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I started my own business soon after I relocated to Seattle. That meant I needed to work twice as hard to establish myself in the community, while also trying to learn how to be a good lawyer and a good business owner. I figured having informational interviews would kill two birds with one stone; I would be able to meet people and make connections, while also getting advice on how to run a solo law office.
I must have had at least 100 informational interviews. It started off ok at first. Most of the lawyers I knew were out of state, so our informational interviews were over the phone. I had a set of questions and then just generally asked them for their best advice for someone in my position. I felt like I got a lot of ideas and the responses were generally supportive, encouraging, and helpful.
Posted by Autumn T. Johnson | December 13th, 2013
So, I had more informational interviews. I cast a wide net. I met with lots of attorneys, most of whom were older, more experienced, and practicing in solo or small firms. The warm and fuzzy feelings I initially had wore off quickly. First, it is easy to get burned out when you have to be on all the time. You are constantly explaining yourself, your choices, your goals, and then just absorbing everything the other person has to say, valuable or not. For this reason alone, I suggest you pace yourself. I was doing multiple interviews a day…a practice I would not recommend.
...it is easy to get burned out when you have to be on all the time."
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Second, not all informational interviews are beneficial. It was the negativity and cynicism that really got to me. Many of my informational interviews were down right discouraging. I had older lawyers tell me to just get a “real job,” to move to another city, to keep my current job just get a pay check, that I couldn’t be a solo attorney without a husband supporting me, blah blah. I even had one guy tell me that I had two many practice areas and I was going to be like McDonald’s, making a lot of things, none of which well. In one bizarre interview the other person went on quite a tangent about my personal appearance and femininity. Awkward. In a rare informational interview with two people, they bickered with each other the entire time; going so far as to tell the other person their advice was horrible. Uncomfortable.
It was around this point when I realized that some people just didn’t get it. They didn’t get me or what I was trying to accomplish. They didn’t get that jobs were scarce and that big law firms aren’t attractive to everyone, that some people actually want to do meaningful work they care about, that some people have an entrepreneurial spirit. I also realized that not all the advice I got was helpful, applicable, or even good. But, I kept going to them and shortly thereafter I had an informational interview with a guy that told me to “f*#k the cynics.” That was hugely comforting to me. I realized that I had not been wasting my time because at least 1/3 of those informational interviews were incredibly valuable. I met my mentor through an informational interview. I met attorneys that later helped me prepare for other interviews, hearings, etc. I met people that later became my friends.
My informational interviews also helped me realize that some areas of law just weren’t for me. I didn’t like the community.
No matter what field you are in, there are people who are willing to meet with you, help you, and support you. It isn’t everyone and sometimes you have to suffer through a few opinionated windbags, but they are out there. So, my advice is do informational interviews if you want to meet people, learn about an industry or career of interest to you, or get advice. Go prepared with questions and a goal. Try to meet with people you like, know, or find interesting. Be open to the idea that what you find might influence your decision to switch jobs or industries if you realize the community or people practicing in that company or area are not a good fit for you. Be yourself and realize that not everyone you meet is worth your time and not all advice you get is valuable, but some will be. The key to informational interviewing is to know how to differentiate between the two.
"
...I had an informational interview with a guy that told
me to "f*#k the
cynics." That
was hugely comforting
to me."
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Autumn T. Johnson is the managing attorney of the Law Office of Puget Sound, PLLC. She practices business and nonprofit law, with an emphasis on microenterprise. She can be reached at SoundLawOffice.com. Her blog can be read at: Sound Law Office