A boutique law firm of exceptional quality and talent where clients' and lawyers' interests are aligned by collaboration and innovation
“Give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference”.
This well-known serenity prayer applies to many aspects of my life.
My career, however, is not one of these situations. While some choose to ‘go with the flow’ or follow the traditional path in our profession with so many aspects of progression determined by external factors rather than their own input, I chose to take control of my career. I had the courage to make the changes to give me that control. I left a senior role in an international law firm leaving behind a team and clients I loved – to start again as a self-employed consultant. I have never looked back although at the time I didn’t realise that the decision would one day lead me to co-founding Bexley Beaumont.
The first step in taking control of your career is the realisation that your current career path is not in your control.
Sometimes this realisation will come as a sudden epiphany and sometimes it will be a result of cumulative dissatisfaction. Either way, you need to be self-aware and honest in asking yourself the tricky questions. I would suggest the following as a non-exhaustive list:
Realising that your career needs taking control of can be one of those precipice moments. Suddenly the ground falls beneath your feet and you may feel overwhelmed by the thought of what comes next.
The realisation is the most difficult step because it involves asking yourself the hard questions and not liking the answers. Taking control of your career gets easier from here, at least psychologically.
So, you’ve established that things aren’t going entirely to plan. Where do you go from here?
It’s hard to know where to go if you don’t have a destination in mind, so first you need to refresh your goals. This process may make you realise that, in fact, you haven’t strayed as far from your goals as you initially feared. They may even be achievable from the status quo rather than through a major career overhaul. You may determine that the career path you had mapped out for yourself 15 years ago no longer allows you to fulfil your other goals in life such as time with family, exercise, travelling or volunteer work.
It's conversation time. Outline your goals to those more senior within your organisation, outline the opportunities you are searching for and how they can help. They will likely want to keep you in the organisation and to seek to accommodate your goals. Open conversations can open doors.
Be a perpetual learner. Online courses, reading materials, training, part-time graduate programmes, webinars – there are infinite resources at your fingertips, each of which can add a new string to your bow. Being a perpetual learner should be a state of being for all of us, but particularly if you may be approaching a career dead end.
In refreshing your goals, you may realise they are irreconcilable with the status quo. You may struggle to see a future in your current role and organisation. Put simply, it’s time to move on.
Get the pieces in place to facilitate moving on. Networking; asking the right people the right questions to find the right place for you. Be open minded. Continue to learn, develop and upskill; it’s a competitive world and you need to stand out.
Finally, move on. It’s a daunting prospect but should be an exciting one as well. It’s a chance to spread your wings, achieve your goals and take your future into your own hands.
If you do decide that it is your time to move on, approach that with an open mind. Many of us have been on an established career path which we possibly didn’t think about when we joined in our excitement to get the first steps on that ladder.
It’s important to explore all opportunities to ascertain what will align with your personal objectives over the next few years and longer term
Anna and I set up Bexley Beaumont to offer lawyers, and clients, a different type of law firm. One where the clients’ and lawyers’ interests align as they are able to take control. Lawyers are able to develop their career in a way that suits them and based on their input - they are empowered with the support of the Team. As one of our Partners said recently; “You become the author of your own professional destiny, with internal support tailored to you and your clients”.
Having the “courage to change things where you can” often involves being brave and trying something different to truly take control of your career.
