Career timing

This is the fourth in a ten-part series

Part One - Bullying

Part Two - Egotism 

Part Three - Conflict in the workplace

By Daniela Aroche

When you are thinking of making that all-important career move, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is to wait too long or move up too fast. Timing is critical - and if you get it wrong it could backfire and set you back substantially.

President of the Hong Kong Corporate Counsel Association (HKCCA) and senior corporate counsel at Spotless Plastics (HK), Jasmine Karimi, agrees that moving at the wrong time - to corporate management in particular - can impact negatively on a lawyer's career. "A move to corporate management could sometimes negatively impact on a lawyer's career. Timing does play a part but it's not the centrifugal force. Lots of other factors influence the impact," she said.

"The reasons for the move have to be sound and weighted well. Money, prestige, or an 'escape' from the law doesn't make up the right reasons.  For example, a lawyer who's been a partner in a firm for 15-20 years would not be as equipped to move to corporate management in a general business environment, against one who has been in-house for at least a few years. In that sense, the partner's move from private practice directly to corporate management can be said to be ill-timed.  Making the jump in challenging economical times can also be an issue."

While management is certainly a golden option for lawyers wanting to advance in their career, Karimi warns that it is not the only option available and it should not be taken lightly. "Some lawyers are just not cut for a corporate management role. That's not a failure - it's what one is good at. The old adage is true: do what you love, the rest will follow. Don't force yourself to do something because it is the right thing to do or because all your friends are becoming CEOs and you should follow suit. Do what's right for you," Karimi said.

There are several factors to consider when moving into management, and if it will be a positive for your career.

"It helps if the lawyer has (i) been in-house for a few years at least; (ii) worked his/her way up to being part of the management team, albeit in his/her capacity as a lawyer; (iii) spent extra time to really know and understand the business (over and above that required for the job); (iv) taken on a pseudo-business role while also shouldering a legal role, taking care to keep the two distinct," Karimi said.

"Then once all the ducks are in a row, make an internal shift to the corporate management role. The whole process has to be approached in stages with a conscious strategy. If you wake up one day and realise you'd rather do business than law and make the move the next day, then you are courting danger of the move backfiring."

Karimi also advises that one of the best precautions for a lawyer to safeguard against a complete 'crash and burn' situation is to analyse the progression of their career move carefully.

"Perhaps the best precaution is to give yourself a set time frame, say a year, in which to try it out.  If the grass doesn't actually feel greener in the corporate management role, then it may be time to move back. The only caveat to this precaution is that the year has to be a truly intense 'give my all to the business' year."