Marketing Myself

Lack of Time and Resources

Many mid-career solicitors have heavy workloads and significant responsibilities, leaving little time for marketing activities. With demanding caseloads and client obligations, finding extra hours to focus on self-promotion can be difficult. Additionally, law firms may not provide adequate resources or support for individual marketing efforts.

Limited Marketing Skills and Experience

Most lawyers are trained in legal practice, not marketing or business development. As analytical thinkers focused on meeting client needs, many solicitors lack the skills and experience needed for effective self-promotion. Marketing requires a different mindset and set of competencies that may feel unfamiliar or uncomfortable.

Risk Aversion

The legal profession tends to attract risk-averse individuals. Mid-career solicitors who have established themselves may be hesitant to try new marketing approaches out of fear of failure or damaging their professional reputation. There’s often a preference for sticking with familiar, “safe” methods rather than experimenting with innovative marketing techniques.

Ethical Concerns

Solicitors must adhere to strict ethical guidelines regarding advertising and client solicitation. This can make some mid-career lawyers overly cautious about marketing themselves, worried about inadvertently violating professional rules of conduct. The need to carefully navigate ethical considerations can inhibit bold marketing moves.

Reliance on Referrals

Many established solicitors have built their practice primarily through referrals and word-of-mouth. While valuable, this passive approach may leave them ill-equipped to proactively market themselves when needed. Transitioning to more active self-promotion can feel uncomfortable and unnecessary.

Lack of Differentiation

In a crowded legal marketplace, mid-career solicitors may struggle to articulate their unique value proposition. Without a clear personal brand or niche, it becomes challenging to stand out and effectively market oneself to potential clients or employers. Overcoming these obstacles often requires a shift in mindset, acquiring new skills, and dedicating time and resources to personal marketing efforts. With the right approach, mid-career solicitors can learn to promote themselves more effectively and open up new professional opportunities.

Building a Personal Brand

Developing strong personal branding and marketing skills allows mid-career solicitors to:

• Differentiate themselves in a competitive legal market
• Highlight their unique expertise and experience
• Establish credibility in new practice areas or industries they want to transition into

By crafting a compelling personal brand, solicitors can position themselves effectively for new opportunities.

Expanding Professional Networks

Effective self-marketing enables solicitors to:

• Expand their professional networks beyond their current field
• Connect with potential clients, employers, or partners in new areas of interest
• Gain visibility among decision-makers in target industries or practice areas

A strong network is invaluable when changing career direction.

Demonstrating Adaptability

Mastering new marketing skills demonstrates:

• Willingness to learn and grow professionally
• Adaptability to changing market demands
• Ability to reinvent oneself and pivot careers successfully

These qualities are highly valued by employers
and clients alike.

Attracting New Opportunities

Strategic self-promotion helps solicitors:

• Attract job offers, client leads, and partnership opportunities
• Showcase transferable skills relevant to new career paths
• Get noticed by recruiters and hiring managers in desired fields

Proactive marketing opens doors that may otherwise remain closed.

Maintaining Relevance

In a rapidly evolving legal landscape, ongoing self-marketing allows solicitors to:

• Stay current with industry trends and client needs
• Demonstrate continued professional developmen
• Remain competitive against younger lawyers entering the field.

This is especially important for mid-career professionals seeking to change direction. By investing time and effort into mastering self-marketing, mid-career solicitors can navigate career transitions more successfully and build sustainable long-term success in new directions. The ability to effectively promote one’s skills, experience, and unique value proposition is an essential career management tool in today’s dynamic legal market.

Did you know…

EnergiseLegal

Rachel Brushfield is the author of “Smarter Legal Marketing – Practical strategies for the busy lawyer”
https://bookshop.lawsociety.org.uk/p/smarter-legal-marketing-practical-st-paperback/

The book covers:

• what marketing is
• why it is essential to put yourself in your clients’ shoes
• the importance of having a personal brand
• how to make networking work for you
• what blocks lawyers have about marketing and how to overcome them
• how to fit marketing into your hectic schedule, without ruining your work-life balance, and manage it expediently

• how LinkedIn can help you to create visibility online and build your reputation
• how content marketing fits with your overall marketing strategy and plan.
• It is very common for lawyers to have blocks about marketing and to confuse marketing with sales.
• The definition of marketing (Source = The Chartered Institute of Marketing) “The management process of anticipating and satisfying client needs profitably.”
• Marketing is about insight, understanding your target audience in depth, and is becoming more multifaceted with social media channels.

CV Writing

For mid-career solicitors looking to make a career change, having an outstanding CV is crucial
for several reasons:

Highlight Transferable Skills

An outstanding CV allows mid-career solicitors to showcase the valuable transferable skills they’ve developed over their career. These may include:

• Strong communication and negotiation abilities
• Analytical and problem-solving skills
• Project management experience
• Leadership and team management capabilities

Emphasizing these transferable skills demonstrates how the solicitor’s experience is relevant to new roles or practice areas.

Demonstrate Expertise and Achievements

Mid-career solicitors have likely accumulated significant expertise and accomplishments that can set them apart from other candidates. An outstanding CV provides the opportunity to highlight:

• Notable cases or deals worked on
• Specialized knowledge in particular areas of law
• Awards, recognitions, or promotions received
• Business development and client relationship successes

Showcasing these achievements helps establish credibility and value to potential employers.

Address Career Change Motivations

An exceptional CV allows mid-career solicitors to proactively address their reasons for seeking a career change. This may involve:

• Explaining the rationale behind the desired transition
• Highlighting relevant experience or interests that align with the new direction
• Demonstrating commitment through additional training or qualifications

Addressing the career change directly shows self-awareness and purposeful decision-making.

Stand Out in a Competitive Market

The legal job market can be highly competitive, especially for those changing specialties or sectors. An outstanding CV helps mid-career solicitors:

• Make a strong first impression on recruiters and hiring managers
• Differentiate themselves from other experienced candidates
• Overcome potential biases against career changers

A well-crafted CV increases the chances of securing interviews and opportunities in new areas.

Showcase Continued Growth and Learning

For mid-career professionals, demonstrating a commitment to ongoing development is crucial. An outstanding CV allows solicitors to highlight:

• Recent training or certifications obtained
• Involvement in professional associations or committees
• Thought leadership activities like publishing articles or speaking at conferences

This shows adaptability and a growth mindset, which are valuable traits for career changers. In summary, an outstanding CV is essential for mid-career solicitors making a change, as it allows them to effectively communicate their unique value proposition, address potential concerns, and position themselves competitively in the job market.

What makes an outstanding CV?

An outstanding CV effectively showcases your qualifications and makes you stand out as a candidate. Here are some key elements that make a CV outstanding:

Content

• Tailored to the job: Customize your CV for each position, highlighting relevant skills and experiences that match the job requirements.
• Concise and focused: Keep your CV brief (ideally 1-2 pages) and include only the most relevant information.
• Achievement-oriented: Quantify your accomplishments with specific examples and statistics where possible.
• Up-to-date: Ensure all information is current and reflects your most recent experiences and skills.

Structure and Format

• Clear and readable: Use a clean, professional font (like Arial or Helvetica) in size 12 or larger.
• Well-organised: Structure your CV logically with clear sections and headers.
• Visually appealing: Use white space, bullet points, and consistent formatting to make it easy to scan.

Key Sections

• Personal profile: Include a brief statement highlighting your key skills and career goals.
• Work experience: List your roles in reverse chronological order, focusing on relevant responsibilities and achievements.
• Education: Include your most recent and relevant qualifications.
• Skills: Highlight technical skills, languages, and other relevant abilities.
• Extra-curricular activities: Include relevant hobbies or volunteer work that demonstrate additional skills or interests.

Additional Tips

• Proofread thoroughly: Ensure there are no spelling or grammatical errors.
• Use keywords: Incorporate relevant industry terms and skills mentioned in the job description.
• Be honest: Never lie or exaggerate on your CV.
• Include references: Mention that references are available upon request.

By focusing on these elements, you can create an outstanding CV that effectively showcases your qualifications and increases your chances of landing an interview.

Did you know…

EnergiseLegal

• Have been creating CVs for over 30 years.
• Have extensive expertise at repositioning lawyers via their CV to change career direction.
• Keep up to date with ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) to ensure that our clients’ CVs aren’t screened out.
• Enjoy using our writing and branding skills to create a compelling CV.

• Especially love creating CVs for clients who have had eclectic careers and whose talents don’t fit into just ‘one neat box’.
• Did a session at the Law Society’s Returners course for many years ‘A good CV is like squeezing oranges’. A good CV has just the juice, and none of the pith, peel and pips.

A skills based CV is essential if…

• You are a Returner
• Want to change career direction
• Need/want to reposition yourself
• Have taken a career break, eg sabbatical
• Have many years’ experience
• Have a portfolio career
• Have had an eclectic career
• Work in a competitive market

We help by…

• Using skills and experience honed over 30 years of CV writing – with excellent results
• Using a ‘squeezing oranges’ CV writing approach
• Using our objective, experienced and expert eye to present your strengths and benefits
• Giving you peace of mind by designing your CV for you

Services

• Skills CV redesign
• CV mentoring
• Returner CVs
• Interim/contract bespoke CV
• CV to reposition yourself
• Biogs and LinkedIn profile

Case Studies

Skills CV Jayne Nichol

Skills CV Lara Keena

Events

• The Law Society Recharger programme.
• The Law Society Empowerment workshop for International Women’s Day 2018 and 2019.
• South Cheshire Law Society Personal Branding event July 2019.

Publications

• The Law Society Smarter Legal Marketing book
• Managing Partner magazine Say my name article
• Click on the cover to purchase