Dear Gilbert,

I just read your write-up on the prolonged unemployment subject and I believe I belonged to this group.

I am from Penang, Malaysia and has been out of work for the past 2 years. I have decided to get back to work by next year and i badly need counselling from an experienced counsellor. I hope you would counsel me in my job seeking journey.

I was a lawyer before working with the Attorney General’s Chambers of Malaysia for the past 18 years. I opted for early retirement in 2006 and has been unable to get a job since. My difficulty in getting a job is partly due to the fact that I lack experience and exposure in commercial and corporate laws. What do I do? I am not keen to go for retraining by taking up a refresher course in company and commercial laws because i am not interested to work in a corporate environment.I know that I can work well in a semi govt agency or govt run company since I have experiences in these establishments.

However there is very little opportunity in these establishments. What are my options? I have no business experience to start a business and to set up my own law firm is out of question due to the fact that supply exceeds demand in Penang.

I hope you can help me to find a job since I do not mind working abroad.I would also be grateful if you could inform me of a support group in Penang or Kl as I need to meet like minded people for support.

Last but not least,  I like to congratulate you for being a beacon of hope for the jobless and God bless you.I look forward to your reply.

Alvin (name changed)

My Reply:

Hi Alvin,

Thanks for your email and interest in our site services.

We provide support services to the jobless but may be of little help to those who want us to provide jobs. Hope you understand this – thanks.

With regard to your current situation – I am sure that you are both experienced and articulate as a lawyer having worked so long in this industry. Do not let the current situation takes that away from you.

I have noted that you have mentally discounted quite alot of options available and must highlight to you that you are limiting your own potential to a whole wide world of opportunities. This must be your most crucial mental block which  may  curtail your progress in future. Hope you don’t mind me bringing this up. An open mind is very important to someone who is currently jobless and looking out for other new avenues to pursue.

There are few things that you can do here though:

1. Look out for part time legal work. I have a friend who is a criminal lawyer and he is doing just that in Sydney. He will take on cases as and when he likes and finishes them up on an assignment basis. Though his income fluctuates, he is happy as he has more time to spend on his own. He is also recently divorced. Maybe you can explore this option and advertise your services to other lawyers who may have too much on their plate. They can then farm out some of their legal work to you on a pice-meal basis. You can also save on office rental as you can do such work at your home.

2. Take up some teaching assignment on legal studies – with your profound experience in the legal field, I am sure that colleges or even universities will benefit from your experience in the teaching circle. You can approach schools of legal courses by emailing them your interest.  Some may respond to you but others may not so you need to do some  marketing of yourself to the teaching colleges. This avenue is also by assignment basis and remuneration may be adhoc too. If you like to impart your knowledge and experience to students,  I am sure that you will enjoy the teaching experience. I have taught English as a second language in Singapore and China before and have throughly enjoyed the experience though it was for a short season.

3. Learn to widen your horizon and explore other new fields. This may actually be your most challenging experience as you will always find ways to use your past experience to look for work. Why not try out an entirely new field instead? You have to ask yourself what interest you most besides law. Is it teaching, writing, marketing or leading a team of people? Many people take on a new career and found the challenge  to be very satisfying and meaningful. Of course, you may need to start off as a apprentice and the remuneration may not be as attractive as your previous job.

Try to also  list down a list of skills that are transferable e.g. adminstration, sales, marketing, writing, etc. Such skills are already stored up  in you and can be used in other industries even though you have left a particular industry. You can perhaps do sales in insurance or property as you have such skills within you all along while canvassing for legal work previously as a lawyer. Those transferable skills never left us when we change career but will stay on with us forever.

I hope that I have helped you here.  Do let me know if I can assist you further.

Can I also ask for permission to reproduce your email in my blog? I am sure that many others will find support from your mail. I will left out your email address.

I have also attach my free ebook “How to survive unemployment” for your reading pleasure.

Thank you.

Regds
Gilbert

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