The Surprises Keep on Coming

I wrote back the lawyer who offered me an interview, and he sent me another email--and this one was equally interesting.

"Katie-Let's wait until April 15th or later. Writing sample and essay electronically submitted is preferred. Hint to Katie - I read your resume' and it looked like every resume' I have seen. If you want to market yourself and be noticed look at how all the other law students market themselves and do the opposite. Go to the website GreatLegalMarketing.com and read what Ben Glass, my marketing mentor, has to say about law firm marketing, then apply it to law student marketing. Get out of the lawyer mode. The secret to great marketing is to join the conversation going on inside the head of the person who is the target of your marketing. The question you want to ask is "what are the three things that keep them up at night?". Then you want to address those issues. Smart marketing is all about solving their problems, it is not about you. Now obviously a law firm employer needs to know about your school career to some degree but who are you? What makes you tick? What distinguishes you from the law students whose GPA was just before you or just after you. Why should I hire Katie when law review types are struggling finding a job. Dig deep Katie and reveal who you really are. What within you defines the real Katie Willcox? What are you trying to prove and for whom?

So, (firm name omitted) recently opened an office in Newport News . Actually, we rent an office, full time, in an Executive suite of offices. A former client, Shannon Lemm, who attended law school and lives in Yorktown, persuaded me not only to hire her but also to open an office closer to her home because she was kicking butt in court and becoming a top source of firm revenue. As a single mom with both a college age and a ten year old daughter, she drove daily from Yorktown to Virginia Beach to attend law school and then to work for another law firm for 2 years and then she came to our law firm. Shannon wants to win, whether in court, bowling or playing any game or sport. Her best friends are her mom and her daughters.This is who will be meeting with us. Shannon is motivated to become a great lawyer because her oldest daughter was abused. Shannon is what is referred to as a "protective mom". Google Shannon and her protective mom affiliations will probably appear. So helping moms in custody cases where kids are sexually abused is a big motivation for her. She also has been broke in her life as a young single mom and she is willing to do whatever it takes to have a good life for her daughters and herself. Were you to work for us, she would be who your immediate supervisor.

Katie- Becoming an outstanding lawyer is about who you are and what you are trying to prove and for whom?

Dig deep Katie Wilcox, we want to know the real you."

I want to be like...

Dude, you're kinda awesome. I wish I knew exactly what you wanted to hear, but I don't. Still, this helps some. I think I'm going to write to him about being the daughter of a man who runs a bait and tackle shop and not being limited by gender lines... I'm not old enough to have daughters myself and I have never been married, but I'm a girl who is ready to kick ass--because I've been kicking ass all along.