In Those Guys Have All the Fun – Inside the World of ESPN, we learn that George Bodenheimer, who would become President of ESPN, started as a driver for the company. George applied for a job as a driver in 1980, where he was asked if he would mind shoveling snow. His response – “Not if you tell me where you keep the shovel.” At the time, George was a college graduate with an economics degree. While he was waiting to hear back from ESPN, he had dinner with his dad who told him, “If you think the sports-television business would be a good career, then if they call you, you should accept the job. It doesn’t matter what the pay is or what the job is. You should make a career decision, not a money decision.”
Young lawyers need to make decisions that are career-driven, not-money driven. Look for firms that are headed by experienced, ethical attorneys where you will get real world experience sooner than later. Firms where you have opportunities to attend hearings, take depositions, interview witnesses and interact with clients. These jobs generally are at smaller firms, and these jobs generally pay less than the big firms. But if you want to grow as an attorney and acquire the experience you crave, take George’s dad’s advice and “make a career decision, not a money decision.”
Read more by Frank Ramos on his blog, Tips for Young Lawyers.