This client example concerns a lawyer, Rebecca, who was feeling frustrated with her work and wanted something more meaningful. She succeeded in her change of career …… but with her current employer.
Rebecca was recommended to Energise through a legal recruitment agency. Rebecca is a senior associate in her mid-thirties specialising in tax law who was looking for more fulfilment through her work. Getting involved in corporate social responsibility in her current firm was one way of increasing job satisfaction, but a change of specialism or career was the ideal answer.
We identified about fifteen different career options that fitted her skills and interests. I then helped Rebecca break down the research needed to explore each option into specific small steps and to find out information and ask questions through her network, plus creating a framework to make an informed decision.
The favourite option was charity law, which built upon her legal heritage and moved her into a more motivating area that fitted her values. She also factored in her desire to have children in future and charity law appeared to be an option that would give her flexibility later.
With a wedding in the near future and having decided to study for a Masters, she had plenty on her plate as she was working full-time. As a result of someone leaving, an opportunity emerged in her current firm to do charity law work. She successfully approached the partners expressing her interest, and agreed a role combined with her current specialism. This made her career change a smooth transition, increasing fulfillment.
This decision was a great one to give her experience of a new area, especially post-downturn in a challenging jobs market, and which could pave the way for her to make the next move externally at the right time. Like many people, career change felt quite daunting to her, and so this internal move also helped to pace change and reduce uncertainty.
“Rachel is full of great ideas and really helped me see that making a change like this is not as scary as it might first seem. I would recommend her to anyone who wants to change career or direction but doesn’t know how or where to start.”
Rebecca, Senior Associate