Nothing ventured, nothing gained

Tiffany Farber is a solo practitioner who has been practicing law since 2008. As someone who has been through transition in her career, she understands the challenges lawyers in this situation face.

Lately, I have been seeing job postings for opportunities that would require relocation from Chicago.  Obviously, this isn’t an option for some people, but if it is for you, you should consider it.

I have several friends and colleagues from Chicago who have relocated to other parts of Illinois, such as Rockford and Springfield, for positions.  While hesitant to leave Chicago at first, all of them are very happy with their choices and are fulfilled in their jobs.  Some of them even choose to come to Chicago on weekends.  If you see a job opportunity that would be excellent for you, don’t disregard it because it’s far away.

This is a touchy subject for many people because they have no interest in moving.  But what if an opportunity comes up in an area of law that you want to practice in?  It could definitely be worth it to build your experiences and resume.  A friend of mine was very interested in health-care law, and he ended up relocating because of the tremendous opportunity that was afforded to him outside of Chicago.  He loves his job!   Before you write the idea of moving off, think about the possibilities there are in relocating for a job that you will really enjoy.  If you have a partner, this may make things more challenging but not impossible.  A large chunk of my colleagues who have recently relocated have partners, and they worked it out.

If you’re not keen on the idea of moving for an extended period of time, there are options that may take you outside of Chicago for a couple of years, but not permanently.  Clerking for a judge is one such option.  I have several friends who have gone this route.  Clerking is an excellent opportunity and it usually only lasts for a couple of years.  You can also look into fellowships or teaching opportunities that only require a short commitment.

If you see a job that sounds interesting to you, but relocating isn’t an option, reach out to the person who posted the job.  Maybe they have connections with someone in Chicago who can offer you a job.  You never know!

The key is not to write something off because it is far away.  I understand that families and mortgages make moving difficult, but sometimes families need a change of pace too.  It happens all the time—people move for job opportunities.  This week, I challenge you to take a gander at opportunities outside of Chicago.  As they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained.