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Second careers for lawyers

June 16, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

We help many different professionals and executives to change career, and especially we work with a lot of lawyers. Can you imagine a job where you have to account for every minute of your time? Stressful!

In her book. ‘The Shift – the future of work is already here’, Lynda Gratton writes that is important to have deep mastery of a sector and we have written 2 books and over 18 articles in the legal profession.

Lawyers are bright, challenging, independent critical thinkers and keep us on our toes! Their profession is going through huge challenge and change – it is becoming a market.

Lawyers’ training and job mean that they can find career change hard and are risk averse by nature, so change is especially daunting.

Here is a list of 19 reasons why lawyers can find career change hard:

1. Conformist by nature;
2. Trained to follow precedent, not go the opposite way;
3. Risk averse in character;
4. Parental pride in offspring being a lawyer;
5. Fear of people thinking failed in second career;
6. Avoidance of showing weakness;
7. Difficulty of letting go of perceived status ‘”Oh, you are a lawyer!”;
8. Linear thinking does not help to identify new career options/jobs;
9. Picking holes/reductive thinking & identifying counter arguments is likely to magnify the possible barriers to change out of proportion; and
10. Leaving clear career milestones of legal profession for no milestones can feel like stepping off into a void;
11. Anxiety – worry that you will make a mistake/make the wrong decision;
12. Deep specialism of law makes it feel like you have more to lose by giving it up;
13. High cost of training to be a lawyer feels like wasted investment/money down the drain;
14. Black and white thinking – ‘no going back’ if new career doesn’t work and with so many lawyers seeking work, will never get a job again;
15. Lawyers pride themselves on knowledge and being an expert, so leaving this for no knowledge and starting at the bottom of the ladder feels very risky;
16. Trained to look for downsides, so a career change can feel dangerous;
17. Dislike of marketing yourself/negative associations with self-promotion;
18. Having to convince others of your expertise in a new area with little/no experience can make you feel like a ‘fraudster’; and
19. Lawyers learn by experience, and so embarking on a new career can make you feel very uncomfortable, inauthentic and exposed.

What points would you add?

Second careers for lawyers are important. There are less partner places to go around, they are used to a career with clear milestones, it is an ‘up or out’ career model, inflexible for working mothers and it is a profession where success is very much public, published tables in Chambers and Legal 500.

As a career expert and someone with in-depth knowledge of the legal profession, we are in a great position to help lawyers find a second career that suits them. We were the career coach to the managing partner of Clifford Chance, now on their second career after law. Another client is now lecturing, another is a company secretary.

Next week – 14 reasons why lawyers are well equipped to make a career change a success.

Our web site for the legal profession is www.energiselegal.com

To follow us on Twitter:

Legal profession:

https://twitter.com/EnergiseLegal

Careers:

https://twitter.com/talentliberator

What’s your career strategy and plan? Part 5 of 5.

May 3, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

This is the last in a series of 5 blogs about creating a career strategy and plan. In an uncertain world with static growth, you need to think more intelligently than others and be adaptable. Knowing where you are going helps you to get there, even when things change and you get busy.

Even just 20 mins in your diary once a week to focus on your career can move you forward to where you want to go.

12 tips and useful resources for your career strategy and plan
Here are some useful resources and tips to help you make it happen:

1. Get a career coach
2. Read autobiographies of people whose career inspires you, blogs and career self-help books
3. Look at Cedefop for future skill trends
4. Ask yourself self-reflective questions (self-coaching) to help you get clear e.g. “What would make me feel I had achieved career success?”
5. Be aware of long term work trends and how they impact on you e.g. read ‘The Shift – the future of work is already here’ by Lynda Gratton
6. Know why and how to market yourself e.g. read Reid Hoffman (founder of LinkedIn) ‘The start-up of you.‘
7. Block out time in your diary regularly to focus on creating your career vision and plan
8. Diarise quarterly career reviews
9. Set up a savings account to invest in your personal and professional development
10. Commit to taking responsibility for your own career, don’t rely on your employer to do this
11. Imagine being at the end of your life and look back – what do you want from your career?
12. Write your CV for 5 years time

What tips would you add?

The world of work is changing fast. Make sure that you have a career strategy and plan.

“If one does not know to which port is sailing, no wind is favourable.” Seneca.

In case you missed them, here are parts 1-4 in this series:

Part 1: Why don’t people have a career strategy and plan?
http://liberateyourtalent.wordpress.com/2013/04/07/whats-your-career-strategy-and-plan-part-1-of-5/

Part 2: Why it makes sense to have a career strategy and plan
http://liberateyourtalent.wordpress.com/2013/04/13/whats-your-career-strategy-part-2-of-5/

Part 3: How to create a career strategy and plan
http://liberateyourtalent.wordpress.com/2013/04/19/whats-your-career-strategy-and-plan-part-3-of-5/

Part 4: Opportunity cost of not having a career strategy and plan
http://liberateyourtalent.wordpress.com/2013/04/27/whats-your-career-strategy-and-plan-part-4-of-5/

To receive free Energise bulletins on Career strategies, smart living and working and self-promotion topics, visit this web page and opt in:
http://www.liberateyourtalent.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79&Itemid=106

For more useful tips & insights, follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/talentliberator

What’s your career strategy and plan? Part 4 of 5.

April 27, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

This blog post is part 4 of 5 and looks at the opportunity cost for you of NOT having a career strategy and plan.

“Control your destiny or someone else will.” Jack Welsh.

Opportunity cost of not having a career vision and plan

What are the implications of NOT creating a vision and plan for your career?

You dislike your job
You feel frustrated
You get left behind with your peers succeeding
You leave yourself vulnerable in the world of work
You don’t feel resilient
You experience frustration and anger from being unfulfilled which has a negative impact on your relationships and health
You feel anxious and disempowered
Your talent is unliberated – what a waste!
Your career options and choices are restricted
You are on the back foot (reactive), rather than the front foot (proactive)
You don’t realise the potential you are capable of
You provide a poor role model for your children that you can have meaningful and fulfilling work that plays to your strengths, not just ‘a job’

What would you add?

In case you missed them, here are the other blogs in this series, parts 1, 2 and 3:

Part 1:

http://liberateyourtalent.wordpress.com/2013/04/07/whats-your-career-strategy-and-plan-part-1-of-5/

Part 2:

http://liberateyourtalent.wordpress.com/2013/04/13/whats-your-career-strategy-part-2-of-5/

Part 3:

http://liberateyourtalent.wordpress.com/2013/04/19/whats-your-career-strategy-and-plan-part-3-of-5/

The next and final blog post in this series will share tips to help you create your career strategy and plan.

To receive free Energise bulletins on Career strategies, smart living and working and self-promotion topics, visit this web page to view previous topics and opt in:

http://www.liberateyourtalent.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79&Itemid=106

For more useful tips & insights, follow us on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/talentliberator

What’s your career strategy and plan? Part 3 of 5.

April 19, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

This blog shares some tips about how to create a career strategy and plan.

“Goals that are not written down are just wishes.” Anon.

How do you go about creating a career strategy and plan?

It is a mixture of internal and external exploration and thinking and includes:

Having a clear S.M.A.R.T. goal
Creating a timing plan
Breaking down long term outcomes into small shorter steps
Having self-awareness; your needs, wants, values, motivations, skills, qualities etc.
Diarising time to review and update it
Reviewing published data on skill shortages and job/career trends
Researching employer needs e.g. changing competencies
Looking at market, economic and industry changes and trends
Creating an image board – a pictorial representation of what you want from your career

What tips would you add?

In case you missed them, here are parts 1 and 2.

Part 2 looks at why it makes sense to have a career strategy and plan:

http://liberateyourtalent.wordpress.com/2013/04/13/whats-your-career-strategy-part-2-of-5/

Part 1 explores why people don’t have a career strategy and plan:

http://liberateyourtalent.wordpress.com/2013/04/07/whats-your-career-strategy-and-plan-part-1-of-5/

Part 4 of 5 will look at the opportunity cost of not having a career strategy and plan.

To receive free Energise bulletins on Career strategies, smart living and working and self-promotion topics, visit this web page and opt in: http://www.liberateyourtalent.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79&Itemid=106

For more useful tips & insights, follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talentliberator

What’s your career strategy and plan? Part 2 of 5.

April 13, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

This is part 2 in a 5 part series about career strategy and planning.

Part 1 explored why people don’t have a career strategy and plan. This blog looks at why it makes sense to create a career strategy and plan.

“Purpose serves as a principle around which to organise our lives.” Anon.

Why create a career strategy and plan?

Here are some reasons why creating a strategy and plan is a good idea.

Increases the chance of career fulfilment
Making conscious decisions rather than falling into jobs or leaving your career to chance is wise
What you focus on is what you get
Having a career plan helps you to narrow down information and networking options in a world of growing information overload/overwhelm
Trends show that in future, people will need a higher level of skill and qualification so it helps you plan the time and money to achieve this
Competition is increasing with well qualified cheaper hungry to learn talent from ‘people rich’ countries e.g. India, Brazil, China
More and more jobs are being replaced by technology
Layers of management have been stripped out making getting a job for middle and senior management more competitive; differentiation and self-marketing is essential
It provides a horizon towards which you are always moving, whatever life/work throws at you
Helps you say ‘no’ to things so you avoid wasting time/energy
Stops you going down the wrong path and having regrets
Means you are less likely to make a mistake
Gives you a sense of control and purpose in uncertain and unpredictable times
Prevents other people/external events determining what happens
Helps you evolve your career and be proactive rather than reactive
Ensures a good fit between you and your work

What would you add?

Further blogs in this five part series will examine how to create a career strategy and plan, the opportunity cost of not doing this and some tips to help you.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain.

For more insights and tips, follow us on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/talentliberator

In case you missed it, here is part 1 of this 5 part series:

http://liberateyourtalent.wordpress.com/2013/04/07/whats-your-career-strategy-and-plan-part-1-of-5/

What’s your career strategy and plan? Part 1 of 5

April 7, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

A high proportion of people fall into their career by accident. A few, by chance, enjoy their work, but many don’t, which is a shame as it represents such a large proportion of our time and it has a big knock-on effect on other areas of our lives.

Having a career strategy and plan is like being in a boat where you can use a motor, oars, paddle or the sails, with a compass to steer you towards the horizon to the destination of your choosing, whatever the weather. It makes sense to think about your career strategies and have a plan A, B and C and to make time to think about your career choices.

“Your aspirations are your possibilities.“ Anon

This blog, part 1 of 5, explores how having a career strategy and plan gives your career choices and thinking about your career strategies is wise.

Why don’t people have a career strategy/plan?

Their parents were ‘hands off’ about their career
They received no/inadequate careers advice at school or college
They are too busy/don’t make time to reflect
They are unsure about how to go about it
They live ‘in the moment’/naturally think short term
They find it easier or comforting to focus on immediate priorities of life; eating, sleeping, shopping, doing their current job
There are more and more distractions that get in the way e.g. social media
They have never thought about how they can influence their future

“If you don’t know where you are going, you might not get there.” Yogi Berra.

Visit next week for the next part in this 5 part blog series.

To receive your free Energise bulletins on Career strategies, smart living and working and self-promotion topics, visit this page:

http://www.liberateyourtalent.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79&Itemid=106

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” Reggie Leach.

Who’s looking after you?

March 22, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

One of the best decisions I made when I became self-employed over 15 years ago was to get a virtual PA. Their support has been absolutely invaluable.

Sometimes I joke that they know more about me than I know about myself, which is ironic for someone who works in personal and professional development.

Urban PA is the service I have been happy with for many years:

http://www.urbanpa.com/web/pa_service.html

My virtual PA doesn’t blink an eyelid when I ask them to search for images to express; ‘sitting on the fence’ or ‘rabbit caught in headlights.’

Because of having a virtual PA, there are many things that I don’t do and things I do more because of their expert help.

Things I don’t do:

Tasks I don’t like and don’t enjoy
Wait in ‘customer care’ lines not feeling cared for listening to lift style musak
Miss events I wanted to go to but didn’t know about
Wait in for the plumber, electrician or delivery losing precious time
Search for log-ins and passwords
Feel frustrated/angry
Get stressed

Things I do do:

Tasks I enjoy and like
Keep up to date with research and best practice
Build thought leadership
Work smart
Think about/spend time on ‘important not urgent’ tasks
Feel more authentic as a coach as I practice what I advocate
Take a walk as I have the time
Remember things I need to remember

Who are virtual PAs useful for?

Time poor executives
Contractors who work away a lot and who don’t want to come home to a pile of admin
People who want to make the most of time and play to their strengths
Self-employed who want back up and realise they can’t do it all

More and more people are becoming self-employed; working mums who seek flexibility, 50somethings who cannot get a job etc.

Being a virtual PA is also a fantastic flexible career choice for the many support staff who companies have shed to save money and whose traditional role technology is replacing.

Tips for choosing a virtual PA

There are generalist virtual PAs and specialist ones e.g. event management, social media etc. so make sure that you choose one that is right for your needs. Here are some tips:

Write a list of tasks that steal your time and that you hate
Write a list of things you would do if you had more time/ensure, e.g. switch banks, check you have the best deal with suppliers, find out about the latest trends and gadgets
Do your research
Ask for recommendations from your network
Decide if you want ad hoc support or a regular subscription service
Find the right fit – values, chemistry and tasks, e.g. if you want support to organise an event/party, choose a virtual PA who excels in that task, rather than filing

For more smart working tips, read our Energise smart living and working bulletins and opt in to get future ones, click on this link:

http://www.liberateyourtalent.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79&Itemid=106

Want to improve your career prospects? Part 3 of 3.

March 10, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

Then it’s time to get ‘learning hungry’.

This blog shares 10 more tips and is the third and final blog in a series of 3.

1) Study for a relevant new qualification

2) Learn a language

3) Read an educative book/Kindle download on your commuting bus/train/tube/journey

4) Listen to a relevant personal development download when driving instead of listening to music

5) Follow ‘opinion formers’ on LinkedIn

6) Download free relevant white papers on the web

7) Make time each week to reflect on what you have learnt and what you need to learn next to take you to where you want to go

8) Review your learning and development objectives

9) Think about what you want to get skilled at and ‘model’ someone (i.e. learn from what they are good at and copy/adapt their approach to suit you)

10) Investigate your own learning style, so you can feed your mind and memory in the best way for you.

What tips would you add? Doing just 1 of these 10 tips will make a difference over time to your career prospects. It is easy to do nothing or put it off.

In an increasingly competitive world, it is vital to build your skills, experience and knowledge to ensure that you are marketable and to give yourself choice.

For more useful insights and tips, follow us on Twitter. Click on this link:

https://twitter.com/talentliberator

Want to improve your career prospects? Part 2 of 3.

March 1, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

Then it’s time to get ‘learning hungry’.

What action will you take today to grow and improve your career prospects?

Being in the same role can get a bit stale after a while, even if it feels like you are doing the workload of two people, and it’s important to protect your position with lots of younger, cheaper keen people snapping at your heels for your job!.

You need to take responsibility for your own career development and strategy if you are going to improve your career prospects. This is important to improve your CV and marketability for a new and better job, whether internally or externally.

This blog, part 2 of 3 shares 10 tips, many of them costing nothing but time to improve your career prospects by building your knowledge, skills and experience.

Organise a sabbatical
Do a role swap
Job shadow someone
Get an executive coach
Attend a conference
Get a mentor
Join and be active in a new LinkedIn group
Watch a Ted video
Volunteer for a charity
Work alongside an external consultant

What tips would you add? Doing just 1 of these 10 tips will make a difference over time to your career prospects. It is easy to do nothing or put it off.

As a career, talent, and learning & development strategist and coach, or ‘talent liberator’ I get involved in skill and behaviour change in various contexts with both individuals and organisations.

For more useful insights and tips, follow us on Twitter. Click on this link:

https://twitter.com/talentliberator

Want to improve your career prospects? Part 1 of 3.

February 23, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

Then it’s time to get ‘learning hungry’.

I have always had an insatiable curiosity to learn new things and my career has evolved as a result, leading me into writing books, articles and creating content.

With all these factors at play at present:

economic growth slow;
L&D budgets squeezed;
informal learning growing;
more competition for jobs;
a higher level of skill and qualification for roles than in the past;
employees staying put for perceived security;
digital revolution;
more exacting standards by employers; and
universities starting to offer free courses on-line

you need to take responsibility for your own career development and strategy if you are going to improve your career prospects. This is important to improve your CV and marketability for a new and better job, whether internally or externally.

This blog, part 1 of 3 shares 10 tips, many of them costing nothing but time to improve your career prospects by building your knowledge, skills and experience.

Increase your span of control e.g. decision making
Cover for others on leave
Get exposure to other departments and roles
Do a role swap or Secondment
Do desk/web research about a new knowledge/skill area
Champion/manage change
Volunteer to gain a leadership skill, e.g. raising money for charity, chairing a committee
Take on a stretch assignment
Spend time with managers cross function
Make customer visits

What tips would you add? Doing just 1 of these 10 tips will make a difference over time to your career prospects. It is easy to do nothing or put it off.

Ask yourself these self-reflective questions:

What is my career strategy?
What are my learning objectives?
What competencies do I need to develop to improve my promotion prospects and marketability?
What new skills would broaden my horizons and career options?
How much time am I making each month to build my skills, knowledge and experience?
What’s stopping me from making this a higher priority?

For more useful insights and tips, follow us on Twitter. Click on this link:

https://twitter.com/talentliberator