What has guided your career? Have you focused on intentionality? Benefited from luck? Maybe a little of both?
PHASES OF A CAREER
What phase of your career are you in? When our clients come to us seeking their next opportunity, it’s always beneficial to have a conversation about where they are coming from and where they want to go.
Everyone is in a discovery phase early in their career, regardless of one's field of choice. Perhaps you have been passionate about one particular path and then something catches your eye that you hadn’t thought of.
For Tom, that was law school. Tom pivoted to law after already securing his master’s degree and starting his journey in a different field.
“Having that opportunity to take a chance, take a chance on yourself, find what it is that you are passionate about and then pursue it and jump in to pursue it. That's what I think sets individuals apart who really want to succeed and want to get ahead.”
Ultimately, becoming more intentional about where you want to go and how you need to grow, should become a priority. You may want to start asking yourself questions such as... Do you have mentors or people that are currently investing in your career development? Would it be advantageous to exercise patience and stay where you are?
“I'd say the one decision I made though, that I would recommend to anybody who's navigating their own career path, is focus more on who you'll be working with and less on what you'll be working on…find your opportunities, pick from them based on who you'll be working with. Find good mentors who will invest in you. You can't go wrong with that.”
BUILDING NETWORKS
Working to build relationships is essential in any career strategy, but the ability to cultivate a network without it feeling transactional is key.
You have to be genuine. Genuine curiosity and interest about what someone is doing or working on, creates an environment where others want to know more about you and will be willing to help you down the road. Tom summed it up perfectly by saying that “people succeed by helping each other succeed.”
The fear of rejection holds many back from pursuing networking opportunities, but you have to advocate for yourself. George’s advice is the simplest and easiest to follow, “You have nothing to lose if you reach out to someone and they don't respond to you, but you have a lot to gain if they respond to you and they want to share, and they want to be in a position to help you.”
No different than learning any new skill, the more you practice, the easier networking becomes.
PART 1 of 2
Part 1 of this 2-part episode provides insights into three varying executive backgrounds and highlights:
💠 Navigating your career path; is it intentional, linear, or opportunistic?
💠 Regardless of your age or the stage of your career, having a mentor in your life is crucial to success.
💠 Building a network without it feeling transactional.
💠 Overcoming the fear of rejection when networking.
Listen HERE
PART 2 of 2
Part 2 of this 2-part episode shares three varying executive backgrounds and highlights:
💠What you need as a job seeker in today’s market to get hired.
💠 As an attorney looking for a senior level role, whether that’s as a partner in a firm or going in-house, what should you know starting your search?
💠 Social media plays a role in the hiring process today, but how much?
💠 The best c-level executives have these common traits…
💠 What NOT to say in an interview.
Listen HERE
COMING UP NEXT...
Stay tuned for next month's episode featuring Bryan Krajeski. Bryan is an experienced recruiter who provides valuable insights into LinkedIn, networking, job searching and what recruiters are looking for when sourcing talent.
Thank you to everyone who subscribes to this newsletter. You can find more information about Top Talent Advocates on our website here, by following us on our LinkedIn page here, or by emailing us at TTA@TopTalentAdvocates.com. We encourage you to provide feedback on the podcast by posting comments, forwarding to others in your network, and encouraging others to gain insights into the hiring process for executives and attorneys. Don't forget to listen and subscribe here. You can also find the transcript for each episode of Hiring Insights here.
If you are thinking about a career move or want support on your executive branding and social media management, let's have a conversation. Leverage our network of recruiters, hiring managers, business leaders, and our personalized coaching to get noticed and carve your personalized path to success.
As always, thanks to Lindsay Hofbauer and our previous guests!