How Law Students Can Identify Their Success Pattern

Transferable/functional skills are ways that we characteristically react to problematic situations throughout life. As a child, if confronted with a puzzle or task, your reaction may have been to organize the pieces and then examine alternative solutions. As a teenager repairing a car engine, the same problem-solving skills may have been utilized. These problem-solving skills are known as "success patterns" and tend to become set during the teenage years. Over the years, we tend to become more proficient in the use of our favorite skills.

By reviewing past accomplishments-in any setting-you can easily identify success patterns. We all possess many skills; the question is which ones we enjoy using most.

To help you focus on your favorite skills, try listing 20 achievements or accomplishments from throughout your lifetime, including those related to work, leisure and education. Remember, an accomplishment can be something very simple, like winning the spelling bee in the third grade or hosting your first successful dinner party or managing a personal crisis. Your skill patterns will emerge no matter which accomplishments you select. Try reviewing billing records, looking through yearbooks and family photo albums to help jog your memory.

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Next, select two or three accomplishments on your list that you would like to examine more closely. Write a paragraph detailing every step you took to make this event happen. Concentrate on HOW you did it, but do not analyze. Have fun with this-do not worry about grammar, spelling or punctuation. At the end, note how you felt at the conclusion of the event. For example, you might write:

1. In the third grade I won the class spelling bee. The prize for the contest was a beautiful red bicycle. I told one of my classmates that I wanted to win the bike and he laughed and said "everyone knows you are the worst speller in the class." I knew he was right, but I also knew I had three weeks to prepare. I used our spelling work book and memorized each lesson. 1 also borrowed my fourth grad sister's spelling work book and studied those lessons too. For three weeks I gave up playing with my friends and watching TV. I just studied words constantly. Each night, my mother quizzed me on all the words. The day of the spelling bee I was confident. Finally, it was me and the smart Alec who "challenged" me. When he misspelled "questionnaire" I knew that beautiful red bicycle was mine. I felt so happy and proud of myself.
   
   
2. In my junior year of college, I announced to my roommates that I was going to host a dinner party. Knowing my history in the kitchen, they laughed at me and bet me $100 that I could not cook and edible meal. I was determined to prepare a wonderful dinner, despite me prior misfortunes in the kitchen and teach my roommates a lesson. I scoured through cookbooks in an attempt to find dishes which were elegant yet simple. Each night for weeks I practiced preparing different courses of the meal and solicited opinions of which were the best. At the same time I read through gourmet magazines to learn which flavors complement each other as well as to get ideas about table arrangements, etc. One month later, I invited 8 of my friends (including my 2 roommates) to dinner. The table was beautiful...the food was delicious...and my roommates were $100 poorer. 1 was so pleased with my accomplishment.

From those examples, one might assume that the author is motivated by material rewards as well as by the sheer challenge. The author demonstrated discipline, determination, initiative and a willingness to sacrifice pleasure in order to achieve a goal. This information is important to know and easy to translate to employers during the interview process.
"Ever since winning the third grade spelling bee, despite my poor spelling abilities, I have known that I am at my best when presented with a challenge."

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Review your achievement paragraphs, circling all skills mentioned. Read the stories aloud to a friend or colleague and ask her to note the skills she heard. This is a great way to learn how you are perceived by others.

You're Ready to Network

When you can respond affirmatively to all of these statements, you are ready to network!

• I have prepared a list of potential contacts.
• I have thought through my strategy and can articulate a clear objective for meeting with specific contacts.
• I have thoroughly researched organizations I am interested in exploring.
• I can articulate my strengths, skills, motives, and goals.
• I am positive and upbeat and fully expect the meeting to be successful.
• I present myself in a professional manner, dressing in a way that projects a positive image.

Since much of professional life operates on the "favor system," establish a reputation for being helpful. Pass along useful information or introduce contacts to people you have met along the way that could be helpful to them. Look for ways to build bridges. People will remember your thoughtfulness and will be likely to return the favor. Busy professionals understand the system and they know that with just a little time and some guidance from you they can evaluate you for their own needs or those of their colleagues while still satisfying your request for information. Both you and the other person receive something. Therefore, don't feel guilty about approaching busy people for help; they will enjoy it and you will benefit by it. If you are doubtful, consider whether you would be willing to share your knowledge or give names to friends or business associates in order to be helpful.

You should be concerned with the process of building and using networks as a permanent aspect of your career, not just a technique you use for finding jobs and advancing your career. Keep in touch with people you meet. Drop them a note occasionally or send them an article you saw that made you think of them. When you do land a job, let your contacts know. Do not wait until you "need" something from them. It is important to develop, use and nurture personal relationships on a daily basis throughout your career.