One of the defining moments for many adolescents is their first summer job. A first job often represented a sense of freedom and increased independence. No matter what your first job was, you certainly learned lessons about how to be a valuable member of a workplace. During summers in Ithaca, New York, I worked at a bakery, a clothing store at the mall, an antiques store, and later, I was a counselor at a sleep-away camp in the Poconos. Each of these jobs taught me new skills, pushed me outside my comfort zone, and developed my career values. As this summer ends, revisit the lessons you learned during your first jobs and use them to sustain and reinvigorate your legal career. The following are some of the key lessons I learned during my summer jobs.

Persistence

Finding your first job may have been a challenge and likely taught you how important follow-up and follow through are in the workplace. My first summer home from college, it seemed like I was running out of places to apply to for a job and not having any luck. Many of the restaurants were not interested unless you had worked in a restaurant before and I had only worked retail during high school. I eventually made a list of each place I had applied and then followed up with phone calls to each business asking the manager the status of my application. Eventually I was hired by one of the first places I had applied. The same thing may have been true when searching for your first job out of law school or your next position. Try not to be frustrated with the hard work that often accompanies finding or changing jobs. A positive attitude while job hunting will be noticed. Additionally, whether you want to develop your career at your firm or organization or make a career transition, be persistent in working toward your goals. Each action you take will show you are willing to put in the work to be a success and will help you in the long term. Keeping up with your network by having coffee with a former colleague or a mentor once a month may also be beneficial to you and help you meet your long-term goals.

Acknowledge and Learn From Your Mistakes