Yeah, I know it’s cliche. But I promise you that this is not going to be a humble brag entry. Well, maybe a little?
For those who know me, you would know that I went into law school because my parents thought I was a talented yapper with a knack for language. Joke’s on them because I have the memory of a goldfish and can’t blindly memorise large amounts of data without understanding them first. I’m no AI in that sense.
Throughout the years, I was always told “Even if you don’t want to do law in the future, this degree can open doors for you.” I didn’t necessarily believe this statement because logically, I can’t become a doctor or engineer with this law degree now, can I? But I also never thought that this degree would be a barrier for anything.
Here’s how my choices unintentionally caused me to play life in Hard Mode.
Getting jobs is kinda harder.
When applying for jobs, the first prerequisite is usually the area of study i.e. what you majored in. Marketing jobs want a marketing-related degree; writing jobs want a communications- or English-related degree; UX writing jobs want a UI/UX or tech-related degree. Me and my law degree sit in the corner crying.
Even before seeing my resume and portfolio, their perception is that I’m not fit for the role because I don’t have the right certification. But I believe my worth cannot be judged simply by a piece of paper. I’m not saying I’m the absolute best; I still have a long way to go, of course. I just wish I’m given the benefit of the doubt a bit more.
People don’t take me seriously in my field.
When I first started out, it was TOUGH. Even getting an internship was so difficult. I was so thankful when I got a chance to intern at a will-writing company as a digital marketing intern during my sem break. I felt like my legal background came in handy there because of the nature of the company’s business.
Even after half a decade in the field of copywriting and content strategy spanning various disciplines (digital marketing/UX/journalism/etc) where I have been complimented on the quality of my work, I still have trouble getting promoted or securing senior roles. When I find out why, it’s usually because others with less work experience have the right degree.
Even entering my masters degree programme (which I signed up for partly to overcome all these problems) was not easy. Throughout these past 7 months, I’ve been simultaneously underestimated while also overestimated. Let me explain:
- Underestimated: Some people (lecturers and fellow students) treat me like I’m fresh outta law school when I have 5+ years of professional experience in my field. I may not be the best at what I do because I am, in fact, self-taught. But that doesn’t mean I have zero idea about the world of creatives.
- Overestimated: I’m graded on the same level as my peers who have always been studying in this field. I have practical knowledge but lack theoretical knowledge. The main reason I took the degree by coursework was because I wanted to learn the theories, but I guess we’ll have to improvise, adapt, overcome.
But it’s not fair to say that it’s all bad. This law degree helps me in the most unexpected ways, both personally and professionally.
I’m better at my job because of it.
When I write, I take into account the compliance issues. Especially when writing marketing content and when proofreading the T&Cs and policies. I understand the weight of words a little more because of my time in law school (thanks, Contract Law I and II).
Not only that, I skim through documents and know how to “cross-examine” it to ensure the content brief is clear enough for me when working on projects. These are skills I learned in law school which I found really helpful.
I know my rights as an employee.
These days, people have embraced capitalism a little too well. Besides the rampant use of AI, some companies sometimes push ethical boundaries when it comes to employee welfare. When we (usually Gen Z) retaliate, we get branded “difficult” and “disloyal” staff.
Because I took Labour Law as an elective in university, I know when a company is toeing the line between acceptable and borderline illegal behaviour. Knowing the law is really important and lately, it has made me realise just how many working adults are oblivious to their basic rights as employees.
At the end of the day, I feel like the law degree is proof to myself. If I can complete a 5-year course that wasn’t my choice with minimal passion, poor memorisation skills, and a handful of panic attacks, I can take on the world. To quote Fall Out Boy, “If I could live through this, I can do anything”. And that’s what keeps me going.