In this month’s Careers Clinic, we’re handing over to Kelly, Associate Director and specialist in helping private client, Court of Protection and contentious probate lawyers develop their careers across the North West.
Kelly is answering a question from an experienced solicitor who isn’t necessarily ready to make an immediate career move, but wants to use a quieter period at work to think strategically about what comes next.
Q: “Things tend to be a little quieter for me at certain points in the year, which gives me more time to think about my career. I’m not actively looking to leave my firm, but I know I’d like to progress and I’m conscious that it’s easy to put career planning off once work gets busy again.
How can I use a quieter period to take stock and start planning my next move?”
A: When you’re busy managing a caseload, meeting deadlines and looking after clients, your own career can easily slip down the priority list.
That’s why quieter periods can be so valuable. You don’t need to decide that you’re leaving your firm or start firing off applications. Instead, use the extra headspace to think about where you are, where you want to get to and whether your current role can take you there.
Here are a few things I’d recommend.
Look back before you look forward
Start with what’s happened over the past six to 12 months.
Think about the work you’ve enjoyed most, the skills you’ve developed and the responsibilities you’ve taken on. Equally, consider what’s frustrated you or left you feeling less engaged.
Perhaps you’ve enjoyed getting involved in more complex estates, supervising junior lawyers or developing client relationships. Or maybe you’re starting to feel that your caseload has become repetitive or that your progression has stalled.
Those patterns can tell you a lot about what you need next.
Decide what progression means to you
Your next move doesn’t necessarily have to mean changing firms.
You might want to become a Senior Associate, move towards partnership or eventually lead a private client team. Alternatively, your priority might be greater flexibility, more interesting work, a better salary or simply feeling more fulfilled day to day.
Try to identify two or three priorities for the next stage of your career. Having that clarity makes it much easier to assess whether your current firm can deliver them.
Have the conversations you’ve been putting off
Once things get busy, it’s easy to tell yourself you’ll discuss progression “eventually”.
Use the quieter period to speak to your manager about where you want to go. Ask what you need to demonstrate to reach the next level and whether there are opportunities to broaden your responsibilities.
The answers you receive can be revealing. A clear plan and genuine support might reassure you that you’re in exactly the right place. Vague promises or a lack of opportunity might give you something else to think about.
Get yourself market-ready – even if you’re staying put
There’s nothing wrong with getting organised before you’ve decided whether you want to move.
Update your CV while your recent achievements are fresh in your mind. Refresh your LinkedIn profile. Make a note of significant matters you’ve worked on, client feedback, business you’ve generated and additional responsibilities you’ve taken on.
If an interesting opportunity does arise six months from now, you’ll be in a much better position to explore it without having to start from scratch.
Find out what’s happening outside your firm
I’d also recommend getting a sense of the wider legal market.
What are lawyers at your level earning? Which firms are growing? What progression opportunities are available? What are firms offering around flexibility and benefits?
Speaking to a specialist recruiter doesn’t have to mean starting a job search. A confidential conversation can simply help you understand your market value and whether what you want from the next few years is realistic.
That context can also be useful if you ultimately decide to stay where you are.
Turn reflection into one or two actions
You don’t need to emerge from a quieter period with your entire career mapped out.
Instead, choose a couple of things you can actually do. That might be arranging a progression conversation, asking to supervise a junior colleague, getting involved in business development, updating your CV or speaking to a recruiter.
Small actions now can prevent another year passing before you think seriously about your career again.
Make the most of the breathing space
Career planning is often easier when you’re not desperate to leave.
When you’re reasonably happy and under no pressure to make a decision, you can be much more selective about what comes next. You can explore the market, ask questions and wait for an opportunity that genuinely improves your career rather than moving for the sake of it.
If you’re a private client, Court of Protection or contentious probate lawyer in the North West and would like to use a quieter period to sense-check your career plans, I’d be happy to have a confidential conversation.
At Realm, we can help you understand your market value, explore what progression could look like and work out whether your best next step is at your current firm or somewhere new.
You can also take our Career Clarity Quiz if you’d like some structure to help you reflect on what you want from the next stage of your career.
