Avoid the “everything happens for a reason” and instead, say you believe in them
Not getting a 2L job in the OCIs felt like imposter syndrome had caught up to me. I was caught. I was an imposter. Bay Street knew it, and soon my peers would know it, too. Hannah Johnson: not as smart as she thought. Not as personable, not as interesting, not as qualified as the rest of us. She must not have what it takes. How embarrassing.
To spoil the ending of what seems like a very sad story — I made it out the other side with an articling position at a full-service Bay Street firm. It was not a straight line to get there, though, and I thought it might be helpful to flag some things that were said to me by well-meaning friends or peers that made me want to poke them in the eye.
- Everything happens for a reason
Some people believe everything happens for a reason. I do not. I think that I have had an opportunity to practise resilience early in my career and I think that will serve me well. I had to believe in myself when it seemed like a whole lot of very smart and powerful people did not believe in me. I am proud of how I hustled, worked hard, and remained true to myself, but I do not think that ending up with the job that I wanted needed to be nearly this painful, time-consuming, embarrassing, or demoralizing.
2. Are you going to apply for X [job that is significantly less prestigious or interesting or impressive than the job that the speaker has]?
As much as this question is intended to help, it really sounds like “Have you considered that you might only be qualified for this thing you have no interest in?” Before asking this question to your friend, ask yourself if you would apply for that job. Is this a job that will lead to the kind of career your friend wants, or is it so hard seeing your friend unhappy that you just want them to get a job and be done with it? It is very difficult to see the people you care about in pain, but unless your recommendation is something that you think aligns in some way with your friend’s interests, you risk implying that they are just not cut out for the career they want.
3. You would be so qualified for that, how did they not hire/interview you?
If your friend knew that, they probably would not still be on the job hunt. This is meant as a confidence boost, but it falls flat because it really implies that your friend is the one doing something wrong. There is a surplus of qualified candidates, and any one person not getting a job does not mean necessarily that they could have done anything differently. Also, this question puts your friend in the position of explaining to you why they think they were passed on. Ouch.
What to say instead…
“You don’t have a job yet.” My dear friend Danya Firestone, 3L JD/MBA took my embarrassed self out for a coffee, where I explained my horrible OCI experience with my tail between my legs and made a self-deprecating comment about being unemployed.
“I don’t know why we all have to act like the formal recruit process is the only avenue to a fulfilling, interesting legal career. It’s not. There are plenty of cool jobs coming out and this is truly one way to get them.”
Danya was not embarrassed for me, she was indignant on my behalf because she thought I would be an excellent candidate. She was not about to let me drown in self-pity when this was truly one blip on the way to whatever kind of legal career I wanted.
Your friend who did not get a job is a law student at the best law school in the country. They are investing (so much!) into their legal education, presumably to create the kind of legal career that they want. Not getting a 2L summer job in the OCI process stings. It will be a stressful and frustrating time until they secure summer employment. The 2L summer is just that, though — May to August of 2021. Your friend’s long-term goals do not have to change — their path to reach them does. If you are going to say anything, tell your friends you believe in them. Otherwise, just listen.
Hannah Johnson spent her 2L summer at the Ontario Ministry of Finance Legal Services Branch. She will be articling at Goodmans LLP in 2021-2022.
