as passion and sustained persistence applied toward long-term achievement.

Lawyers are said to have a high level of grit. Along your law school journey you picked up some resilience even if it is not apparent. Harness your grit! Stick with it, stay the course and polish your skills! Acquire new skills if you have to.

Keep searching! I’m rooting for you!

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.  Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “press on” has solved and will always solve the problems of the human race.” 

Calvin Coolidge (30th US President, lawyer)

Best wishes