Fresh out of law school and studying for the bar exam, I did something which was necessary at the time, but probably not the wisest career builder. I took a temp job selling ride tickets at the county fair. The most memorable customer was the dean of the law school. He came up to the booth with his two children and gave me the look of out of place recognition. “This is what a law degree gets you these days,” I unwisely said to the Dean. He took his tickets without another word. Not a smart way for me to make myself memorable. From this experience, I realized it is never too early, nor too late, to start planning for a successful career. Here are a few tips I’ve learned along the way.
Network
Despite the uniquely American belief that you can do it all by yourself, the truth is that life can be a lot easier when you ask for help. For example, if you are approached by a potential client to handle an issue that is new to you, then you have the perfect opportunity to call up a fellow attorney to ask some questions. Most people are happy to take a small amount of time to help a fellow professional. By taking advantage of that willingness to help, you are meeting new people, and getting yourself known. For more information on networking, see my prior blog posts.
Develop a Niche
The days of the main street lawyer that does probate, criminal defense, family law, business law, and anything else that walks through the door are over. This is a blessing because it frees you to develop an interest in one or two areas of law and really excel at becoming an expert in those areas. By promoting yourself as the “go to” person, you can increase referrals. You will also receive more invitations to write or speak on your niche. This increases your visibility among your peers and again, leads to more referrals.
Find an organization that you believe in and volunteer to help them out in any way possible. Extra points if the organization is made up by and for lawyers. Examples include local bar associations, plaintiff or defense oriented groups, Inns of Court, etc. The point is to work with other like-minded individuals towards a common cause. By doing so you will make connections as well as making a name for yourself as a dedicated lawyer.
These are just a few examples of things you can do to enhance your career. A coach can work with you to develop a plan to use your strengths to further your career.
Contact me for complimentary 30 minute session to find out how a coach can help you plan for a successful career!
Photo credit: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/14009830@N04/”>Rafael Acorsi</a> via <a href=”http://foter.com/”>Foter.com</a> / <a href=”http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/”>CC BY-SA</a>