It's not just a small world, it's incestuous. (and I need karma)

[trof]

OK, my son-in-law needs to change jobs. He's an attorney and his boss is an A#1 JERK with a capital "J"!

Like, the associate attorneys who work for this guy chip in and get him a pretty nice Christmas gift. When they present it to him he says "I don't give Christmas presents to associates." Nice.

Like, when we visit, it's GOOD night if he gets home from work by 7. Many nights it's 9 or 10. And then he puts in hours researching briefs online in his home office late at night and in the wee hours of the morning. I know newbie lawyers are supposed to work hellish hours, but he's been practicing for almost 8 years and that ain't no way to live.

Like, he does such a brilliant job on some cases that he's made the cover of the local lawyers' magazine TWICE.
AND been named a "Rising (legal) Star" in his state by his peers in another lawyers' mag.
The Jerk says it's because he takes credit for others' work. I call BULLSHIT.
I've known my guy since waaaay before he asked for my sweet baby's hand in marriage (which, in fact, he did) and that ain't his style at all. When you're as smart, and as talented, as just downright nice as he is you SHARE the credit, which he does at every opportunity. Very self-effacing...maybe too much.

So...I put out the word to my vast network :shrug:
Basically ANYBODY I knew who might know somebody who knew somebody, etc.
And here's what happened in the Small World/Strange Coincidences/It Ain't WHAT You Know, It's WHO You Know Department:

One of my cousin's sons is brother-in-law to the head of a major law firm. The cousin forwarded my e-mail to him. My guy has an appointment to interview with them next week.

One of the founding (in 1941) partners of the firm was 1st cousin to one of my old fraternity brothers.
The other founding partner belonged to the same fraternity at the same university in 1934.
The partner in charge of recruiting is the grandson of my first editor when I was a cub reporter (in a whole nuther life).
Through mutual friends, I know the parents of yet another partner who will be sitting in on the interview. The dad, now deceased, was also a partner in the firm. I also actually met this current partner a few years ago at a memorial service and "wake" (party) for the daughter of the mutual friends (she died with cancer in her 40s). He remembers me because we used my boat to scatter her ashes in the bay off of her parents' dock. (This was my first, and, so far only, "burial at sea".)

OK, I'm ready for the "marrying our sisters in Alabama" jokes.
But keep the good karma coming, OK?
Thanks.

[hfojvt]

1. this would be more interesting

if you knew somebody who needed an economist or a mathematician.
Oh well, I did get an entry-level job in my brother-in-law's employer, but I got fired after six months. So much for the value of a college education.

[trof]

2. Here's how it works:

I didn't know a soul who "needed" an attorney.
I sent an e-mail to any and everyone I could think of who might have ANY contacts in the business world.

In addition to working at a law firm, he would consider being on an corporate or university in-house legal staff. The cousin who came through runs an office supply company. I sent it to a cousin-in-law who's in admin at a local university. All these folks need lawyers AND economists.

It's called networking and spreading the word.
It's probably better to get someone to do it on your behalf, rather than tooting your own horn. But it damn sure works.

You just never know where the lead will come from. It's the foot-in-the-door you need so that you can then demonstrate the knowledge, experience, and ability to do the job that lands you the job.

[hfojvt]

3. I think I read the same thing many millenia ago

in the book "What Color is your parachute?"
Mine turned out to be black and shaped like an anvil.
I think his experience was a big help too.

[trof]

4. Sorry, bub.

Heard of the book, but never read it.
Yep, his credentials are pretty impressive.
Surfing the web, I found another guy I went to school with who now heads a law firm. Although I haven't seen him in over 40 years, he kindly asked me to forward my s-i-l's resume.

How long have you been out of college and what's your degree in?

[hfojvt]

11. Fifteen years and twenty years

MA economics
BA math
Maybe I should do some emailing, but I have the feeling that there are too many others with more education and more experience.

[salin]

13. Years ago I didn't take advantage of networking

back when I was starting out I was moving to DC - had well educated, connected family who had lived there... they prepared a long list of folks (in all sorts of industries) that I "should contact" (or they would give me an entre to) but I was too stubborn (had to find my own way) or insecure (am not as qualified as...) that I didn't take advantage of it. While it turned out okay... I had to work my tail off for years (there and elsewhere) to build a resume, that seriously was good - but didn't necessarily stand out. But some academic work along the way openned the door to a top grad school. This time around I was older, and much more savvy. Knew much more about networking. While there (pursued the phd - and am all but dissertation - when I decided that the pure academic life wasn't what I wanted for the rest of my life.) But during that time, I got to know a lot of people... When I moved back to the midwest (I had been in California) - pretty far away from the direct network... I was amazed when I used some indirect networking to find out about opportunities related to my field of work. While I was simply trying to get the lay of the land (eg what types of jobs were in my field and in the locality) I ended up getting two offers for consulting work. Unsolicited offers - that led to some very incredible work - and positioned me for some very amazing opportunties. I am not trying to be sunny. But, one has to be confident - in terms of being willing to market oneself (eg not second guessing that there are too many other people with more exp or education) and instead just start exploring what is out there through any and all contacts that you and those close to you have. It is in the "fishing" (casting the wide net to find what is out there) that one comes into contact with a lot of middle people (eg they don't have a job, but know someone in some organization that might) that end up pointing one to an entre. I wish you the best of luck.

[trof]

16. There you go, but use some paragraphs.

;-)
EGG-ZACKLY.
You really don't know who you know that might do you some good until you cast the net.

I was a pilot at TWA.

I got my break at TWA largely due to a close friend. He and I were friends and squadron mates in the air guard in Birmingham. He went to work at TWA four years before I did. He was kind enough to advise me on the ins and outs of the hiring process at TWA, which led to a 30+ year career for me.

[salin]

26. Guess I got carried away with that flow of thought sort of thing

;-)

Again I wish the SIL and your whole family best of wishes...

[crispini]

9. Re: networking --

do you use linkedin? it's a great business networking website, especially if you are at all technical. you would not BELIEVE the people I have in my extended network. Sometimes I just sit and surf through it and marvel at who is three or four degrees away from me...

check it out, www.linkedin.com -- PM me with your email addy if you want and I'll add you to my network. It's pretty sweet if you are at all technical...

[trof]

5. Yep, any minute now the deluge of good wishes will hit.

Wishing all the best for ol' trof and his family.
Guys?

[hfojvt]

21. Well my "interesting comment" was meant

to be good wishes in an "ironic humorous" way. As in "wow, I need a father-in-law like that." Clearly, I need to work on my stand-up routine if my "jokes" are taken seriously. Anyway, I kept the thread alive when it was dropping like one of my parachutes. A positive accomplishment I shall put on my next resume.

[salin]

6. Very, very cool...

good karma sent on to you and yours!

[xmas74]

7. Good luck!

[Misunderestimator]

8. Wow! That's incredibly excellent!

And it's so sweet how much you love and respect your son-in-law. I'm happy to share whatever good karma I have (and I've been very fortunate of late) with you for this!!

[trof]

17. Thanks. He's muh boy.

I have known him since he was 15.
The first time I met him I thought "That's the guy I want for my daughter."
And damned if it didn't happen.
Sometimes GOOD sh*t happens.

p.s. Look forward to meeting you and NSMA on your road trip.

[Misunderestimator]

20. Looking forward to it too...

:)

That's wild that you've known him so long and that you thought that. Yes, sometimes great sh*t DOES happen.

[brook]

10. Karma coming your way.

You are an incredibly nice person and one hellova good f-i-l. Heck, if I had a job for him, he'd have it - just because I enjoy what you have to say and the way you say it. So there.

:yourock:

[trof]

18. Thanks, brook.

We're pretty sure he hung the moon.
;-)
Just a matter of getting the word out.

[Patiod]

12. If some guy's Mother-in-law sent me a resume

I'd probably give it an extra look, given the way in-law relations often go. If your MIL even likes you, that's saying something.

I'd assume the guy had charm, charisma and diplomacy along with mad lawyerin' skilz.

[trof]

14. I'm the father-in-law, but otherwise, dead on.

[cally]

15. Good karma coming your way

I have to admit I could not keep all the connections straight. I think that's a network. The important thing is that you are doing this for your son in law. I respect both of you because of that.

[trof]

19. It is, literally, mind boggling.

6 degrees of separation or something.
I think almost everybody knows somebody who knows somebody who is willing to give you a boost.
It's nice and the way the world should work.

[Wapsie B]

22. I don't have a job to offer,

certainly not one for a lawyer. But I'll pass along some good karma just the same.

[tjdee]

23. I have no connections at all.

:nopity:

But, I hope your son-in-law gets hired--you're right, that's not any way to live, particularly if he's living that way for a jerk.

[Missy Vixen]

24. I'm crossing my fingers

for a wonderful outcome for someone who deserves a much better working situation.

In the meantime, Daddy Trof, I'll bet your daughter is thrilled.

Julie

[lazarus]

25. Similar thing happened with my wife

Well, not really, but the lesson's the same.

She was interviewing for a new much much better job in the parent company of the affiliate she was working for.

One of the people who sat in on her interview and had a lot to say in her hiring was married to a man that my wife worked for at a totally different company several years ago.

He raved and raved about her, and that was a big reason she got the job.

Moral of the story: "Take this job and shove it" may sound like fun, but leaving on a good note can help you down the road.

Or, in the words of Stephen Wright, "It's a small world, but I wouldn't want to paint it."

:-)

Also, you never know who's who. My commanding officer decided to make an 'example' out of me in the Air Force because he didn't like my friends.

He failed to gather the proper intel. My father at the time was an exec with USAA (insurance for officers!!) and was a reservist at the Military Personnel Command (in charge of assignments/promotions!!!).

That Captain's oak leaves were on the way, but they never got there. Wave goodbye to your career, putz.

[trof]

27. Many thanks for the good wishes and comments.

Like my granny used to say, "Every little bit helps".