How To Network For A Job

At the midway point of my career, I decided to survey the job market. I was largely content in my role at the time, but I wanted to know what else was out there. My approach was typical. First, I wrote down a list of firms that seemed to align with my professional goals. Then, if I knew a lawyer at one of those workplaces, I tried to book an informal meeting with that connection. The standard advice in that situation is to adopt the persona of a tenacious salesperson, diligently following up on each invitation until your contact accepts it. In some instances, I did exactly that.

Case in point: During that period, I reached out to a partner at a boutique. We’d met on a file a few years back, so I asked if we could talk about my career and a potential job shift. He attempted to decline, telling me that his firm had no plan to hire anyone and that he couldn’t offer much guidance. But I insisted that I wanted to meet. After a few emails back and forth, he agreed to get together at a