dream job + market; which to sacrifice?

[brooklyn]

As a rising 3L, it's become clear that the career/location combination that I want (a particular subsection of entertainment law in one of the big markets) is one that's really, really competitive, and that starting out there would have required the type of summer associateship I didn't get/ didn't apply/ wasn't eligible for.

With my background I can pretty easily find a job in my target market in a tangentially related field; or work the area of law I want in the region (smaller market) where my law school is located, hoping to make the transition later. 

There aren't really firms in the school region that have offices in the target region, so I'm not really sure what to do.  I'd rather not take the Bar twice and suspect that getting to know locals can only help me make inroads; but don't want to end up pigeonholed in the wrong career specialty.

Anyone have thoughts/personal experiences?

[offer]

My initial thought is to take the job in your target market, although it really depends on how "tangentially related" the practice area is to the one you ultimately want.  While attorneys have switched practice areas as well as locations, I think it would be easier to switch to a related practice area within the same region, especially if you have good contacts, than to effect a relocation that would require new bar admission and starting from square one with respect to your professional network.

[AOCenteno]

Brooklyn,

I know a lot of unhappy lawyers, all of whom settled for something safe but not what they really wanted.  Then there are those who realize they have very little to lose in this land of plenty, and they pursued their dream job.  Those people seem to be doing much better mentally.

And not all of them succeeded.  A good friend who tried to get in with a start up ended up working for nothing and almost went bankrupt.....but he is very happy with the experience he gained and is now doing very well for himself.  The key is to have no regrets, to go all out and realize the obstacles you face are there to stop other people, not you.  Persistence and determination are worth a lot more than the summer internship you didn't get.

[big - fat - box]

The question is, would you rather have a job or have no job?. If you have substantial student loan debt I think you know the answer to that question.

Lots of people have pipe dreams with re: to what they want to do with their law degree. If you want a job, I would start looking aggressively at places that are likely to hire you.

[3Loser]

Brooklyn,

I know a lot of unhappy lawyers, all of whom settled for something safe but not what they really wanted.  Then there are those who realize they have very little to lose in this land of plenty, and they pursued their dream job.  Those people seem to be doing much better mentally.

And not all of them succeeded.  A good friend who tried to get in with a start up ended up working for nothing and almost went bankrupt.....but he is very happy with the experience he gained and is now doing very well for himself.  The key is to have no regrets, to go all out and realize the obstacles you face are there to stop other people, not you.  Persistence and determination are worth a lot more than the summer internship you didn't get.

WTF is a style consultant, and why the hell are you on this site?

[TimMitchell]

Brooklyn,

I know a lot of unhappy lawyers, all of whom settled for something safe but not what they really wanted.  Then there are those who realize they have very little to lose in this land of plenty, and they pursued their dream job.  Those people seem to be doing much better mentally.

And not all of them succeeded.  A good friend who tried to get in with a start up ended up working for nothing and almost went bankrupt.....but he is very happy with the experience he gained and is now doing very well for himself.  The key is to have no regrets, to go all out and realize the obstacles you face are there to stop other people, not you.  Persistence and determination are worth a lot more than the summer internship you didn't get.

WTF is a style consultant, and why the hell are you on this site?

His site looks legit and is pretty neat. I think you secretly want to be a style consultant and are just jealous 

[brooklyn]

working for nothing and almost went bankrupt.....but he is very happy

I had a longer response, but seriously, this is just patronizing advice.  "Patience and determination?"  Really?  "The key is to have no regrets?"  How old are you?  The question is specifically about industry vs. market jumps.

I don't think I've ever given in to online nastiness before, but this is just surreal. 

[jacy85]

I think I would go for the job in the practice area you really want.  I think it would be easier to build up as much of a name for yourself as you can IN that practice area, and do as well as possible, and then try to lateral to the other market than it would be to try to break into the practice area down the road.

Personally, I've heard stories of more lawyers who have been pigeon holed in a particular practice area, rather than stuck in a particular market.

[offer]

1. What practice are do you ultimate want?

2. What is the practice area that is "tangentially related" to your desired practice area?

If they're too far off base, I would say take #1 in the secondary location.  But if they're pretty close, I would say take #2 in the primary location.

Also, there are two extremes of thought with which you can view your past when you get older:

1. I spent my life doing what I wanted, but I wish I took the higher-paying job so that I could have a better quality of life now.

2. I spent my life working for money, and none of that matters now, as I wish I had done what I wanted to do.

Some people take Job A for the love of the job and want more money, so they transition to Job B, where the type of work isn't so great.  Once in Job B, the person realizes that money doesn't mean so much and that Job A wasn't so bad after all.  Then, that person goes back to Job A, but then once again wishes for the money of Job B.

[jacy85]

Also, there are two extremes of thought with which you can view your past when you get older:

1. I spent my life doing what I wanted, but I wish I took the higher-paying job so that I could have a better quality of life now.

2. I spent my life working for money, and none of that matters now, as I wish I had done what I wanted to do.

Some people take Job A for the love of the job and want more money, so they transition to Job B, where the type of work isn't so great.  Once in Job B, the person realizes that money doesn't mean so much and that Job A wasn't so bad after all.  Then, that person goes back to Job A, but then once again wishes for the money of Job B.

Basic rule of life:  Many people are never happy with what they have.  Grass is always greener, and all that.