Ana is a lawyer in her early 30’s who was stuck in a well-paid yet unfulfilling and demanding job in a corporate law firm. Here’s how she successfully transitioned to a more satisfying legal position by the close of 2013.

1. How long were you actively jobseeking?

Almost a year and a half. I was employed at a law firm which paid me well but where I was unhappy and unsatisfied. It may have taken me longer to do the switch as I was also working long hours at my law firm job and was under a lot of stress while at work.

2. What was your job search strategy during this period?

Emails to networks/friends to ask if they knew people in the field I was interested in, coffee dates with acquaintances and networking happy hours. For me, the in-person networking worked best. When people met me in person, I was able to articulate with words, voice and body language why I wanted to change paths. I found that was very powerful. It took me a lot of time and practice to feel confident about relaying my “job search message”, but more interaction with new faces and networks made me better at it.

Changing jobs from corporate law to “law-related fields” or otherwise was not an overnight shift. There were a lot of questions at first and it often felt daunting. If you know exactly what your next step is then this part may not be so difficult for you. If you were like me, its possible that your “message” to others will change slightly each time as you grow and learn from self-reflection and conversation with others where you want to go.

3. How did you ultimately come to obtain your current new job? (Through a friend, cold application)

Through in-person networking. I became involved with a cause and attended their events. I requested coffee dates with people whom I knew had influence in the hiring process. I relayed my passion and enthusiasm for their cause by showing up to things important to the group and making sure the right people knew I was there and that I was a talented professional.

4. What do you think were the secrets to your success?

When going out to meet others, I kept in mind what I wanted people to know about me. I tried to make myself the most interesting person I could be each time. If I felt really boring that day (if I just wrote a 10 page discovery brief why would anyone care about that?) I would only discuss 1 or 2 things about my job that I actually found engaging and that I was truly proud of. The pride in my work and in myself showed on my face even if I was explaining that I was looking for a change from my current job. I stopped discussing the negatives and what I hated.

5. What advice do you have for jobseekers out there?

This can be a fun process or a drag – so try to make it fun. It can be an opportunity to reinvent yourself (how do you wish people saw you?). The phrase “fake it till you make it” was a constant during my job search year. In general – overestimate your abilities and underestimate your inexperience. If you’re like most women – then you will actually be describing reality. If you join with others who are also looking to make a change, you will also have emotional and educational support. I found the self-searching (what color is my parachute and other readings from the LYJ class) very helpful.

Many lawyers are skilled in necessary and desirable things: research, analysis, meticulousness, negotiation, strategy, writing, etc. Outside of the corporate law environment, it’s the soft skills that workplaces also need: dedication to a cause, teamwork abilities, commitment to an organization/company, management skills. Your hard skills should no doubt be reflected in your resume, but when meeting people in person play up your creative and innovative side and things that can’t necessarily be put on paper. How did you problem-solve in a time-crunch? Manage a complex task with a 4-5 person team and achieve a desired result? Give an example of your good intuition/good ethics and decision-making ability.

LYJ (Love Your Job) is pleased to offer an annual career workshop for women attorneys contemplating a change. Our last workshop was held in December 2013. Email us to be added to the email list for future workshops. Registration is now open for LYJ (Love Your Job) Search five-week class in NYC and Washington, DC. Read additional Secrets of My Success blog posts for advice on how others navigated their job search.