Articles From the Team
Is it time for a new challenge?
Whatever job you do and wherever you work in the world, you will have transferable skills. Your role, on the face of it, might be niche, not offering any obvious benefits when starting your job search. However, the fact is, experience is experience - connections between skill sets are there but might not be obvious, even if the roles themselves seem considerably different even the most tenuous of links will help you if you’re looking to embark on something new.
Recent examples in the celebrity world include Rio Ferdinand taking up professional boxing…having spent 2 decades as a professional footballer and whilst he may be physically fit, that does not necessarily translate in to being conditioned to fight at an elite level. Another good example was Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff moving from cricket to boxing…we all know how that turned out.
What we should take from the above examples are that they are/ were looking to utilise their skills and strengths, having been an elite level athlete for so long, their bodies were conditioned to be at optimum fitness and their physicality was one of their greatest assets. You would assume they had a natural talent for sport in general, developed and specialised over many years, setting them up to take on a new challenge. Of course, it won’t be (and as Freddie Flintoff found out) easy, but they recognised the opportunity to put their experience and ability to the test in a different arena.
So what does this have to do with the world of law and legal practice? This mind-set could and should be applied to any area of employment. While boxing and football come under the same umbrella of sport, their requirements are vastly different. So, when looked at objectively, a change in career direction is a possibility for anyone – not just a professional athlete.
Time and time again, people stay in their chosen careers/ disciplines/ firms from a young age, steered by career advisors and/or parents who believe it’s the right route. Is it? Only the individual will know and, while you will seem content on the surface, the fact is that anyone can be subconsciously unhappy in a job role and want to do something to change it.
It actually might not be your career that you are unhappy with maybe it is your current firm? Maybe it is their structure or their clients that you don’t like? Did you think that? Is it the type of job that you’re doing? The firm’s culture? Or is the workload tipping you into stress? Initially a conversation with your manager, maybe reorganising the workload or how the work is done could be enough of a change to make all the difference.
It could simply be that you’re happy and successful in your current role but you feel the need for a new challenge to stretch yourself. The ability to grow as a person and to stretch your brain are fundamentals for emotional and mental wellbeing, so embarking on something new should be celebrated rather than shied away from. If you push the boundaries, you’ll know when a change is right for you.
Thriving on a challenge is something that both Rio and Freddie were recognised for, joining arguably the world’s biggest football club, the 2005 Ashes, or whatever challenge that might be - we find that people often thrive in the face of adversity. Stretching yourself will bring out your best and will give a great sense of satisfaction and fulfilment.
If you do want to make a move, or are considering a new challenge or change of career we can help you make sure you consider your options , consider your key motivators and ensure your skills and experience are utilised to the max. Contentment may be just around the corner, a journey of 10,000 miles starts with 1 single step…
For more information contact BCL Legal or email us at info@bcllegal.com.