Feeling Stuck in My Legal Career: How Can I Gain Experience Without a Job?

Hi all,

I am a new member, a lawyer by profession with a PGDBA in HRD and a graduation in English Literature. I am hardworking and responsible but do not have good exposure in my field. I am not given good work in my firm, and wherever I apply, people ask for experience. What should I do?

Until I secure a job where I can gain good exposure, how can I gain experience? Please help. I don't know what to do. I am very depressed because I feel I am wasting important and precious years of my career.

Monika

Hi,

I know I can understand the frustration. Do consider taking up a job in a consultancy as a recruiter in the meantime. Don't waste time doing nothing because it will have a negative impact.

Hi all,

Hi Monika,

Welcome to citehr.com!!

IFirst of all let me share one thing with you..even I struggled a lot in my initial career stages like you are experiencing now…let me assure you from my last ten years of corporate experience that it's a temporary phase and being depressed or feeling low wouldn't solve your problem!!

Instead use this phase to renew your efforts & focus your priorities and strengthen your resolve to not to give up!!

May I share my experience on this..in campus placements I had received the offer from one of the good firms but at the time joining the company faced a major crisis and declined to take MTs. In the month of July'1995 I remember I was shattered and didn't know what to do and by then most of the Major FMCGs had absorbed the MTs. Like you I tried and tried but no luck…was feeling pretty depressed like you are feeling now.

Once i was traveling back to Pune from Mumbai in train after a unsuccessful hunt and was pretty morose and low. An old gentleman was sitting opposite to me changed my life and till date I do think of him quite often !! He taught me Two golden rules…

First Golden Rule-

Are you a solutions provider or a compliance oriented?

This old gentleman ..looked at my profile and asked me the above question..

He said “ Rajat ..the company would pay you if you prove to them that you are going to solve their problems..

Second golden rule-

A recruiter has less than 10 seconds to scan your CV..does it stand out?...

My CV was not particularly impressive to be shortlisted in above manner!!..

Subsequently ..i went around in the market did a survey of the consumer products which were not doing well but had potential. After researching & analyzing the trends – prepared the report as how the company can leverage the market conditions and increase it's market share by 20% in 6 months.

This report was presented to the Marketin Head who was really impressed and offered me the position of Sr Sales Officer which was two positions higher than MT.!!

Having said so ..you need to think proactively and accordingly make relevant changes in your profile as well.

One thing you mentioned that your firm is not giving you good work..is that you have not able to convince your seniors of your potential?..

Perk up and try harder with a positive attitude – it should get you a great break!!

Cheerio

Rajat Joshi

Monika

Thank you, Pranati, for such an early reply. But just tell me one thing, won't this job of a recruiter in a consultancy require any experience? And if not, how do I go about it? I have no clue about this.

Hi Rajat,

Your reply was of great help. However, you know the problem with me is that I want to work, but firstly my seniors do not have much work, and secondly, instead of being charged up and enthusiastic, they work at a slow pace and do not like others to go ahead of them.

I have a positive attitude in life and have experienced many ups and downs in my studies and career. But when such things happen, one tends to get demotivated. I have been researching on two projects for the past year and a half, and so far, nothing substantial has come out of it. I try to do my part to the best of my ability, but seniors do not have time to take it further. Then, thoughts start creeping into my mind - why am I wasting such important time in my career?

Thank you.

Most consultants don't ask for experience initially. Meanwhile, send your resume to all the consultants so they can inform you about any HR positions. I know that after completing an MBA, working in a B or C grade company may seem beneath our dignity. However, the time gap in our resumes makes it tougher to get into a good company. Add as much as you can to your profile by volunteering if nothing else is possible, and then apply to the company you want to work in. Also, try to gather as much information about the industry as a whole. Find out about HR-related problems, best practices, etc., before the interview. All the best.

Hi Monika,
Oh heck if that's the way then look for change aggressively and remember one maxim that there are jobs all and everyone..and if you try hard you would find the company who are looking for you!!..and also rework your CV as well..
Great!!...keep your chin high and have a faith in yourself that you shall succeed..this should be reflected well in the interview especially your body language which everyone sees first..
If you don't mind if I ask as what is the topic/issue are you researching about?...perhaps we can help you out…
Cheerio
Rajat

Hi Rajat,

You know what, you make things easier for me by giving answers in such an easy-going manner that really charges me up. Thank you.

You mentioned you wanted to know about the projects I am working on. Presently, I am researching projects related to Maritime Laws. However, after facing challenges in my office while handling these projects, I have lost interest in pursuing them further. I am considering exploring options like corporate laws, Legal BPOs, or anything related to Intellectual Property Rights.

Due to the same reason, I have also enrolled in an online course offered by the Indian Law Institute (Delhi) to enhance my knowledge of Intellectual Property Rights.

Regards,

Hello Rajat,

Your experience will no doubt serve as an inspiration to all struggling HR prospects like me. I'll be forwarding it to all my friends.

I can understand what Monika had to go through because I'm going through the same phase. In Kolkata, there are hardly any vacancies for HR at the fresher level. But hopefully, something will come up soon.

If you are aware of any such openings, please do let me know.

Regards

Hi Rajat,

Your experience was really inspiring. I also strongly believe that with my hard work and positive attitude, I can achieve anything. These days, I'm also facing the same problem but have full confidence that I'll get my desired work.

A thought for you especially:

"Just because something is difficult doesn't mean you shouldn't try; it means you should try harder."

Regards,
Ruchi

"Nothing is impossible because 'impossible' itself says 'I'm possible'."

Dear Ruchi & Rainbow,

I am glad to know that my experience has been of some help and inspiring to the members...

"A thought for you specially: Just because something is difficult doesn't mean you shouldn't try; it means you should try harder."

Brilliant and very true for all of us at all times. Day in and day out, we need to raise our level of work, and complacency should be banned!

Cheers,
Rajat

Hi Rajat,

I want to get some information about HR's Role in an IT/SW company. Can you help me out? I'm doing PGDHRM from Symbiosis, Pune. I have almost 2 years of experience in the HR field. However, these days, I am facing a different situation as people say there are no job opportunities available for HR in my city. I am shocked but still trying because I believe that jobs are always there; we just need to find them or create them. Anyway, if you can suggest something from your experience, I would really appreciate it.

Thank you.
Regards, Ruchi

"Nothing is Impossible because 'Impossible' itself says 'I'm Possible'."

Dear Monika,

I am not as experienced as the others who have advised you, but I would like to share my experiences with you. I graduated from a Tier-I engineering college (CSE) with a lucrative on-campus job offer in hand. I was not very keen on entering the IT field and was considering pursuing an MBA or exploring a non-conventional career path.

Unfortunately/fortunately, it was the time of an IT recession when I finished college. While most companies had postponed the joining dates for fresh hires by a year or so, my company was kind enough to delay my start date by only 3 months. However, they later rescinded the offer as they couldn't find a suitable position for someone without experience. That's how my journey began.

With no job or concrete plans, I spent two whole months contemplating my career path and how I could carve my own way. I delved into studying the economic trends of the US over the past 50 years. Eventually, I decided to venture into recruitment, with a plan to pursue an MBA (which I haven't done yet) and make career shifts during the initial 5-7 years of work. It has been over two years since I entered the recruitment field. I have consistently received hikes ranging from 30-50%, earning more than my IT counterparts, thanks to not just my full-time job but also two part-time positions.

Keep your focus, determine your goals before taking action. With a law degree and a PD in HR, you have numerous opportunities with this combination. Explore the options available to you and choose the path that aligns with your passion.

PL&E,

vnd

Hi Monika,

Your quote does not justify your stance of "No experience - No Job." Nowadays, companies are not hiring based solely on experience but are focusing on attitude and communication skills. Later, skills are added to employees' profiles through effective training. Literacy always plays a crucial role in one's career development. In your case, being a lawyer and having a PGDBA in HRD, I am sure we understand concepts like BPO, KPO, LPO, and EPO. Companies like Integron, for instance, specifically seek lawyers for Legal Processing Outsourcing (LPO), which is a highly paid job. They have a presence in almost all major cities in India. You could consider exploring opportunities with them.

I can only say, best of luck.

Raza

Monica,

Don't get frustrated. You will get a good job because you have a nice qualification in HRM. Improve your skills in Industrial Relations at Manufacturing Sectors and Trade Union issues.

Please go through the case laws and industrial disputes, and if possible, get in touch with the Labour officer near your organization.

Regards,
Praveen