Early on in my career, I made a switch from one type of securities law to another, specifically from working with debt to equity. I left my old position because of a toxic working environment, the then-hot legal market and because my specific practice area was not as marketable outside of the BigLaw context. I changed to a different big firm known for investing in a better culture and practice areas that would provide ample exit opportunities should I want them. Even for BigLaw, my quality of life has improved significantly. That being said, moving from an exclusive debt practice to mixed debt and equity has not always been smooth sailing. At my prior firm, I was accustomed to being the superstar, even as a very junior associate.
In my new role, I have been drastically out of my comfort zone. As my fellow perfectionists know, feeling out of control and navigating unchartered waters is frightening. It made me want to run. In some ways, I felt like a 1L again, I was around very smart people who all seemed to know what they were doing. I felt completely inadequate. Try to turn these feelings of discomfort and insecurity into an appreciation that you are where you are supposed to be. Your intelligent, ambitious colleagues would not have invited you to join them if you did not belong. Embrace the uncertainty for at least six months and see how you feel after you gain your sea legs. You will probably be grateful that you stuck it out. This new opportunity could either turn into your dream job or confirm that such a position is not well-suited for you. Either way, you will appreciate the closure.
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