Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Phrases Likely to Send Me Into a Blind Rage.

If one thing has been consistent about my job search, it's the phrases people say to "cheer me up." These people tend to be either people who have gotten jobs through OCI, my family, friends who know very little about the legal market, and occasionally readers of this blog. While it's all very well intentioned (and I love you all), hearing it over and over-largely from people who I feel have no idea what the reality is since they have romanticized the legal profession-gets to me infuriated. Literally it has gotten to the point where there are certain people I'd rather stay in than deal with all their "optimism."

  1. "When you're a rich attorney."-You mean in 30 years when I'm twice divorced and raising 2 ungrateful teenage sons on my own since my husband-who predictably will also be a lawyer-can't understand why I can't manage to keep the house clean or have dinner on the table by 6? Yeah, I can't wait for that to happen.
  2. "A Law Degree is a great thing, you can do anything with it."-Really, what? Government. Should I apply to be a cop or President, and where does one send the application for "President" out of curiosity?
  3. "You'll find something."-Really, why don't you go tell that to the 35 unemployed students who graduated from my school in 2005. Or all the ones working as glorified paralegals. I'm sure they'd love to hear that I'm going to find something.
  4. "You should be proud, not many people accomplish what you have."-By that I assume you mean stuck in law school for 3 years despite it making me miserable and ruining most of my relationships.
  5. "You'll be fine, you're a smart girl."-Newsflash: I'm not that smart, and even if I was; smart doesn't get you employed, it just makes you smarter than the personable guy with connections who is employed.
I could go on. But I'm sure I'm already going to have readers scolding me for my "negative attitude" which employers can smell on me from a mile away. Plus, I don't really want people thinking I could fly into a rage at any second, since it's not quite that bad, yet.

9 comments:

Nicky said...

"Smart doesn't get you employed" ... that is so true. People who have failed have placements with Top Tier firms, but people with Honours can't get a placement.

I'd like to add to your list

"You are a catch someone will snap you up" - I don't even feel any of them circling for a feast.

Elle Woods said...

Yeah, why don't they tell all my ex-boyfriends I'm a catch while they're at it. They might find it as funny as I do.

Jeff said...

I am so fucking sick of hearing these too. I really can't figure out what else I could have done to make myself more employable, but here I am with four days of class left, and no job.

Unknown said...

#1 is my favorite. When I pay off the loans that are more than the houses in this neighborhood cost? I'll be 60. That's not really the age most people dream of making it rich.

Liz said...

Hahaha! I love you - and I am trying SO hard to figure out a good response to the, "Well you have a negative attitude..." comments. So far, "I am being negative because this SUCKS," has been unpersuasive.

angela said...

The comment about being smart seems like it'd be the worst. Being smart doesn't get you a job. It just means you're smarter than all the other people standing with you in the unemployment line.

some guy said...

It would make more sense if they told you you weren't smart. Not because you're not smart but because we've all seen time and again when some dumbshit gets the job we wanted. I can't tell you how many times that happened to me in law school, both for part-time jobs over the past couple of years and for full-time gigs. I especially loved it when these dumbasses got plum jobs through family connections.

Ms. Public Defender said...

So I just somehow stumbled upon your blog. Normally I wouldn't comment on a strangers blog but I felt compelled to respond to your post because its like you looked inside my head and pulled out my thoughts. I have been getting scolded for my "negative attitude" over this as well. Nice to know that others out there are just as annoyed with the overly optimistic crowd as me. Good Luck in your search!

K said...

What I really love are the "Don't worry" comments by soon-to-be-making-$145,000/yr classmates... Riigghht. Because YOU know how it feels to be unemployed and facing $900+/mo in loans with no job prospects whatsoever and looking at moving back in with mom and dad. Sure. Nothing at all to worry about...