Jul 17, 2008

BUSINESS MATTERS: Working in law and wealth management

By Mildred Culp / Daily News Columnist

Q: I am 23 and just finished my first year of law school. I am in the combined law program with a Masters degree in personal financial planning. Would you have any suggestions on how a graduate can search for a position in the financial/legal world that will require both degrees in law and wealth management? I'm even looking at possibilities beyond the United States or U.S.-based jobs that require a lot of travel. Thank you in advance for any feedback.

Following Through



A: Use a search engine to pull up "legal careers" and "financial planning" simultaneously. Have you asked your law and finance professors or your career counseling office? What about previous grads? Have you done your due diligence in the careers section of your library? Have you called or e-mailed the American Bar Association or your state bar association? Do you know any attorneys who are also CPAs? They might well be in estate planning and in a position to give you some direction. Have you spoken with anyone in major financial institutions, including banks and brokerage firms? What about personal financial planners, even those in small firms?


The dumps

Q: I've been unemployed for about two months, having lost one job to medication side-effects and another to an unrelated health problem. Unemployment said that I'm eligible for benefits, but I haven't been able to job-search much, because there really isn't anything in the art field in my area. That on top of having no money, food, gas or phone ...

I feel like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. With high gas prices, I can't afford to travel too far for a job, and I can barely afford to eat. My car insurance is about to run out. I have no health insurance. My car is 2,000 miles overdue for an oil change. I just don't know where to turn.

In a Pit


A: Contact the local chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. Find work, even if it's totally unrelated to your field. Can you be a server where you'll receive a meal, too? Can you offer services to busy workers, such as dog walking at $40 per hour, cat sitting, house sitting, errand running or dinner preparation and cleanup?

Have you asked everyone you know for leads? Does your area have public transportation? Have you contacted temp agencies? Keep plugging.



Out to lunch

If you're confused about work-at-home ads and you're convinced that there must be one good opportunity in the ether for you, consider what Christine Durst turns up. Her company searches these ads every day to find the needles you can't. Her free Rat Race Rebellion Telework Bulletin (www.ratracerebellion.com/spring.html) might help.

"While we're looking specifically for legitimate work-at-home job leads for the Rat Race Rebellion Telework Bulletin," she says, "we do, of course, find some 'interesting' ads for other types of jobs as well."

Here are some of them:

- "Motivated and experienced Administrative Assistant/Bookkeeper sought. Must be dishonest and have no criminal record."

- This employer wanted to hire home-based typists. Applicants needn't worry that their resumes would land in File 13. "Please rest assured that we'll review your resume thoroughly and that all of the qualifications you've listed will be overlooked."

- "Wanted: Experienced 2-year-old teacher for 30-40 hours/week. Also looking for part-time 2-year-old assistant for 2 mornings per week."

- A mother put up her personal ad, offering home-based daycare. Check out her pitch: "Our experienced Mom will care of your child. Fenced yard, meals, and smacks included."



E-mail your job-hunting questions to Dr. Mildred Culp at culp@workwise.net. Copyright 2008 Passage Media.