1. You think working hard is enough to get you promotedHead down, bum up. That’s what the fi rst few years are like in most professions and law is no exception. But don’t make the mistake of staying in that position. Ensure you get your head up for a peripheral vision of what is going on around you, and that you develop deep relationships around you.

2. You think being technically brilliant is all that mattersThere’s no doubt you need to hone technical legal skills as you progress through your career, but you must also be able to build a team, develop clients and, in some cases, build a business. A 2015 study by Deloitte and researchers at Oxford University found that about 35 per cent of human jobs in the UK will be done by computers in the next 20 years. It seems the skills most at risk of computerisation are technical (think coding and anything technology-related). In the increasingly hi-tech legal world, human skills that cannot be replicated by technology will become more valuable – think leadership, communication, infl uencing and connection/networking skills.

3. You believe who you work for is more important than who you areYou may work for the most prestigious organisation in Australia, but if no one else knows who you are, then you are just a name on a CV. The rise of personal branding in the past fi ve to 10 years has created a radical change to the ways we recruit and are recruited. LinkedIn, Twitter, blogs and personal websites are making it easy to fi nd talent online, and increasingly the best candidates for a role are sitting back, waiting to be found. If you can’t be found, you will potentially miss out. Work on your personal brand. Make it a priority.

4. You think more qualifi cations are the answer to a successful careerIn some respects, a Masters Degree in Law might set you apart. For some disciplines it’s almost an expected qualifi cation if you want to progress. However, many people look to gain such additional qualifi cations to generate

44 LSJ I ISSUE 24 I JULY 2016

10 career mistakes

you didn’t know you

were making

Professional development CAREER COACH

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Fiona Craig has more than 20 years’ experience working in, for and with the professional services industry. If you’d like to learn more about the training, coaching and mentoring she does with individual lawyers and teams helping them build infl uence, income and impact, go to fi onacraig.com.au/letstalk to set up a time for a short strategy call. In the meantime, you can connect with her on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/fi onacraig

Career advice with

It’s never too early in your career to develop human business

skills, but it’s often too late for many. Try these tips to build

your career and improve your enjoyment of work.

a more “successful” career, even though in their hearts they know it’s not the answer.

I am very pro-education. However, I am pro-education that actually helps to achieve a result. It’s expensive to study in Australia. Be clear on the purpose of your additional study and have a plan on how to leverage it post-completion.

5. You get lost in emailsYes. We all do. The answer is simple: pick up the phone more. Go hang out in someone’s office. Email less. Done.

6. You don’t make time to nurture your networkSee number five, above. Email is a great tool, as is all technology, but nothing replaces the power of human connection. As Matthew Lieberman writes in his book Social – Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect, our brains are not just made for thinking – they are made for connecting. Your network is the key to a successful career. The people in it will support you, promote you, and carry you through the highs and lows of your career – and your life. Take the time to nurture, develop and increase your connections every day.

7. You think self-promotion is ‘icky’This might sound a little rude, but chances are you’ve been reading my careers advice for a while now, so I’ll just say it … get over it. If you believe in yourself, your value, your service, what you have to offer, learn how to articulate it so that others also get it. It’s not icky. It’s necessary in an increasingly busy, crowded marketplace.

8. You don’t understand what problems you really solveYou must be able to articulate your client’s problem (whether they are an internal or external client) better than they can themselves.

You need to know what is keeping them awake at night (and trust me, they’re not lying awake wondering whether Clause 2(b)(ii) of that contract will stand up in court if tested).

Work out a way to provide a legal service or advice that fixes that problem as best you can.

9. You think a career is linearThe days of a job for life are gone. Linear progression through the ranks is still possible, but it takes infinitely longer and requires boundless energy, hard work and resilience.

Instead, think of your career as a kind of assault course. Sometimes you need to climb over hurdles, other times you can run really fast, hard and straight for your target. And many times, you will be forced to find a completely new route to avoid falling in the water.

Accept that there is more than one way to reach the finish line, and develop the networks and skills to help you navigate the course.

10. You put your work first – alwaysIn the emergency procedure demonstration on an airplane the stewards are very clear – fix your own mask before attempting to help others.

Your career is a marathon, not a sprint. That means you need to be healthy and fighting fit. Relentless hours and stress will take their toll. Be mindful and take action to preserve your mental and physical health. Without it you have no career.

44 LSJ I ISSUE 24 I JULY 2016

Ethics

FACING AN ETHICALDILEMMA?

Contact the Law Society for practical, confidential guidance on ethical questions and complaints.

(02) 9926 0114 ethics@lawsociety.com.au

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