Ready to Pivot?

If you think through your professional life to date, you have probably made a handful of, if not many, pivots of various sorts.  Some you may have excitingly brought on yourself and others may have shown up when you were entirely uninterested in making a change.  With the global pandemic as a backdrop, pivoting is now front and center.

Pivots – in our practices, careers and networking strategies – are best made when we take intentional steps to move ourselves forward.  While pivots are often stressful, the potential for inspiring, new opportunities can help channel that stress into the ability to act and make a meaningful change.

If you are considering a pivot in your career, start with the following steps:

·      Pinpoint why you want to make a change.  What is the root cause of why you are looking for something new? 

·      Create a pro and con list of your recent roles.  Make an actual list…pen to paper…so your thoughts aren’t floating around in your head, but rather have a place to land.  Organization is key to figuring out next steps.

·      Determine your values and interests and think about how they are relevant to the new opportunities you might want to pursue.  (There are many third-party resources that can help you go through this assessment.)

·      Assess your skills (personal and professional) and identify the various ways in which they are transferable.

·      Research options within and outside the industry.  Permit yourself to think beyond the parameters you previously self-imposed on your career.

·      Educate yourself through CLEs, certification courses and general research. 

·      Formulate an action plan that will move you towards your goal, and hold yourself accountable.  As part of your plan, connect with existing and new contacts in roles you find appealing, to help you better understand their work and their industries.  Networking is key to any pivot.

Sometimes career pivots happen quickly, other times there is a long road to making the change.  Whatever the scenario, if you are intentional and thoughtful as you move forward, you will be more likely to achieve success and be grateful for your new adventure.

Co-authored by Amy Goldstein and Randi Rosenblatt. Adapted from their presentation, Pivoting: Your Networking, Your Legal Practice and Your Career, a webinar sponsored by the NYC Bar Association.

 Amy Goldstein is the founder of Grayson Allen, Inc., a New York based attorney search and career consulting firm. She has been providing career advice and recruiting attorneys for in-house and law firm positions since 2000.

 Randi Rosenblatt is the Founder & CEO of Upward Stride, a business development coaching and consulting firm that works with attorneys and law firms to bring their business to the next level.