Realize that markets ebb and flow. With tenacity and perspective, where you are now is not where you will end up. During challenging times, be sure to be kind to yourself and the ones who love you. As the adage goes, “this too shall pass.” You are in this for the long haul. Do not for a second confuse your job title with your worth, both when you are job searching in an uncertain market and when you will later have what you deem to be “success.” Your worth is not determined by what is on a flimsy business card—careers are not always linear, instead they have many ups and downs. Take with you what you learn now and when your situation improves, remember to always help others when they may face uncertain job markets.
Life is like a Ferris wheel, sometimes we are at the top, and sometimes we are at the bottom, or not quite where we think we deserve to be, but it is during bleak times that we realize the mettle of which we are made.
— Deborah Beth Medows, a New York attorney who graduated from law school in 2011 when the job market for entry-level lawyers was still in shambles, offering advice to those whose future careers in the legal profession have become uncertain due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.