Experts Offer Tips on How to Recreate Your Career

Jeffery R. Liebster and Marcia Pennington Shannon discuss the challenges of moving from one job or career to another.

An array of individuals who have recreated themselves in their professional lives told their stories and presented suggestions for others who are considering changing careers during the Annual Meeting program, “Create a New Career out of Your Old Resume.”

Career changes experienced by the panelists included moving from a law firm to teaching and then on to communications consulting; from lawyer through a series of jobs to acting as a headhunter; and from Supreme Court staff attorney to judge to splitting time between serving as a judge and entering the seminary.

Corrine Cooper, principal, Professional Presence, laid out an array of questions individuals might want to ask themselves when contemplating moving positions. Many of the questions focused on starting one’s own business. The first series had to do with economic issues: “What will it cost me to live and run my own business the first year?” “How am I going to pay for health insurance?” and “What impact will the job change have on my retirement?”

Business-related questions dealt with the legal form the business will take and what licenses and filings are required.

Under the headline of “Planning” came these questions:

• What do you want to accomplish for yourself?
• What is your target market?
• How are you going to market yourself?
• What do you want to communicate about your work?

Hillary Mantis, a lawyer and career consultant, directed the attendees to two Web sites for alternative careers within and outside of the legal profession: http://www.nontradlegal.com and http://www.job-hunt.org.

The program, held Aug. 10, was sponsored by the Section of Business Law Committee on Career and Practice Development, the Section of Business Law Committee on Diversity, the American Law Institute – American Bar Association and the Young Lawyers Division.