Pearlman Career Counseling

06/23/2026

One of the more interesting takeaways from a recent AmLaw article on AI and associate development wasn't about the technology itself.

It was the suggestion that firms may begin expecting associates to develop business development skills earlier in their careers.

If AI reduces the time spent on research, diligence, and drafting, what fills that gap? Relationship building, industry knowledge, client management, and business development.

For years, lawyers could defer thinking about rainmaking until later in their careers. I'm not sure that will be true for the next generation of lawyers.

AI proficiency will eventually become table stakes, and the ability to build trust, cultivate relationships and develop business will become the differentiator.

Everyone seems to agree that AI gets rid of rote work. But what that means for recruitment, development, and the actual work being done seems to be up for debate.

06/09/2026

Last week, I spoke at my dad’s retirement party.

When people look at his career, they'll see the firm he helped build, the offices that opened, the employees who joined, and the reputation the company earned.

What I see are the values underneath it all.

I see someone who took a bet on himself in his 20s with $1000 in his bank account.
Someone who never lost sight of what he was trying to create.
Someone who showed up for his family all along the way while building that business.
Someone who built a workplace that felt more like a community than a company.

Those lessons shaped me long before I became a career coach, and they continue to influence how I help clients navigate their own careers today.

Because the best careers, like the best companies, aren't built in a straight line. They're built through conviction, relationships, persistence, and a willingness to bet on yourself.

Congratulations, Dad. Thank you for the example you've set for all of us.

04/22/2026

I’m noticing a pattern across some of my clients right now: Hesitation.

Highly capable, accomplished people are getting stuck in an overthinking loop:
· Debating back and forth whether to apply to a particular role
· Waiting to apply until their resume feels “perfect”
· Holding off on reaching out until it’s the "right time"

On the surface, it looks thoughtful. Strategic, even. Underneath, it’s often something else: a confidence and activation gap.

The truth is, clarity doesn’t always come before action. Sometimes, it comes from it. The clients who start moving, sending the imperfect email, having the exploratory conversation, putting themselves into the mix, are the ones who gain traction fastest.

Meanwhile, the ones waiting to feel “fully ready” stay stuck in place and start to question themselves more with each passing week.

If you’re in that camp, it’s worth asking: What would change if you stopped optimizing for perfect, and started optimizing for momentum?

04/13/2026

The “What’s your biggest weakness?” question trips up a lot of strong candidates; not because they don’t have a good answer, but because they answer the wrong question.

It’s not about confessing a flaw. It’s about showing self-awareness, judgment, and growth.

Common traps:
• The humblebrag (“I work too hard”) → no self-awareness
• The overshare → unnecessary risk

Strong answers do 3 things:
• Specific, but controlled (NOT core to the job)
• Insight (“I realized this when…”)
• Clear action + result (“I implemented X, and now…”)

A simple formula:
“I used to [X]. I realized [Y]. So I did [Z]. Now [result].”

Done right, it shows real agility, adaptability, and a growth mindset.

04/07/2026

One week. That's how long the magnolia tree next to my house blooms for each year. 🌸

It looks effortless, but the buds have been forming all year.

Careers are the same. The “big moment”, the promotion, the pivot, the breakthrough, is visible only briefly. Most of the work happens quietly, behind the scenes.