Articles From the Team
Keep the Faith
The title just happens to be one of my favourite songs from one of my favourite bands, Bon Jovi. It’s the title song of that album too which, in my opinion, is their best work in their near 35 years in music. They’re up there with the greats; Aerosmith, ACDC, the Rolling Stones, Metallica, The Who, Queen, The Beatles and so on. You’re probably getting a taste for how stubborn I am when it comes to my taste in music. Tragic deaths and fall outs between band members aside, one thing that all of these bands have in common is that their music has stood the test of time. While some of them are still performing, others are now confined to the annals of legend to stand strong in history as “classics” of rock music that have helped shape the musical world we see today. Take away things like the X-Factor which manufactures pop robots in the blink of an eye. Don’t get me wrong, there are clearly some very talented performers gracing the stage these days but they lack something that all of the above had in droves; the staying power. Longevity is hard to come by in the world of modern music although the 70s, 80s and 90s didn’t lack for one-hit-wonders. Whatever happened to Chesney Hawkes?! Without digressing too far from the point, when I think about it in a wider sense longevity is something that we now find to be something of a rarity in many aspects of our lives.
The bands I have mentioned have all at some point been through tough and challenging times. Differences in direction and opinion caused rifts between members and some walked away to seek a new challenge in their career. I think this is something we can all relate to in one way or another. If I consider myself, when I left University I had very little idea of what I wanted and I wasn’t sure of which direction to take. I could ramble on for a while about the various things I have done but to sum it up I have an LLB and my professional experience lies within in sales and banking and I even attempted (vaguely) to be a musician for a little while. Here I am late in 2015 having finally found where I want to be and what I want to do for my long-term future. If you had asked me 10 years ago when I started out at University (I feel old…) what I want to be when I grow up I probably wouldn’t have been able to give you a real answer. However, throughout my various experiences in business and personally I developed a set of skills that, with the right training and guidance from my colleagues and managers at BCL Legal, I have honed to be in the position I am today. Lots of hard work, lots of graft, lots of challenges and continuous learning have all played a major part as well. There is also a significant element of luck and being in the right place at the right time but I put a lot of my success down to seeking guidance. Whether that was in the form of speaking to my friends and family or turning to my colleagues and managers when I need help; either way, simply asking for a little bit of help can make those challenges in front of you much less daunting and the decision much simpler. Jon Bon Jovi is one of the world’s most accomplished musicians and performers; having watched a documentary on him recently something he said really stuck out to me. “Writing a song and performing for a crowd is no simple task and there are many times in the last 30 years when I have wanted to throw in the towel, but sometimes you just need a little help and you could be surprised at how some simple advice can make everything make so much more sense.” The Bon Jovi rendition of the Beatles’ classic ‘A little help from my Friends’ was then played and if you haven’t seen/heard it, I would highly recommend it.
The reason the bands above have all enjoyed such long and successful careers is because they weren’t afraid to face challenges but they also sought help and guidance when they needed it. As a legal recruiter specialising in real estate I meet a lot of different people at different levels and at various points in their careers. I’ve worked with paralegals, newly qualified solicitors, directors and partners from a broad spectrum of small high street firms to large internationals. Some will have been with their current employer for ten or more years while others seem to have only been there for ten minutes. However long you have been in your current position my first priority is to help you and to guide you. The legal market is highly buoyant at the moment and there are opportunities around every corner. You might be better to stay where you are for the time being, or you could really benefit from moving on. Either way, if you come to BCL Legal and ask the question then we will always give you honest guidance to help you move forward with your career.
For more information, please contact Gishan Abeyratne and BCL Legal.