My Unexpected Path From Law Office to Summer Pre-School During Career Uncertainty

If you read Rocky Road: A Young Lawyer’s Resilience Journey and Pursuit of Career Transformation, you know I was really struggling with finding a legal job again that I wanted to apply to or was willing to do. I looked at lawyer jobs as well as law-adjacent jobs, but I just felt like I needed to get a job again. I was out of work for about two years and I just needed a job. I cast a wide net—applying to lawyer positions, law-adjacent roles, administrative jobs, and even retail positions—but received few responses.

My childhood best friend, an Early Childhood Educator for a school board, told me about a summer counselor position for a three-week kindergarten preparation program. Despite my limited experience with young children, I applied for both half-day and full-day programs. I applied in about March or April.

Then 2024 became a year of spiritual growth for me – I was starting to get into manifesting and doing job attracting affirmations around that time. This marked a crucial shift in my approach—moving from feeling desperate and purposeless to recognizing my inherent value. I reminded myself daily: “I have significant value to offer. I won’t give up on applying for jobs. Someone will be lucky enough to take a chance on me.” This mental reframing proved powerful in sustaining my search.

In May 2024, I received an offer for the half-day position starting in July. I hesitated briefly, concerned that accepting might conflict with potential legal job offers. But after nearly two years of searching, I accepted the certainty of paid work over the possibility of something better. Then I became excited when I found out that the half-day position would be at the same site as my best friend so I could work with her and feel less intimidated as I thought I could learn and be guided by her.

Remarkably, weeks later, I received a call about an in-house legal counsel position I’d interviewed for over a year prior. When I mentioned my three-week counselor commitment, they were willing to accommodate my schedule. Suddenly, I had two jobs—a morning position as a summer counselor and afternoon and night work as legal counsel.

The Unexpected Benefits of Diverse Work

What was it like working a minimum-wage job with children after having already worked as a lawyer before? Surprisingly refreshing. Though initially nervous about my lack of experience as a counselor, I followed my friend’s expert lead and maintained my strong work ethic regardless of the pay scale. I wanted to do my best not only for myself but also for my best friend who vouched for me.

The counselor position offered a welcome change from the stresses of legal work. Yes, it came with its own challenges—handling accidents and separation anxiety in young children preparing for kindergarten—but these differed significantly from the pressures of legal practice. The physical nature of working with children provided a counterbalance to the mental demands of my desk-bound legal role.

Managing the Logistical Challenges

The schedule was undeniably demanding. Each day meant working at the school in the morning, driving 40 minutes to my legal position, and working until late evening before rising early the next day. Yet despite the exhaustion, I found the experience valuable enough to repeat it the following year and I would do it again.

Non-Law Work for Lawyers

Working outside the legal field shouldn’t carry shame—even as a junior-mid-career professional. With over two years of post-call experience at two GTA law firms plus freelance legal work under my belt, taking a non-law position didn’t diminish my legal credentials. Instead, it:

• Boosted my confidence and sense of purpose
• provided a mental break from legal stresses
• generated additional income
• offered different types of challenges and satisfaction

I enjoyed feeling useful and purposeful in a job that was different in addition to making a little bit of extra income on top.

If you felt burnt out and left your last workplace for personal reasons or because you just couldn’t handle it anymore and you started wondering if this is the career for you after all as you can’t seem to find anyone offering a role to you that seems to be better but you also feel miserable and without purpose without earning an income, then it’s okay to work a non-law job for some time. If you’re trying to make a transition in your legal career, and you just aren’t getting the jobs you want, or you took a break from law and you’ve been struggling to return to legal work, it’s ok to work a non-law job while you apply for law jobs. Instead of feeling shame about working a non-law job, consider these points when a non-law job opportunity opens up for you:

• Embrace diverse work experiences. A non-law job can provide complementary skills and perspective.
• Be open about your commitments. I found employers more flexible than expected when I was transparent about my schedule.
• Recognize the complementary nature of different jobs. My counselor position was physically demanding while legal work challenged me mentally.
• Don’t see it as a step backward. Working outside law temporarily doesn’t mean abandoning your legal career permanently.

Finding Balance and Purpose

Many of us entered law seeking purpose and impact, but client pressures and financial challenges can lead to burnout. Sometimes, stepping away—even temporarily through a second job—provides the perspective needed to rediscover your passion for legal work.

I’ve found such fulfillment working with children that I occasionally take babysitting jobs as well. There’s something liberating about temporarily setting aside my lawyer identity and simply being present in a different role.

Your legal career doesn’t need to follow a straight path. Sometimes the detours provide the most valuable experiences and the clearest vision for your future direction.

What are your thoughts about taking a non-industry related job? Thanks for reading!