My board of advisors

Right around review time, I got a phone call from the department chair that threw me for a loop. I couldn't concentrate after that, and went around knocking on people's doors saying either, "Did you get the call?" or "I got this call... what should I do?"

I talked to a few other associates who were in the same boat, and then to some partners and senior associates who I thought would give me good advice. And I think they did. After making the rounds, I felt better -- not only about the actual issue, but also because I realized that in the short time I've been at the firm, I've built up a little panel of advisors. I think senior associates are actually the most valuable members of that panel, since they're in a position to know a lot about the firm and how it works without feeling like they need to hold back.

When I first started, one of my goals was to build an internal network. I've noticed that asking more senior people for career advice is a great way to do that -- I learn a lot from them, and it makes them feel more invested in me. In our firm, and I would guess in most firms, senior associates are in demand. If you get them on your side, their work ends up trickling down to you.

All of this sounds very calculating, and I do genuinely like and value these people. This experience just made me realize how important these relationships are for my career.