Knowing what you want to do and what you can contribute builds a sense of can-do enthusiasm. That energy and enthusiasm creates the mutual excitement with prospective employers that will get you the job you want. Self-assessment narrows the scope of your search and keeps it moving in the right direction, Arron adds. Consider the roots of your dissatisfaction and what type of job might suit you better. She knows she enjoys sifting through policy issues and helping to develop a larger perspective.
Powerful forces can be at work in that final question.
I don't think, for instance, that you can be the best lawyer and the best parent at the same time. You have to be clear about what you want first. The comfort of a regular paycheck and job security can be hard to leave behind, agrees Margaret Watt McKenna, a Milwaukee attorney who opened a solo practice last year. He questioned the financial implications of leaving the law firm. I just kept saying, 'Be calm.