Dear first years,

When my door is closed, I am in the middle of something and trying to focus. Please stop knocking and letting yourself in to chat. I want to help you, I really do, but if my door is closed it means I am not able to help you right this second. I promise that my door will be open when I am available to do so.

Signed,
An overwhelmed second year

Edit: any advice on how to say this IRL without crushing their spirits?

likefunnyupliftingsmart
Posting as :
works at
You are currently posting as works at
Highlighted IconHIGHLIGHTED

I have a sign on my door that is color coded and reads something along the lines:
Green = knock, welcome
Blue = out of office
Red = busy, do not disturb

likesmart

V helpful advice, thanks y'all 🙏 not making the sign lol

likefunny

Our offices are glass walled, I got a light up “On Air” sign off Amazon and I turn it on when I’m on calls. No one has bothered me during a call since.

likefunnysmart

Love this. I just put a sticky on my door that says “on a call please do not disturb.”

Sometimes use it even when I’m not on a call 😈

Recent IconRecent

If you’ve watched Curb your Enthusiasm, you should try wearing the red MAGA hat whenever the first year wants to talk to you and they’ll leave you alone.

likefunny

Sorry can you out the firm because I’m lateraling and I’m . . . Nervous about this.

Just put a sticky on your door that says, “please DND.”

like

Do this all the time. Especially now that remote depositions are a thing.

“Hey sorry can’t chat now” should do the trick lol. Probably more so than posting on fishbowl

like

“Hey, sorry I’m busy with x right now. I’ll open my door when I’m finished, mind stopping back then?” They’ll get the hint. Hopefully.

like

Did this message reach those juniors? Lol

funny

I mean, second years are senior junior associates after all.

like

You sound fun

like

"Hey, I'm in the middle of something, can we chat at the end of the day?" is very reasonable. Or a sticky that says DON'T WAKE THE DRAGON.

funny

Dracarys

I sit with my head set on and if I see them I do the “on a call” shrug and they go away.

Literally put a sign on your door with a cute graphic. Or just send a gold old fashioned email

Lol, look at the big important second year over here!

I wish to God I had an office. The K&E Salt Lake City office has 1st-5th years in cubicles until the new office gets built out and the 1st years are absolutely relentless. There’s nowhere to hide…

Related Posts

What is a look back analysis?

like

Hi all, can anyone let me know know about Doyen Info solutions?

like

Is there 2 technical +1 managerial +1 HR round in Ericsson??. I had cleared 1st round .Not sure how the next 2 rnds will be.

Anyone who has recently given interviews for Ericsson for technical roles??

like

Hi, I am interviewing for a senior sap consultant role (MM / Procurement) at ACN and two firms of the Big4. What kind of technical questions should I expect? Thanks for your efforts!

like

I’m taking the CFP exam Nov 8th. All tips/tricks welcomed !!

Thank you so much.

like

What type of drug test are they going to do?

Currently pursuing a MBA, and am deciding which focus areas to take.
I am trying to pivot from UX design to product in tech.
Ideal sector: FinTech
Current sector: Mobile Gaming
Related sectors: Entertainment, Edutainment, e-Commerce, Social

Aiming at head of product or head of design as long term goal.

If only 2 focuses, would you pick Business Analytics, Digital Marketing, Entrepreneurship and Strategic Innovation, or Global Challenges in Business?
Advice appreciated!

like

Good morning everyone, any advice on how to pivot from a career in Accoutning to Project Management? Here's some background, 12YOE in public accounting, recent finished a tech project management bootcamp certification course and will sit for the PSM exam soon. Looking for roles in Associate/Jr PM, Implementation Consultant or BA. Any advice will be appreciated.

like

Is a digital transformation certification worth it? I am considering programs from schools like MIT and Wharton but it’s a lot of $$ and I want to ensure it’s worth it. Anyone do one of these programs?

like

I’ve been in PA two years now, and I still don’t understand how equity accounts work. What should you know by now that you don’t?

like

How is PwC AC in terms of WLb and Career growth and opportunities? Tech -SAP YOE-6+ EY Deloitte PwC Accenture IBM Accenture Cognizant

like

Black Friday deals here.

Amazon 14% off qc35s

like

WELCOME To BPO Fishes this bowl is created for the agents who work as cse and grade 4 and looking better opportunity. I appreciate if you share your thoughts, background, post and career growth. We are all here to help each other anonymously. Let's do this.

Any science teachers here?! Dissecting frogs in eighth grade made me want to learn everything I could about anatomy, that's why I'm a science teacher, and it's not the same to teach kids online as it is in person

like

Is EY hiring Business Analysts / Business Operations Specialist/ MIS agents anytime soon?

like

How do you appease the client when they call and ask when their tax returns are done and they want them done now but they are further down the queue of returns because they submitted their PBCs later than other clients who submitted their source docs on time?

like

Is it wise to choose a company having 2 months notice period giving 3.5 lacs less than other company having 3 months notice period.
Tech sap abap
Yoe 5.5 years

like

Which is better ?
Associate Consultant in Capgemini- 9.25 Lakhs CTC

Consultant in Deloitte India - 9.25 Lakhs CTC

YOE - 3.
Field - Corporate Law

like

Additional Posts in Big Law

New to due diligence and not sure the timeline of projects. Tips to stay organized of the project and timeline, and how to update those leading the deal? Just keep track of new info and provide as necessary?

like

Curious - would you consider a lateral move to a lower ranked firm if the practice group is higher ranked than at your current firm? In other words what’s more important - firm or practice group ranking?

like

Anyone looking for a roommate in NYC? F. 31. Move-in date: May. Budget: flexible, but preferably around $3000 or less per person. Neighborhood: north of 14th street. Please DM me. Thanks!

like

Fish, I trust your advice. Anyone have leads or recruiter recs for SF biglaw litigation? Looking to lateral as a to-be second year, mostly antitrust/white collar.

like

I keep making stupid minor mistakes at work lately presumely cause I’ve been so burnt out, and my senior is constantly mad at me, which made me want to avoid the dirty work even more… I really should care but is it bad that I don’t really care anymore

like

First year associate and I may barely hit 1500 this year. Requirement is 2000, though i know first and some second years at my firm don’t hit it.

I am a in a small specialist group who has 2 partners, and they both give me work. One of them said to not worry about my hours (though they do not know how low of a number i’m projected for). Haven’t asked the other.

Should I be concerned?

like

How can I sell my 2 years of clerkship as valuable experience for corporate work? I would like to get credit for at least one year (at least in salary, if I can’t in seniority). I know for litigation they are more clearly valued and linked to that type of work, but I have reconsidered my interests and now am thinking of going into corp. However, I don’t want to feel like I wasted 2 years clerking (which I don’t feel like that, but I have to convince an employer of that too). Any help or insight?

like

Let’s talk speed reading. I’m a slow reader and listened to a podcast recently on speed reading. I’m intrigued. Who here speed reads? How did you learn those skills, and what types of documents do you speed read in practice? I do mostly litigation and am thinking that speed reading would help with research but maybe not things like doc review where you need to review for both responsiveness and privilege.

like

What monetary goal/target are you telling yourself to hit before quitting big law?

like

How often does your firm give out branded swag? Anything good lately?

like

Can I afford a $1.5M primary residence with a ~$9,000 monthly payment after 20% down if my household monthly take home is ~$25,000 (with another $50k in annual bonus)? No debt other than monthly credit card bills. Am I being irresponsible? Will I struggle month to month?

like

When is it acceptable for a junior to raise their hand and say they’re drowning? Like billing how many hours on consecutive days? Just getting a sanity check.

likehelpful

Working on some law firm applications tonight and it sucks that I know that I am so capable and have a strong work ethic but firms can’t see beyond grades or the fact that I didn’t go to a t14 law school or prestigious undergrad. I’ve worked twice as hard and feel like I’ve barely even gotten half as much. It’s discouraging sometimes especially because I worked so hard with pretty much no guidance (first gen, poc, low-income) to get into college and do well and then get into a t30 law school

like

Associate at an AmLaw 100 firm doing patent work. I applied to a part time masters program to try to pivot to a different technical field (still doing patent work, but in something that interests me more than what I’m doing now). Do I try to stick it out at the firm while getting the masters, ask for a reduced hours schedule, or get a part time, non-legal job so I can focus more on the program (one year).

like

Do you always feel tired? How do you have energy for anything with this amount of work.

like

Just a thought to anyone considering doing a hand markup: if I'm going to need some Indiana Jones-esque ancient decoder shit to read the hieroglyphics that you call "hand writing", maybe just make comments in track changes instead.

likefunny

There’s a practice group that I’ve been trying to find work in but whenever I volunteer to help, I always get roped in to do non billable work. In the beginning it was fine but now I’m feeling it’s never going to amount to actual work. Any tips to get more involved without all the non billables and how to approach this gently?

like

What states have a big law market where I can get the most out of my dollar? Also currently work for CA firm, if I move to another state does the state tax rate switch to where I live?

like

Am I the only person who gets skeptical when a recruiter calls, like did my law firm send you to see if I’m interested in making a move? 🤨 I may be paranoid, though. Lol

like

Anyone experience emotional burnout on this job? I’m physically fine - not particularly overworked, getting enough sleep etc. But I get overwhelmed having to code-switch as a junior to cater to the different working styles and personalities of all my different seniors and clients. I feel emotionally drained and anxious feeling like I have so many bosses to “please.”

like

New to Fishbowl?

Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
That was just a preview…
Sign Up to see all discussions
  • Discover what it’s like to work at companies from real professionals
  • Get candid advice from people in your field in a safe space
  • Chat and network with other professionals in your field
Sign up in seconds to unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.

Already a user?
Login here

Share

Embed this post

Copy and paste embed code on your site

Preview

Download the
Fishbowl app

See what’s happening in your industry
from the palm of your hand.

A phone with Fishbowl app

Scan your QR code to download
Fishbowl app on your mobile

Download app

Sign up for free to view this conversation on Fishbowl

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

Already have an account? Log in

Sign up for free to continue using Fishbowl

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use(New) and Privacy Policy(New)
Messaging rates may apply

Already have an account? Log in

For account settings, visit Fishbowl on Desktop Browser or

General

Legal