By Frank Zeccola LCD Graduate Fellow
A recent survey has found that the leading element of job satisfaction among millennial lawyers is the people they work with. Sixty-six percent of respondents said that “The people I work with” contributed significantly to their job satisfaction, while 56 percent reported compensation as a main contributor to job satisfaction. Surprisingly, least on the list was “The likelihood that I will become partner,” at just 16 percent. Other factors included “The work I do” (63 percent), “My mentor” (22 percent), “The firm’s prestige” (18 percent) and “clients” (18 percent).
The survey was conducted online by Ms. JD and Above the Law and included about 600 lawyers who were born in 1980 or later. The results were presented at the NALP Annual Education Conference in Boston in April.
This is great news for networkers who seek jobs through people they know and like rather than by applying to ads online. It also means you should work your network and be on the lookout for jobs offered by people you like, gel with, and find friendly. And while compensation cannot be discounted entirely, good working relationships will go a long way toward creating and finding satisfaction in your job.
This means you should get out and network, develop a list of colleagues you like and would like working with, and combine forces with your friends to hit the pavement and keep the networking pressure on.
The next job you find through a friend or networking contact just might be the one you love the most.
On the other side of the equation, a recent study of legal employers by the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System found that skills such as time management, cultivating networks, and handling conflicts are the most sought-after skills by employers when they look to hire new lawyers.
The top 10 skills, in order, considered necessary in the short term include:
1. Keeping confidentiality.
2. Arriving on time.
3. Honoring commitments.
4. Integrity and trustworthiness.
5. Treating others with courtesy and respect.
6. Listening attentively and respectfully.
7. Responding promptly.
8. Diligence.
9. Having a strong work ethic.
10. Paying attention to detail.
“Just as the medical profession realized that ‘bedside manner’ matters in a doctor, IAALS’s research reveals that being a ‘whole lawyer’ means possessing a high character quotient in addition to having skills and intellect,” said Alli Gerkman, director of IAALS Educating Tomorrow’s Lawyers Initiative.
To that end, develop these key skills and work your network to cultivate job satisfaction for both you and your employer.
