Are you a lawyer seeking a career outside the law office? There are many opportunities you may explore as a lawyer. As a professional who’s got many skills and expertise, you have a fat chance to land other jobs if you ever decide to pursue one. And in this article, you’ll learn the second careers for lawyers worth checking out.
How to choose your second career as a lawyer
In choosing a second career, here are some things to keep in mind to find the perfect side job for you:
1. Leverage your skills to your passion.
Got a passion you want to pursue? Why not turn this into something bigger as your second career? You can leverage the existing skills you have into making this project or job possible. Thus, you need to assess what skills will be profitable in this passion project you’re building. Doing something you love will guarantee enjoyment in your second career, no matter how hard things may be.
2. Assess your options.
You literally have hundreds of careers to choose from. That said, you need to weigh the options we’ll share with you below and think about which one perfectly suits your abilities, personality, and preference. You may even consider some roles you never thought of pursuing before—it’s all about entertaining the possibility of thriving in a particular field you’re built for.
3. Utilize your network.
As an established professional, it’s safe to assume that you have expanded your professional network significantly. So, take this opportunity to maximize knowing these people. You may inform them that you are available for opportunities or reach out directly to ask for any opportunities. Even when most of your connections are from the same industry, you still might get reasonable offers from referrals they can provide you.
4. Consider getting professional support.
If there is someone who could help you in this new journey, it’s a career coach. Talking to one will help you make a wise decision in your career. If you are confused about what will be best for you, consulting with them may be a good decision.
Second careers for lawyers
Here are the second careers for lawyers that you may consider:
1. Journalist
Lawyers have innate expertise in inquisition and writing. These two skills play a significant role for journalists. Journalists need to have excellent interviewing and investigatory skills. And if you have a passion for sharing other people’s stories, a career in journalism may work perfectly for you.
2. Public Relations
Lawyers possess stellar communication and networking skills, which are relevant in public relations (PR). If you enjoy network building and working in large firms sounds exciting for you, a job in PR could be a great venture for you. And if you’d like to work for a smaller-scale business, it’s not a big problem finding a PR job since many small businesses need PR services which will enable you to be more hands-on.
3. Professor
Teaching in the academe could be a great option if you genuinely love sharing the gift of knowledge. Not all intellectuals possess the gift of teaching, but this could be an excellent opportunity to maximize it and turn it into a side job or second career if you have the innate skill. As a law professor, you will be helping law students to become lawyers too. You’ll find fulfillment in this job as you will be a part of others’ journey in becoming lawyers.
4. Writer
As mentioned earlier, lawyers like you have stellar writing skills. You may leverage this skill by pursuing writing as a second career. You can choose between becoming a content writer or copywriting; whichever you think will suit your abilities best is worth trying. Here is a writing course that will help you land writing gigs.
5. Investigator
An investigator or detective doesn’t sit far from a lawyer’s field. Thus, you may already possess the necessary skills to perform this kind of job. They collect evidence and information for crimes, and your being a lawyer is an advantage in this job. You have experience handling several sorts of cases, speaking to witnesses, looking up pieces of evidence, and figuring things out are skills that are innate to you.
6. Contract Manager
Contract managers’ responsibilities include the creation, management, and overseeing of an organization’s different contracts. They serve as the point of contact for employees, companies, and third-party organizations for settling business engagements and negotiations. This career is worth taking a look at if you want to enter the corporate world.
2. Fund Manager
This corporate role may be another fulfilling job if you have an interest in finance management. Fund managers oversee the company fund management. They make critical financial decisions for companies to achieve optimum and sustainable profitability.
3. Project Manager
If you have keen attention to detail and the ability to spot gaps, being a project manager may work well for you. Project managers help businesses manage projects and the people involved in them. They ensure everything is on time and that tasks are delegated to the right people. You can thrive in this role if you love planning and executing them.
Other second careers for lawyers
Here are other careers you may find interesting to pursue:
- Director of Human Resources
- Management Consultant
- Mediator
- Paralegal
- Politician
- Business Development Manager
- Digital Marketer
- Life Coach
- Author
- Investment Banker
- Real Estate Agent
- Realtor
- Private Equity Associate
- CEO
- Legal Editor
- Legal Aid
- FBI Agent
- Policy Advisor
- Stockbroker
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