Skip to main content

Signs You Need to Find a New Firm

By Jonathan R. Tung, Esq. on January 12, 2016 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Do you remember when you were excited to go to work? Chances are it wasn't that long ago. Sure, your job pays reasonably well and you're probably not very inclined to go and search for another position now that people have begun stoking fears of another market crash.

Be that as it may, perhaps you should consider looking for greener pastures. If you've been making excuses to stay, do yourself a favor and keep an eye out for these telltale signs that you should start looking for another firm.

  • Your Career Is Going Nowhere: One of the most glaring signs that you should look elsewhere for another firm is if your career is going nowhere. Recent studies have suggested that staying longer at a job correlated with a highly increased chance of being paid substantially less than those who do not stay for more than two years. At a maximum, if you haven't taken on more pay and more perks after three years, it's time to start thinking about changing jobs.
  • The Partners Don't Know You: This depends on the size of your firm, but if your partners have minimal contact with you, this should encourage you to go. At a midsize firm, you should strive to have at least some social contact with them. Other partners will hopefully invest their time and effort in your work (thus, career advancement). If somebody influential doesn't want to spend time with you, then you need to go.
  • You're Not Challenged: If you're feeling like your work is just routine and overwhelming, you should take this as another sign. No one is going to tell you that going into law was the right decision if you wanted to avoid stress, but stress does not mean you shouldn't get something more out of your work. A sense of accomplishment will help you weather a lot. But if you're simply there just to pay the rent, you should consider the damage you're doing to your mental health, and possibly your career.

    • The practice of law is a service. Since laws are always changing, you'll probably always be learning all the time. If your job isn't giving you opportunities to learn, then why stay? Remember, don't confuse hectic stress with challenge. A challenging learning environment is stimulating and pleasant. Pointless stress isn't.

    FindLaw has an affiliate relationship with Indeed, earning a small amount of money each time someone uses Indeed's services via FindLaw. FindLaw receives no compensation in exchange for editorial coverage.

    Related Resources:

    Copied to clipboard