The Career Doctor™
by Dr. Jacqueline Hornor Plumez
Looking for a first job? Thinking of changing careers?
Facing a lay-off? The Career Doctor™ is a Larchmont psychologist
specializing in career counseling. If you'd like to ask a question of
your own, use the anonymous form below, and she
might answer you here. Read more about the Career Doctor here.
Contact information is here.
SHOULD I BECOME A LAWYER?
See Letters
Dear Career Doctor:
I'm not sure whether I want to be a lawyer, because it may not be the right choice for
what I want to have in life. I would like to be home a decent amount of time and
make quite a bit of money. I have asked lawyers what their hours are and I was
astounded! They work really long hours -- but they make a lot of money. I love
to stand up for my opinion and I will never stop defending it until I get my way.
People think I would make an awesome lawyer, but I'm just not sure what to do.
Thank you for your help.
Ashley
Dear Ashley:
People who work for top law firms make lots of money but don't have much time to enjoy it. The problem is called "billable hours." If you could charge clients $400-1,000 dollars an hour, wouldn't it be hard not to become a workaholic?
Of course, not everyone who is a lawyer works for one of those high-paying, high-stress positions. There are plenty of jobs for lawyers in corporations and government where the pay and the hours are more normal. There are also many small law firms that value lifestyle as much as wealth.
Finally, Ashley, you seem to think that tenacity is key to success.
While tenacity can be important in law and elsewhere, highly successful
lawyers tend to be more creative than tenacious. If they have an opinion
about a case and begin to approach it in a certain manner, but discover
their strategy isn't working, they are flexible enough to change.
The Career Doctor
Ask The Career Doctor:
The Career Doctor cannot answer every question here, and she does not
respond to personal emails. Please use this form to ask your question.
The Career Doctor™ is Larchmont
psychologist and career counselor, Dr. Jacqueline Hornor Plumez.
Her office is at 90 Beechtree Drive in Larchmont, 914-834-1982.
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