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Developing an Inspiring Career Vision

Presented by The Lawyers Assistance

ProgramFacilitated by Robert

Bircher

Career Vision

• Do not wait for a blinding flash of inspiration-this is rare-most people have to work at finding this out

• Accept the reality that most Lawyers do their career planning 3-10+ years after call

• What standard of happiness should I shoot for?-A job that has the following 3 characteristics:

• You accept the parts of the job you find tedious or boring

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Career Vision

• You enjoy the job much of the time

• You are enthusiastic about what you do

• Tolerating a job for the money, prestige, or recognition or simply so that you are employed is a waste of your talent and time

• Joy-o-Meter exercise: on average what is your level of happiness in your present situation?

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Career Vision

• How can I find my dream job?-(see attached method)

• For those that like the short version : Personal assessment followed by a vague sense of general areas of work or jobs that would fit followed by reality checking and informational interviews followed by networking and marketing yourself

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Career Vision-Exercises

• What fascinated me as a kid (usually between 5 & 12)

• What was my all time favorite job? What was it about this job that made it so great?

• Petal # 1-What kinds of information, subjects, bodies of knowledge , ideas ,or languages, do you like to use your mental skills with? What things or products interest you the most? (i.e. Computers , kitchen appliances, shoes) What problems or needs do you like to help people with?

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Career Vision

• Petal # 2-Where would I like to live? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the places I have lived? Be aware that law jobs are not distributed equally nor are salaries. You will pay a heavy price for the delusion that the Lower mainland is the only place to practice

• Petal # 3 What kind of people do I want to be around? Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Conventional

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Career Vision

• Petal # 4-My Values-what is most important to me-see values exercise

• Petal#5 My favorite working conditions-Dream job exercise

• Petal # 6 Level in the organization-CEO-Manager-Team member-work alone-Salary minimum and maximum

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