If you are lucky, you will come across a few people in your professional career, who act as a “career advocate” in support and mentorship of you as you develop. Often discovered internally in the workplace, there are outward sources you should pursue when looking for this type of guidance, as sometimes an external opinion free from bias can be valuable and challenging (in a positive way).
Here our Director discusses the impact a career consultant can have on your career progression, development and in being a support of your success – and how this impacts her career fulfilment as well.
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“Over the years I have spent focusing my career in the legal consulting space, I can honestly say the most enjoyable interactions for me have been with lawyers at different points in their career.
This type of long term relationship goes both ways.
As a legal professional you gain market REM knowledge, industry insights, trends into new areas emerging of interest to certain firms and a first look at potential promotional opportunities that arise outside of your firm.
However, what is also true is that the more a senior lawyer has invested in sharing industry and commercial knowledge with me and invested time in building our relationship over the years, the more I want to see them succeed to their highest potential.
We are human, we want to see our close circle win!
The investment made around studying law, the rigorous grad programs and the hours put in at the beginning of your career is massive. Identifying someone early on that you enjoy connecting with, who will encourage you, provide pathway and review advice with no expectation of a return is only of benefit to strategically planning your career.
The thing is with careers in any of the professions, is that they are intense and can be all consuming especially when you are building one. Aligning with someone who’s career is to keep on top of all your potential options is just good business.
Having someone who you can call and that you trust when the timing is right for a move is important. By this stage, you have built up equity in that relationship overtime, you feel comfortable that they know you professionally and your personal work style enough that their recommendations will fit culturally, financially and the rest.
Imagine that you find this person, a career advocate for yourself and you build a robust business relationship, friendship even! And even if you never change firms. What have you lost?”
To find our more about our career consulting services, or if you just want to have a completely non obligatory chat about your career goals, please feel free to contact us.
