Life skills and career tips for Canada's lawyers in training
Issue link: https://digital.canadianlawyermag.com/i/153216
5 ntors me Tips for 1 Pay it forward 2 If you benefitted from having a mentor, you should return the favour. "Be a person in your community that's looking to help out and give others the opportunities that you've been privileged enough to obtain," says Garcia. Lightstone agrees. "You can't expect the profession to give just to you, you have to expect to give back," she says. Particularly in the legal profession, which is meant to be collegial, you should be thinking about how you can translate what you learned as a mentee into how you can become a mentor someday, she adds. Set expectations Mentorship might be new to you, but it's important the mentor sets the expectations for success because chances are the mentee will be too afraid to do so. When a mentorship fails, it's usually because both parties haven't discussed how the relationship is going to work, says Wolters. It is best if the mentor establishes a framework for how to communicate and how often. For example, are you going to communicate via e-mail, Skype, or get together once a month for lunch? Once this is established then both parties will know what is expected of them, therefore increasing the chances of the mentorship succeeding, says Wolters. a blueprint for maximizing your career potential New PubliCATioN RainDance: The Business DeveLOpmenT GuiDeBOOk fOR LawyeRs GArY MiTCHEll Graduate from law school and hit the ground running. Raindance: The Business Development Guidebook for Lawyers puts the ability to maximize your career potential directly in your hands. ORDeR # 985110-65203 $70 Softcover approx. 170 pages August 2012 978-0-7798-5110-2 Shipping and handling are extra. Price subject to change without notice and subject to applicable taxes. 16 fall 2013 CANADIAN This book, the first of its kind in Canada, teaches you the author's same four-step process that he has used to coach practitioners of all specializations and personalities in successfully building their practices. You will find: • Key guidance on effective and successful business development • Expert direction through the complete business development cycle – starting with target-market research to create your own business plan, to implementing an action plan that will be your road map – as well as all the steps and considerations in between L a w y e r 4 students • Tips on related skills that will raise your profile, such as networking effectively, developing or enhancing presentation skills, and getting published • Advice on how to develop relationships that turn into business – including getting more business from your current clients • Hands-on, interactive exercises and checklists that help you assess and plan accordingly to achieve your business development goals No matter where you are in your career, once you have worked through this easy four-step process of creating your own business plan, you will know what steps to take to reach your goals. AvAilAble Risk-FRee FoR 30 DAys order online: www.carswell.com Call Toll-Free: 1-800-387-5164 in Toronto: 416-609-3800