5 Lessons I've Learned After 1 Year of Working

I am an attorney. It is still kind of weird saying that. I still feel like a kid, figuring out life, and I guess that is what adulthood is. My journey to where I am now has been full of twists and turns. I started law school in the summer of 2015. I graduated with both my JD and MBA in 2018. Thankfully, I passed on the first try by preparation and reliance on God. You can check out my LinkedIn to see my work history.

In July 2020, I started my current job as an attorney-advisor for the Department of the Air Force. My current job is a part of the Palace Acquire program, where I spend two years learning and working in different areas. I've learned a lot working at my current job for the past year. While my other experiences have taught me things, I think I've had the most growth here.

Lesson 1: Ask Questions

Most kids learn by asking "why" a lot. This is a way for children to grow in understanding about the world around them. As we grow, I think we lose that curiosity, and we tend to stop asking questions. (Our education system has a lot to do with that, I think, but that is another topic for another day) One of the most important things I have learned is to ask questions. Especially since I've been working virtually for this year, it is easy to be lost in the shuffle, so I reach out and ask.

Many of the attorneys I work with and am learning from have been in their jobs for many years. They have their systems in place, and a lot of things come second nature to them. However, as a young attorney, I am still finding my systems and workflows. I ask why they do something, how they review a file, and for those in leadership roles, I ask what they read and listen to so they continue to grow. Asking questions that sometimes I feel dumb asking allows me to experiment with different workflows. Thus, exploring how I can effectively do my job.

Lesson 2: Remind Yourself You Belong

Imposter syndrome is defined as "the persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one's own efforts or skills." I think a lot of minorities deal with this in some way. Although black people have always heard that we have to work twice as hard, being in a career field with around 5% of black attorneys, it is easy to be in a place where you are the only. It is easy to forget that you worked hard for your position and that even if the odd person or two automatically think you don't belong, you do!

I'm fortunate to work around quite a few minority men and women. I'm an observant person, so even with working virtually, I've been taking notes. I see a black woman leading the office, asking questions on areas where she isn't an expert, and continuously hyping the office when we do outstanding work. I think if I were anywhere else, imposter syndrome would be a constant battle. But I see men and women who have overcome odds and are in some of the highest positions in the office. This makes it easier to remember that I belong, that I worked hard, and that my career path can lead to great things. Working twice as hard isn't a burden but an honor because I can one day be in a position to inspire another young minority attorney to push success even further.

Lesson 3: Failure is Good

Lesson 1 connects a lot to this lesson. I sometimes think as professionals, well as adults, we believe we know everything. But we don't. During this rotation in contracts and acquisitions, it's been a lot. A lot of terminologies. A lot of documents. A lot. The first couple of weeks, I felt like it was law school all over again. Drinking a firehose of information. And after around 4 months, I realize it's still so much I don't know. I'm cool with that too. I celebrate the small wins, like when I catch a mistake in the documents.

Even though I learned this lesson playing basketball, it has been a good reminder. Failure can be good, but running from it can be detrimental. I notice when I try to be perfect, I get more overwhelmed. In comparison, accepting that I may miss something is freeing. If I'm confused, I look for the answer, and then I ask the question to make sure I fully understand the concept. Failure is good at allowing me to keep growing as an attorney.

Lesson 4: Have A Budget

I make a good salary, more than I've ever made. It is easy to swipe my card and get things I want. But I have six-figure student loan debt plus my car loan, so a budget is important to help me manage that. On top of that, my budget helps make sure I'm saving long-term for retirement and short-term for things I want or places I want to go. It allows me to enjoy life and enjoy the things I like to do. I know where all my money goes. It allows me to have a saving account for car maintenance, so when I needed to get new tires, it didn't affect me at all. I'm so thankful for that. I'm also trying not to increase my expenses as I make more. Extra money is going to savings, investments, extra debt payments, and giving. I also save for big purchases. I try to have at least 2 to 3 times of that purchase in savings. (I may do a budget breakdown in the future, subscribe and let me know if you want to see that.)

Lesson 5: Enjoy The Journey

I am a planner. That's how my mind works. I'm always trying to look 2, 3 steps down the road. God has taught me not just this year but the last 10 years to be content where I am. It is so easy for me to mentally live in the future while missing the joys of today. This year has been different than anything I could have ever planned, and it has been a reminder that I can't plan my career or life perfectly. I have a vague idea of where I want my career to take me, but for now, I'm enjoying the journey because it just started.

Conclusion

I honestly could think of many more lessons I've learned. This year has been an important year for me, both personally and professionally. I started this job at the height of the pandemic, and this year has been a blessing for me in so many ways. I know for many, many people, the last couple of years have been super hard. My heart and prayers go out to those people. I hope this post can be helpful to everyone as they transition to new jobs in the coming years.

Disclaimer: These views are my individual, and they are not a reflection nor associated with the DOD/DAF or any Government entity.

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