Career Journal: When the Call Comes

The Art of Career Cadence

Clearly, law firm leaders are not oblivious to the realities of the way Generation X and Y manage their careers ' they deal with the realities of nearly 20% annual attrition of younger attorneys ' yet it still alarming for them to see a senior executive move as frequently as every three years. In their minds, what has happened in the past stands as precedent for what to expect in the future, until proven otherwise. In other words, if you've been inclined to move in the past, you'll probably do it again. Why take that risk? I can't say that I blame them. I challenge the judgment of executives every day when reviewing the decision behind a change in jobs. As an investment, short employment stints produce limited returns, especially at law firms where having meaningful impact can take time. I can't in good conscience advise my clients to turn a blind eye to lots of moves on a resume.

What an awful starting place for your resume to be judged. Instead of looking at your accomplishments, their attention turns immediately to the cadence of change in your career. You've effectively put yourself at a disadvantage.

The Goldilocks Dilemma

So what duration is just right? Is three years too short? How about five, seven, or 10 years? Of course, there is no set answer. However, there is a personal barometer one can carry with them to test if they've overstayed or left a role too soon. A simple review of your position description should reveal much about this question. Most senior level job descriptions today go well beyond the listing of perfunctory duties and include objectives and goals expected to be accomplished in the role. If you have checked the box of each of these goals and see no new or enhanced levels of challenges in the role, perhaps it is time to make a move. In my opinion, however, given how dynamic law firms have become with regard to business development, I think there is often more challenges to be identified and addressed than most care to admit.

As artistic executives, few marketing leaders are content to rest on their laurels. They typically seek creative outlets. A new job is often the best outlet to do that. Moreover, I recognize that institutional loyalty is no longer valued or rewarded to the degree that it once was. Firms can change leaders, ownership, governance, or strategic directions fairly abruptly. With those changes, job elimination could quickly follow. So logically, I recommend a bit of hedging. But if you press your luck too far by simply trying to capitalize on the bumps in compensation you'll surely receive from job changes, it can catch up with you in the end. It's ok to leave the wrong job or an unchallenging job after a brief time, but you must create a balance in your career. Your next job, in almost every instance, should be for a longer duration.

If you have had an average of three jobs or less in the span of a decade, you should be alright ' especially if you worked for a long time ' say five to seven years or greater ' for another employer earlier in your career. But if you move every two to three years on average, you'll be flagged.

Hang a Shingle

If the thought of striking a conservative cadence of job changes seems stifling to you, then move. Better yet, freelance as a marketing consultant ' the industry could use you and you'll probably do better financially. But if you want to apply for another marketing leadership position shortly thereafter, know how you'll be judged.

Michael DeCosta, a member of this newsletter's Board of Editors, is a Senior Client Partner with Korn/Ferry International, resident in their Stamford, CT, office. Michael is a member of the firm's professional services and legal specialty practices. He focuses on search assignments for management and IT consulting, accounting and law firms. He can be reached at 203-406-8770 or via e-mail at [email protected].

Opportunity Knocks

In 1981, the English punk rock band, The Clash, asked the lyrical question, 'Should I Stay or Should I Go?' In 2007, that was the question many law firm marketing executives had to be asking themselves as a flurry of newly created or vacated Chief Marketing Officer positions came about. One only needed to put a baby toe in the job market waters to attract some attention ' usually from multiple suitors. The temptation was great. In 2008, despite some law firms feeling the brunt of the economic woes besieging the country, many are still in the hunt for marketing talent. It should come as no surprise that when you combine that temptation with the general dissatisfaction felt by most, you have so many willing to take the leap. According to the first annual CMO Survey conducted by Law Firm, Inc. last year, 62% of respondents commented that their jobs would be easier if partners had a better understanding of what marketing entails, suggesting how unhappy many are with their situation. Moreover, nearly a third expected to be looking for a new job within five years. This has created a perfect storm in the market recently ' dissatisfaction with current roles stirred by opportunity for new ones ' a recipe for movement.

As an executive recruiter, my advice to law firm marketing executives, not surprisingly, is to take a look when opportunity knocks. Minimally, you owe it to yourself to understand what the market has to offer. You would be remiss not to. But beware before you act on it. While it is generally understood that the average tenure of CMOs at law firms is short ' about three years ' it does not prevent prospective employers from raising a cautious eye toward a resume of an executive who has moved around a lot or at least a bit too much for their liking. After all, many of them have spent their entire careers with one firm rising from Summer Associate to Partner.

The Art of Career Cadence

Clearly, law firm leaders are not oblivious to the realities of the way Generation X and Y manage their careers ' they deal with the realities of nearly 20% annual attrition of younger attorneys ' yet it still alarming for them to see a senior executive move as frequently as every three years. In their minds, what has happened in the past stands as precedent for what to expect in the future, until proven otherwise. In other words, if you've been inclined to move in the past, you'll probably do it again. Why take that risk? I can't say that I blame them. I challenge the judgment of executives every day when reviewing the decision behind a change in jobs. As an investment, short employment stints produce limited returns, especially at law firms where having meaningful impact can take time. I can't in good conscience advise my clients to turn a blind eye to lots of moves on a resume.

What an awful starting place for your resume to be judged. Instead of looking at your accomplishments, their attention turns immediately to the cadence of change in your career. You've effectively put yourself at a disadvantage.

The Goldilocks Dilemma

So what duration is just right? Is three years too short? How about five, seven, or 10 years? Of course, there is no set answer. However, there is a personal barometer one can carry with them to test if they've overstayed or left a role too soon. A simple review of your position description should reveal much about this question. Most senior level job descriptions today go well beyond the listing of perfunctory duties and include objectives and goals expected to be accomplished in the role. If you have checked the box of each of these goals and see no new or enhanced levels of challenges in the role, perhaps it is time to make a move. In my opinion, however, given how dynamic law firms have become with regard to business development, I think there is often more challenges to be identified and addressed than most care to admit.

As artistic executives, few marketing leaders are content to rest on their laurels. They typically seek creative outlets. A new job is often the best outlet to do that. Moreover, I recognize that institutional loyalty is no longer valued or rewarded to the degree that it once was. Firms can change leaders, ownership, governance, or strategic directions fairly abruptly. With those changes, job elimination could quickly follow. So logically, I recommend a bit of hedging. But if you press your luck too far by simply trying to capitalize on the bumps in compensation you'll surely receive from job changes, it can catch up with you in the end. It's ok to leave the wrong job or an unchallenging job after a brief time, but you must create a balance in your career. Your next job, in almost every instance, should be for a longer duration.

If you have had an average of three jobs or less in the span of a decade, you should be alright ' especially if you worked for a long time ' say five to seven years or greater ' for another employer earlier in your career. But if you move every two to three years on average, you'll be flagged.

Hang a Shingle

If the thought of striking a conservative cadence of job changes seems stifling to you, then move. Better yet, freelance as a marketing consultant ' the industry could use you and you'll probably do better financially. But if you want to apply for another marketing leadership position shortly thereafter, know how you'll be judged.

Michael DeCosta, a member of this newsletter's Board of Editors, is a Senior Client Partner with Korn/Ferry International, resident in their Stamford, CT, office. Michael is a member of the firm's professional services and legal specialty practices. He focuses on search assignments for management and IT consulting, accounting and law firms. He can be reached at 203-406-8770 or via e-mail at [email protected].