The Legal Risk & Compliance sector is a rapidly growing space with a host of different roles within it. As a candidate or professional it’s important that you understand the different areas of law that you can practise within the sector when applying for new positions. Even if you’re currently employed and not thinking about your next step yet, gaining exposure to different areas can greatly improve your career.
On Episode 6 of The Uncover Pod I sat down with Sakina Chenot, the Partner and Global Head of Risk, Compliance and Conflicts at HFW, to talk about how you can gain more exposure throughout your professional life. Sakina’s own broad range of work has given her access to a number of experiences within the sector, giving her a wealth of knowledge on the topic.
Here are her insights and tips:
Setting Yourself Up For Success
If you want to put yourself forward for new opportunities, demonstrating key transferable skills will put you in a good stead. Sakina said that “intellectual curiosity is very important” when it comes to making lateral moves within a company. She also mentioned that the other key skills she looks for in her team are “the willingness to collaborate, good organisation and time management skills”, as these allow you to make transitions smoothly.
When asking for exposure in a different area of your company, demonstrating these traits will bolster your chances of being approved.
Requesting a Change
If you feel that you’ve hit a plateau in your role and aren’t learning anything new from your position, Sakina recommended “just being honest with your line manager”. The best way to present your case is to explain how you’re feeling and have an open conversation about your development. Asking if there are any available avenues for growth in a different team will demonstrate your commitment to the company and a dedication to your work – both of which are big positives.
You may be surprised how willing managers are to make changes like this, as happy, motivated employees do better work than frustrated or stagnant ones. Having these conversations will not only improve your chances of getting more exposure within your role, but will also help your manager understand your personal goals and aspirations, making them better able to support you in them.
Extracurricular Exposure
If you’re not able to make a formal transition into a different role, making yourself available to key players in those teams will help you to gain exposure in a more informal way. You can also pick up on what’s happening in each sector and learn outside of your working hours through a variety of courses and accreditations that will improve your credentials, should you decide that moving out of your firm entirely is the best way to gain new experiences.
If you’re not sure which area you would like to move into, Sakina also suggested “researching the areas that genuinely interest you”. Building relationships with people in those teams will also help you to transition into them, as well as give you some insights into the daily work you could be taking on. Learning more about each area will also help you to identify which skills you could bring to your new team, as well as what you could potentially learn from them.
In Summary
Ultimately, the key to gaining additional exposure within the Legal Risk & Compliance industry is to seek it out, whether that’s within your current firm or in a new role. If you would like to speak to a member of the UNCOVER team about your next move, get in touch here.
