dh just started working with a new firm 6 mos. ago and got a negative review.... i see him bust his ass ALL the time. the partners are unmarried and no kids, take on way too much work... (more)
and expect a LOT of him. what do i tell him to encourage him? should we be worried?
posted March 27th, 2009 at 10:34am in Toddler
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- Of course he should be worried, and even if he works hard his work may not be good. 3-27-2009 10:35am
- I would be worried, layoffs are happening at firms 3-27-2009 10:35am
- you lost me when you pointed out the marital status of others, which makes me think that you think people without children should pick up the slack for this with kids 3-27-2009 10:35am
- Not at ALL! It's just, these people work 18-hour days and have little else that brings them satisfaction. Dh is working 12-hour days and weekends for them. 3-27-2009 10:36am
- sounds like he needs to be working 18. I'm sorry if this is sounding brutal but if it's law (as poster below is suggesting) it's brutal. I'm in biglaw, it's brutal. 3-27-2009 10:37am
- It's a small firm, but it sounds like the culture is basically the same. partners are former biglaw. 3-27-2009 10:38am
- people at law firms are going to get screwed. there is absolutely no attrition right now, so law firms have to lay off 3-27-2009 10:37am
- sounds like he needs to be working 18. I'm sorry if this is sounding brutal but if it's law (as poster below is suggesting) it's brutal. I'm in biglaw, it's brutal. 3-27-2009 10:37am
- np: i would make the opposite assumption. that people with no kids expect that everyone else can dedicate equal time to the job and can put the job before everything else. makes it...(more) 3-27-2009 10:38am
- OP: That's what I meant 3-27-2009 10:39am
- were there specifics in the negative review? if not, can he discuss with them an action plan for getting more positive review next time? 3-27-2009 10:41am
- what's wrong with that? Everyone should be able to dedicate equal time to the job if the job demands it, I don't understand it - sounds like OP thinks her dh shouldn't have to work as...(more) 3-27-2009 10:40am
- OP: Nooo, I was just explaining why there are so many demands. 3-27-2009 10:41am
- There is nothing wrong with that. I was just pointing out that I don't think OP expects the non-family people to "pick up the slack" 3-27-2009 10:42am
- then it is not a workplace for OP's husband 3-27-2009 10:42am
- That is for them to decide. 3-27-2009 10:43am
- OP: That's what I meant 3-27-2009 10:39am
- Not at ALL! It's just, these people work 18-hour days and have little else that brings them satisfaction. Dh is working 12-hour days and weekends for them. 3-27-2009 10:36am
- Is this big law? My DH is a partner at big law, and they are brutal. You are expected to put firm first 95% of the time 3-27-2009 10:36am
- Dh really does, he drops everything and goes in on Sundays, works from vacation, stayed til 11 three nights this week, etc. I am just wondering why the review was so-so 3-27-2009 10:37am
- not to be snarky at all, but 11 is not late IMO 3-27-2009 10:38am
- np - ITA, signed biglaw mom 3-27-2009 10:39am
- 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. is a normal workday, in the office, getting home at 11:45, never getting to see your kids??? 3-27-2009 10:39am
- My dh sees kids in AM only. It is a lifestyle choice, I guess. Making partner made a huge difference. Dh worked his butt off for 8 years. Luckily, we waited to have kids until after...(more) 3-27-2009 10:42am
- OP: fwiw, this is dh's first year out of law school! 3-27-2009 10:46am
- My dh sees kids in AM only. It is a lifestyle choice, I guess. Making partner made a huge difference. Dh worked his butt off for 8 years. Luckily, we waited to have kids until after...(more) 3-27-2009 10:42am
- I would say 11 is normal but he may end up having to work until 11 5 days, not 3. His firm sound pretty awful (like many) maybe he should for something else 3-27-2009 10:40am
- np: it has nothing to do with the # of hours but with the quality of work 3-27-2009 10:39am
- yes and no. quality of work is definitely important but so are hours and "face time" in most biglaw firms 3-27-2009 10:39am
- face time doesn't matter if your work sucks. wife of big law partner 3-27-2009 10:41am
- I agree but even if your work is good you still need to put in the time. Only if your work is really outstanding do they not care when you are there. If your dh tells you otherwise,...(more) 3-27-2009 10:42am
- yes you need the time, but you don't have to be present in the office. go home at 6:30, spend time with the kids and work the rest of the night from home when they go to bed 3-27-2009 10:44am
- IME, that's only once you've reached a certain level of seniority. At my old firm, partners would walk around at 9:00pm to see who was still there. 3-27-2009 10:46am
- yes you need the time, but you don't have to be present in the office. go home at 6:30, spend time with the kids and work the rest of the night from home when they go to bed 3-27-2009 10:44am
- I agree but even if your work is good you still need to put in the time. Only if your work is really outstanding do they not care when you are there. If your dh tells you otherwise,...(more) 3-27-2009 10:42am
- face time doesn't matter if your work sucks. wife of big law partner 3-27-2009 10:41am
- well I'm in biglaw and I'm expected to produce quality work 12 hours a day and on weekends, no face time, work time 3-27-2009 10:41am
- yes and no. quality of work is definitely important but so are hours and "face time" in most biglaw firms 3-27-2009 10:39am
- not to be snarky at all, but 11 is not late IMO 3-27-2009 10:38am
- Dh really does, he drops everything and goes in on Sundays, works from vacation, stayed til 11 three nights this week, etc. I am just wondering why the review was so-so 3-27-2009 10:37am
- yes, you should. He needs to really step it up if he wants to keep his job in this climate. The best thing you can do to encourage him is be ok with late nights and weekend work. ...(more) 3-27-2009 10:37am And if he wants a job with better hours, he should start looking for something else.
- np: He should also go back to reveiwer, tell them that he has thought a lot about it, give a plan for addressing their concerns and check back in with him. these days, we are all working...(more) 3-27-2009 10:41am
- ITA - He should make it very clear to them that he is working on those things they said were his weaknesses 3-27-2009 10:43am
- OP: He said the review was mixed--def. some good things, so I am curious to get the details tonight. I will suggest this. He did a career change from engineering to law, and this is his...(more) 3-27-2009 10:49am first year out of law school. I know it's a great experience b/c he's learning everything and doing a lot, not just tedious, boring things like some of his classmates.
- that's great that there were good things too. He should continue with those and really work on the other things. Maybe check back with the partner who he had his review with and see...(more) 3-27-2009 10:51am
- OP: He said the review was mixed--def. some good things, so I am curious to get the details tonight. I will suggest this. He did a career change from engineering to law, and this is his...(more) 3-27-2009 10:49am
- ITA - He should make it very clear to them that he is working on those things they said were his weaknesses 3-27-2009 10:43am
- np: He should also go back to reveiwer, tell them that he has thought a lot about it, give a plan for addressing their concerns and check back in with him. these days, we are all working...(more) 3-27-2009 10:41am