Two years ago today, my professional life completely altered. I found out I was a PMF finalist and I knew that the question of leaving the state had changed from "if" to "when." Six months from now, I will complete the conversion process and, fingers crossed, I will convert to a permanent federal position. I've completed all the requirements for the program and am now focusing on learning more in my position while continuing to improve my skills.
My hoped for future with the federal government has made me think about my professional past. Recently, Facebook's algorithms have added some people from my past to my "suggested friends." One of those people was formerly the HR director at the very first law firm at which I worked. I obtained the job because my mother had worked as a legal secretary there and they decided to take a chance on me. After six months working as a scanner/coder (scanning was relatively new technology back then), I was promoted to a legal secretary position myself.
At the time, I was also attending school at night at the local community college with a focus on obtaining my AA in English. The community college had a degree program for paralegals and I remember talking with the HR director about switching majors because the law interested me. I thought being a paralegal might be a better career path than trying to be a writer. The HR director discouraged me from doing this, pointing out that paralegals at the firm typically used the position as a stepping stone on their way to law school. She said if I wasn't planning to attend law school, then being a paralegal wasn't worth it. I didn't know any better, so I believed her and did not switch my major.
Through a series of stupid decisions and unfortunate events, I left that job and struggled with employment for the next couple of years. It wasn't until I obtained a part time job with the state that I finally felt like I found my place, and with it, I learned what a paralegal actually is. Yes, large law firms, like the one I used to work for, do have a 2 year program for individuals who hope to become attorneys to work as paralegals, giving them professional experience before they move on to law school. However, to discount the entire profession based on such a limited experience was disingenuous.
When I went back to school after obtaining that job with the state, I thought about switching my degree field at that point to a paralegal one, but then I realized I only needed roughly 20 credits to complete my AA in English. So, I finished it and then pursued a BS in Legal Studies through an online program. Still, had I not listened to her, I might have finished my paralegal certificate at the same time I finished the AA degree and moved forward in my career that much faster. Hindsight is always 20/20.
I told that story because I want to note that I have come a long way from that young, impressionable 19 year old. Over my many years with the state, I was encouraged to attend law school and for a while, it was a path I was considering. The truth; however, was that I never really wanted to be a lawyer. I love the law, I love learning about it, and when I worked at my last position with the state, I found I really loved creating it. I liked the idea of creating policies that would make a difference, that would maybe fix a problem instead of spinning my wheels trying to defend poor policies. That's why I decided to go for my master's in Public Administration and Policy instead of law school.
I never would have made it here had I listened to that HR director and stuck with English through my bachelor's. I never would have delved into the world of law had I not defied my mother and dropped out of that four year liberal arts school after only one year. My path to education and my career have been criticized by many different people over the years: family, friends, coworkers, etc. My mother wanted me to pursue writing and it is still a dream that I want to pursue, but if I had focused on that dream when I was younger, I never would have realized my love of policy making and analysis. I never would have considered any of the things I've done in my career because I didn't even know some of them were options and, more importantly, I didn't know I was *good* at them until I had the opportunity to try.
What I have learned is that I am more successful when I ignore the naysayers, at least in my career (in my romantic life, I should have listened to those naysayers a lot more regarding my first marriage!). Family chastised me for dropping out of college, but I found my own way through it and eventually finished a master's degree. So many people said I jumped jobs too much, but all the experience from my various jobs led me to where I am today. I found a love of legislation because I jumped jobs one last time in the state and ended up working with a legislative attorney. One attorney at my last job doubted I could even obtain a fellowship and was really negative about the opportunity, but I was offered three different positions before I received my final offer. Another attorney at that job said she thought I would miss the "hustle" of litigation. My position, much like the position I had when I first started with the state, has an appeals process that my unit is heavily involved in and the work is interesting. Law school was something I was encouraged in throughout my time with the state, but I'm glad I didn't go that route because I found a successful career path without it (and without the student loans that come with it).
I wish I knew back then what I have come to realize now: I have always needed to follow my own path, not one that was set out for me or one that others thought I should take. As the poem says: "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference."
