With the current shift in the legal market and new executive orders, if you’re one of the 44,000-plus federal government lawyers, you might be deeply apprehensive about transitioning to the private sector. As a legal resume writer and legal career expert, my column at Above the Law over the past four years has centered on strategies and resources for handling legal career transitions at all steps of the legal job search lifecycle, including strategies for updating your resume, leveraging LinkedIn and building a personal brand, utilizing recruiters through the hidden job market, and even strategically searching during different segments of the calendar year (Q2 job search, summer job search, fall job search, and Q4 job search).
Take A Deep Breath And Process Your Emotions
Anyone facing a major career transition goes through a series of emotions. Recessions, pandemics, and government administration changes create widespread panic in professionals, and lawyers are not immune to this.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I had a number of clients who faced major uncertainty after being laid off from companies they were at in the upward of 20-plus to even 30-plus years. They were completely blindsided and shell-shocked by the news. Many were mourning the loss of “what was” and what they had built. There was comfort, complacency, and certainty, and the rug was suddenly ripped out from underneath them.
They had to reinvent themselves, build a resume from scratch (while summing up 30 years of experience), and network for the first time in two- or three-plus decades while understanding how to create a job strategy that works in the digital age, including how to seek out informational interviews with recruiters and hiring executives.
Losing a job or changing a career suddenly can bring a wave of emotions and trauma that you’ve never experienced before. Navigating the “unknown” is scary.
As I’ve always stressed throughout my Above the Law articles, no matter how long you’ve been employed, your career documents should be updated. Your network should be nurtured, and you should never stop keeping yourself relevant and doing things that boost your career value, such as attending conferences and bar association events, engaging with an executive and leadership coach, finding a mentor, and seeking out ways to grow professionally.
Reflect On Your Experience Before You Update Your Resume And LinkedIn Profile
Before you begin updating your resume and LinkedIn profile for a career transition from federal government lawyer to private sector lawyer, reflect on your experience as a whole. Legal experience in the government sector positions you well for a transition to the private sector, whether as a law firm attorney, as an in-house counsel, or as counsel for industry trade groups and associations.
I’ve worked with numerous lawyers who began their careers at the SEC, FTC, FCC, DOJ, FDA, and other agencies and departments of the federal government, which in turn laid the foundation for them to lead a practice group at a major law firm, revamp the compliance program and respond to enforcement matters at a public company, or advance regulatory strategy through lobbying efforts for a national trade association. The key is to showcase how you possess the skills needed to excel in the private sector.
Think about the key competency areas you’ve touched and advised on. What industry sectors have you interfaced with? Are you more of a specialist or a generalist with broader touchpoints? What types of filings or enforcement actions have you managed? Have you handled the rewriting or revision of policies and other key reports? Have you improved major processes or helped to launch new contract management systems? Have you led legal teams and mentored junior lawyers? What other legal adjacent areas have you garnered experience in?
Begin writing a list of these areas of expertise and match those areas of expertise with real examples of results and contributions where you’ve shined in your experience. This will help you to update and optimize your resume. You’ll soon begin to see all of the incredible insights and experience you have that can help a law firm, company, or industry group handle issues from the opposing side.
If you haven’t logged into your LinkedIn profile in sometime and feel apprehensive about where to even start, a quick refresh of your LinkedIn profile is a must. Don’t overlook the importance of updating your LinkedIn profile summary.
Converse With Others Who’ve Made The Leap From Government Sector To Private Sector
LinkedIn is the perfect place for you to network with other former government lawyers who have made the successful transition to in-house counsel or law firm lawyer. Now is the time to reach out to them and engage with them. Find out how they did it, and if they have suggestions for you. Listen to their first-hand experience of how they leveraged their background and made the leap. Remember, you need a strong network and an effective networking strategy to successfully job search in the digital age.
Stay Organized During The Job Search And Career Transition
As you embark on any job search, it’s important is to stay organized. Creating a job search spreadsheet is one sure way to keep track of outreach, job postings, networking contacts, and other progress notes. Check in with yourself weekly. Save job postings. Analyze them closely to identify common patterns and skills that are continuously emphasized.
Throughout this article, I’ve linked and cross-referenced prior articles of mine that can be a helpful resource to you during the career transition from government lawyer to private sector lawyer.
Have a question about your career transition or need additional resources? Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn.
Wendi Weiner is an attorney, career expert, and founder of The Writing Guru, an award-winning executive resume writing services company. Wendi creates powerful career and personal brands for attorneys, executives, and C-suite/Board leaders for their job search and digital footprint. She also writes for major publications about alternative careers for lawyers, personal branding, LinkedIn storytelling, career strategy, and the job search process. You can reach her by email at [email protected], connect with her on LinkedIn, and follow her on Twitter @thewritingguru.