Weil, Gotshal & Manges, a nearly century-old global law firm with 1,200 lawyers and more than two billion dollars in annual revenue, announced their plans to wind down operations. A few dominos set this cascade in motion. Prominent partners were poached and moved to other firms. Traditionally, clients follow them. But the firm still has high fixed costs. Subsequent merger discussions failed, and the firm’s leadership recommended dissolving the firm, pending a partnership vote.
For thousands of lawyers, paralegals, administrative professionals and other staff members, their life is in upheaval. They worked hard, consistently delivered results, nurtured relationships, and believed they had a secure future with the firm. Overnight, that changed.
Like many who have been let go, a certain realization hits home. You can be indispensable to your employer, and still be professionally vulnerable.
The lessons from the dissolution of a prominent law firm can teach us many lessons, both for those who are facing an unexpected career disruption and those who feel they are comfortably employed.
Short-Term Response: Regain Control
1. Make your invisible work visible.
Too often, high performers become what I call the Office Mechanic (read my Psychology Today article on this). They are the people who prevent a crisis, solve problems, and keep the organization functioning. They absorb many stressors so the people above them in the hierarchy don’t need to. Their work is often done in the shadows. They are so reliable that people barely notice what they’ve done. Because of them, there’s no fire, no drama, and no one notices.
If this describes you, keep a log of problems you solved, disasters you prevented, and ways your work improved. Don’t worry about going back to the beginning of your career. Start with the last three problems you solved, or the last twelve months. Without disclosing confidential information, use quantitative impact measures. Use percentages, dollar signs, and greater/less than indicators. Show impact. These become the stories you share with others and post on your LinkedIn. They go beyond what you did to the impact you had.
2. Activate your network strategically.
Panicked emails rarely work, especially if you are sending generic mass messages saying “I am looking for a new opportunity.” Instead, make a list of five people who know the quality of your work, five who are connected to organizations you respect, and three who could or would advocate for you.
Contact them with a specific request. Don’t just say “I need help finding a new job.” That is too vague. Instead, ask for introductions to specific people or types of people. You want the person to picture in their mind who they should reach out to on your behalf. You can also inquire about insight into an industry, or recommendations for specific opportunities. The more detailed you can be, the better. The goal is to turn relationships into conversations and conversations into opportunities.
3. Convert praise into advocacy.
If you’ve ever received praise at work (read my PT article about why this might be a dead end), such as “You’re the glue that keeps us together” or “We’d be lost with you,” you might be recognized for your performance but overlooked for advancement.
Consider three people who have called you exceptional in one form or another. Reach out to them and ask them to recommend you, introduce you to specific people, or serve as references. Again, be specific in your ask.
Being appreciated feels wonderful but being advocated for is what opens doors.
Long-Term Response: Build Career Resilience
4. Never build your career around one person.
Too often, people join an organization for the opportunity to work with an influential leader. Assuming they ever get face time with that person, that leader can leave, retire, or lose influence overnight, leaving you as collateral damage.
Protect yourself by building a mentoring team with relationships across departments, organizations, and industries. Ask yourself this critical question: If my boss disappeared tomorrow, who else would know my value?
5. Recalibrate your network before you need it.
You might be so good at keeping your head down and doing your job well that you’ve neglected your network. Many successful professionals have deep internal networks and surprisingly weak external ones. Meaning, you are known within your organization or industry, and invisible outside of it.
To combat this, be proactive. Every quarter, reconnect with three people outside your organization. Consider sending a non-committal email during holidays, such as Thanksgiving, New Year, or Fourth of July. Develop relationships with people who can challenge your thinking, expand your perspective, and introduce you to new opportunities, and be sure to keep in touch with them, especially when you don’t need their help.
Your employer’s prestigious name may open doors, which is known as your social proof. However, your professional reputation must survive independently of it. Your social proof should launch you, not carry you.
Share your expertise, develop transferable skills, and ensure that people beyond your immediate colleagues understand the problems you solve. Routinely, offer to help others, before you ever ask for help in return. Even if you are out of work, take the time to continuously uplevel your skills. Consider online courses such as those available through LinkedIn Learning — free with a US library card.
Weil’s employees are facing tremendous uncertainty, which is likely extremely unsettling. Their experience should remind everyone that organizational prestige and individual excellence cannot eliminate career risk. Prepare accordingly.
The ultimate career security is knowing that your skills, relationships, reputation, and opportunities can travel with you, even when your employer cannot.
