Thursday, October 27, 2005
Workin' for the Man
Last night I stayed at the office till 11:00. Tonight, tomorrow, and all weekend may not be any different. I'm working on a big litigation-like project where there's a lot to be done before our Monday deadline, so we're scrambling.
Earlier this week I took two people (including one good friend) out to lunch on the firm's dime to try to recruit them for our summer class next year. These people are going through that terrible fraternity rush-like process of firm interviewing, basically applying now for a job that won't start for two years. Part of my responsibilities at these recruiting lunches is to tell the applicants what I like about my firm.
I tell them that I like this firm because I believed their claims of family-friendliness (that is, not working insane hours) more than I believed the claims of other firms. Every firm makes these claims, but not all of them can back it up. I truly believe that, at least to a certain extent, my firm can.
So then I find myself at the office at 11:00pm on a Wednesday, and looking forward to being there most of the day Sunday even. What gives?
Well, I suppose the harsh reality of it all is that when there's work to be done, even the most family-friendly firm in the world needs to you get the work done. And on this project, there's a lot to get done before Monday. So we're putting in long hours on it. I don't need to be worrying too much about putting in lots of hours on a normal day, but yesterday was not a normal day (today won't be, either).
The thing that made me the saddest yesterday was the fact that our ward was having their official Trunk-or Treat party. Shelly went without me, and handed out candy from the trunk of our car (which she decorated by herself) to the kids whose costumes I only get verbal descriptions of. I really wanted to go to that. I like Halloween a lot (see previous post), and it's fun to celebrate it. But last night I had a conference call at 9:30pm.
The bottom line for me, I guess, is that although I lamented that my supposedly family-friendly job wouldn't let me go to a church Halloween party with my wife, I shouldn't feel entitled to things like that. Shelly informed me that one of our friends, who is a med student, sent his wife along alone to the party because he's studying for a test. Certainly there were times when I had to miss fun activities or even just relaxing downtime while I was in school. It wasn't uncommon for me to be doing homework till 10 or 11 or midnight. Yet I didn't complain about that. (Much.)
I don't know why a real job should be any different. In today's world, especially at a law firm, I can't expect to leave the office at 5:00 every single day. At my firm, I should feel blessed that on a slower day (and slower days do happen), I can do that from time to time. But likewise, from time to time, you've just got to do what has to be done. If nothing else, long hours this week will mean a very clean conscience when I take two weeks off in the very near future for paternity leave.
Earlier this week I took two people (including one good friend) out to lunch on the firm's dime to try to recruit them for our summer class next year. These people are going through that terrible fraternity rush-like process of firm interviewing, basically applying now for a job that won't start for two years. Part of my responsibilities at these recruiting lunches is to tell the applicants what I like about my firm.
I tell them that I like this firm because I believed their claims of family-friendliness (that is, not working insane hours) more than I believed the claims of other firms. Every firm makes these claims, but not all of them can back it up. I truly believe that, at least to a certain extent, my firm can.
So then I find myself at the office at 11:00pm on a Wednesday, and looking forward to being there most of the day Sunday even. What gives?
Well, I suppose the harsh reality of it all is that when there's work to be done, even the most family-friendly firm in the world needs to you get the work done. And on this project, there's a lot to get done before Monday. So we're putting in long hours on it. I don't need to be worrying too much about putting in lots of hours on a normal day, but yesterday was not a normal day (today won't be, either).
The thing that made me the saddest yesterday was the fact that our ward was having their official Trunk-or Treat party. Shelly went without me, and handed out candy from the trunk of our car (which she decorated by herself) to the kids whose costumes I only get verbal descriptions of. I really wanted to go to that. I like Halloween a lot (see previous post), and it's fun to celebrate it. But last night I had a conference call at 9:30pm.
The bottom line for me, I guess, is that although I lamented that my supposedly family-friendly job wouldn't let me go to a church Halloween party with my wife, I shouldn't feel entitled to things like that. Shelly informed me that one of our friends, who is a med student, sent his wife along alone to the party because he's studying for a test. Certainly there were times when I had to miss fun activities or even just relaxing downtime while I was in school. It wasn't uncommon for me to be doing homework till 10 or 11 or midnight. Yet I didn't complain about that. (Much.)
I don't know why a real job should be any different. In today's world, especially at a law firm, I can't expect to leave the office at 5:00 every single day. At my firm, I should feel blessed that on a slower day (and slower days do happen), I can do that from time to time. But likewise, from time to time, you've just got to do what has to be done. If nothing else, long hours this week will mean a very clean conscience when I take two weeks off in the very near future for paternity leave.
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