An economic downturn, career boredom, or the triumph over a life-changing event has an uncanny way of coercing many of us into considering a different line of work. For me, it was the burst of the Dotcom bubble.
After graduation and with three years of experience under my belt, I relocated to the Silicon Valley to direct the public relations department at a telecommunications start-up. After a brief 18 months, it was brought to my attention that the company was having financial issues and that I should start “putting out my feelers.” Unfortunately, I would be competing for positions against seasoned professionals, who were willing to take drastic cuts in compensation in order to have a job.
Although the tech industry was in decline, the legal industry was booming. I applied for a marketing position within a law firm. I knew my reinvention from high tech, products PR to professional services marketing would require a personal branding overhaul.
The severity of my career change, at least from a perception standpoint, would determine the gravity of my course of action. As Longfellow noted, “We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done.” Convincing myself that the basic principles of PR and marketing could easily be transitioned to the legal context was not enough–I would have to sell others on the idea.
Five steps were key to my reinvention and can also be to yours.
1—Define Your Intention. If your career objective is poorly thought out, you won’t be the only one confused. Start by determining your passion, and then identify possible positions. Be willing to pay your dues by taking on an entry level position, an internship, or shadow program. Seek out a mentor who can guide you. I joined the Legal Marketing Association, an industry group that offered programs and workshops on core competencies. I was not afraid to be seen as the newbie or ask seemingly stupid questions. In some extreme cases, additional schooling and degrees may be required.
2—Leverage Common Experience. Focus on your unique selling proposition. After all, that is what people will see and remember. I quickly realized just how risk averse the legal industry is. I immediately repositioned myself as one who had been on the other side of the legal equation as the purchaser of legal services. Now, my non-legal experience was seen as competitive intelligence and insight–something that distinguished me from others at the law firm.
3—Develop a Narrative. In order to enroll others in your rebranding initiative, you will have to explain how your past pursuits have prepared you for your current interests. The key is not to explain your transition in terms of your own interests (e.g., I was bored to tears with my last job and had to try something new), but to focus on the value your prior experience adds. For me, marketing legal services started with a basic understanding of the client’s experience associating with a law firm. Positioning my firm in a way that focused on services other firms were not providing, like client responsiveness, project-based billing, and efficient matter staffing, was enough to distinguish us from our competition.
Remember, your narrative must be consistent with your past. Otherwise, you may be seen as trying to cover-up, which may cause distrust among key allies.
4—Introduce and Reintroduce Yourself. Once you have rebranded yourself, now it is time to share your story. Making new contacts, who will take you at face value, will be easy. The harder task will be reintroducing yourself to existing contacts. Update your traditional marketing tools, like your website, brochures, and business cards, and ensure other contact points, like Facebook, Twitter, and Linked In, are consistent and up-to-date. Reach out to your contacts in person, email, or over the phone to share with them your new direction. This will give you an opportunity to reconnect, solicit feedback, and address/overcome any negative perceptions that may exist.
5—Demonstrate Your Value. Established professionals have a resume of successful projects, representative matters, and other credentials that lend credibility–a portfolio of sorts. Participating in a variety of activities can put you on the fast track to realizing greater visibility. Speak at industry events, author articles for publication in respected journals, participate in webinars, respond to blog postings, serve on association boards, and taken-on leadership opportunities in volunteer organizations. Demonstrating your ability allows potential clients/customers and employers insight into working with you before they make a substantial commitment.
Rebranding yourself is an exercise in having total clarity in what you stand for and the promise you can deliver to those who have the ability to hire you or refer you business. The more touch points you make, the more prospects and resources you will add to your business pipeline, the more likely your new brand will be known, recognized and sought out.
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