By Anne E. Collier and Sameena Safdar Kluck
First published in Law Journal Newsletters on October 1, 2022.

Law firms, along with many others, seem to have transitioned from the challenges associated with the Great Resignation to wondering whether they overhired. Some lawyers will be the victims of a layoff. Victims? And that’s the problem. If you’ve ever been laid off, downsized, made redundant, or any other of the euphemisms for being fired, it can feel terrible. It can be scary.

Whether you’ve been laid off, fear being laid off, or just want to build your confidence and profile, being proactive reduces the likelihood that you will suffer a layoff. You’ll also be less likely to suffer in the face of a layoff. What do we mean? Consider that all else being equal, confident people do better in life. They don’t let fear of failure paralyze them. Colleagues and clients are more likely to trust and hire them. Critically, and perhaps most importantly, confident people have more objectivity about what happened and are consequently able to discern what they could have done better and what wasn’t within their control. Now let’s build your confidence.

Five Tips for Building Your Confidence
If a lawyer is ambitious, there will be ups and downs. The ups are great. The downs are opportunities to build confidence and a stronger sense of self-confidence. A layoff is definitely a down, but it’s also an opportunity.

  1. Acknowledge your feelings. Don’t let the pervasive culture of toughness prevent you from acknowledging your feelings of loss. Mindfulness is an excellent technique for transforming fear, anger, or hurt from pain into something you acknowledge, observe, and accept. Whatever you are feeling, it’s okay.
  2. Be objective. Objectivity and acceptance are critical to self-empowerment — to the confidence – necessary to move forward. Evaluate the circumstances surrounding your layoff. Is the work drying up? Did the firm lose a big client? Was it just you? If so, were you and the firm a fit for each other? Harsh as it may sound, most firms are all about the business. Further, even if you were treated badly on your way out the door, that is a poor reflection on the firm, not you.
  3. Choose mindset. Don’t choose to view a layoff as evidence of your lack of innate ability or value. When you notice yourself thinking thoughts of doom, remind yourself that you are resourceful and smart, and have grit. Muster a sense of humor.
  4. Be present to move forward. Staying in the present moment will keep you focused on strategy and next steps. A focus on past regrets can demoralize as you lose objectivity. Negative fantasies about the future can result in anxiety and paralysis.
  5. Evaluate fit. The opportunity with any layoff is to take the time to evaluate what is a good fit for you and your myriad needs. Reflect upon what’s important to you about culture, type of work, virtual or hybrid environment, lifestyle, and compensation.

Now let’s talk about who you know or, more to the point, who knows you. Whether you’re in the market for a new job or are happy where you are, boosting your visibility can contribute to your success and satisfaction.

Five Strategies for Raising Your Profile
A major life change can result in a person going “dark” on social media. If this happens to you, don’t let it last more than a few days. You want to start boosting your visibility to recruiters and potential employers even before you are ready to interview.

  1. Start networking. Ask friends, former colleagues, and acquaintances for a short call or coffee. Share your thoughts about next steps. Ask for advice and potential connections. You can even collaborate on an article or conference panel.
  2. Attend events. Attend webinars and live events in your industry featuring people you’d like to meet. Be sure to post on social media beforehand that you’ll be attending, and then share takeaways on social media. Be engaged – you never know whether it’ll lead to temporary or permanent work.
  3. Volunteer. Consider volunteering on pro bono matters, with your local bar association, or at a conference. It will keep you engaged while networking and provide you with content to share on social media and in person.
  4. Consider articles and podcasts. Boost your visibility by writing an article or speaking on a podcast. Often bar associations need blogs. You can always self-publish a piece on social media. Podcast hosts look for guests in specific practices or who are knowledgeable about issues in a particular industry.
  5. Use social media early and often. We have several tips:
    a. Boost your visibility by commenting on posts from clients, connections, acquaintances, and industry leaders regularly and at least three to five times per week.
    b. Turn on notifications for people whose posts you don’t want to miss; just “ring the bell” to the right of their name on their profile.
    c. At least once per week, share articles, podcasts, or events in your area of expertise and on other topics of interest to your audience (e.g., DEI, remote working, or pro bono or volunteer work.)
    d. Solicit recommendations from former colleagues or clients for your LinkedIn profile that will serve as testimonials about how great you are.

Regardless of what has inspired you to build your confidence and profile, there is no time like the present.

*****

Anne E. Collier, MPP, JD, Professional Certified Coach, is the CEO of Arudia, a firm dedicated to improving culture, collaboration and communication. Steadfast in her commitment to excellence and her clients’ goals, she coaches and delivers programming designed to support individuals, teams and organizations in amplifying their accomplishments. She can be reached at anne@arudia.com.

 

 

Sameena Safdar Kluck is the CEO and founder of Amplify Your Voice, LLC, a company dedicated to helping individuals and companies hone their authentic voice and share it to drive their professional and personal goals and happiness. Sameena is a former practicing lawyer and legal technology account executive. She can be reached at sameena@amplifyyourvoicellc.com.