24 Mar 2016

Eloise Young is 25 years old and a red-headed lawyer with a drawer full of bangles, a love for Justin Beiber and AFL, weight lifting and middle eastern food (an impressively unlikely combination). She works as an Estate Planning solicitor, which basically means she helps people plan what happens to their stuff if they die or get divorced or other bad… things.

In order to find out about law life we knew we needed to talk to this enthusiastic, stereotype-breaking gal lawyer from south Sydney.

 What does an average day in the office look like?

5am: wake up, cry at the alarm clock, get my work gear ready and get to the gym for the 5:45 start.

6:45am: finish at the gym, shower, make myself decent-ish.

7.10am: leave gym for work with my shoes on the right feet, drive to work while applying my makeup…

8am: arrive, walk my assistant to work from the carpark, kick off my shoes, make my three cups of coffee, and kick off my day at work

1pm: lunch break

2pm: continue coffee intake, work work blah

Average day ends at around 6/6.30pm, when I drive back home, and attend various life appointments.

What did you do to get where you are?

Other than killing the other guy I replaced??

Oh… well, I studied for six years at the University of Wollongong, I set good boundaries and eventually learned to say no to people, I set goals, and I tried to take care of myself. I applied for jobs that allowed me to not commute for longer than an hour, so I could maintain my work life balance.

What do you love about your job?

That I help people, that my bosses are good people, and that I can not take work home with me. I like that I do a paperwork based job, because it means I can use my people energy for my friends, teammates, church family – and not just my clients.

What is the most challenging component of your job?

Ironically the two challenges are the long hours, and not having enough time.

Is the industry competitive, if so why and how did you navigate it?

Yeah, it is. I set priorities, and stuck to them, I bought a great outfit to go to job interviews in that made me feel confident, and I dazzled people with my energy.

What are some common misconceptions about your job?

That I make a lot of money.

Any last thoughts?

Advice I’d give to young people looking for work would be:

  • Not to worry too much about finding a job that you love. If you love your job, it turns into your life.
  • Love your life, not your job. Your job isn’t the be-all and end-all, nor should it be. Like your job, sure, and don’t ever do something you hate, or work somewhere you hate–look after your mental health, but don’t let your job be what defines you as a person.
  • Find a job that lets you live in a way that reflects your priorities.
  • And do not spend university trying to get the best marks–good marks help, but the jobs go to the best personalities.
  • Work as hard on your character as you do on your academic record