When Robert Piasentin returned to British Columbia in 2006 after a stint in the United Kingdom, it took him nine months of job searching to find the right position.
“Having lived in England, I didn’t have a lot of connections in Vancouver,” Piasentin said. “I had some, but not a lot.”
Piasentin found the experience frustrating. But it made him realize the importance of developing and maintaining a strong professional network.
“When I moved back it was one of the main objectives, to start building up that network again so I could become one of the first people to hear of developments or opportunities.”
While Piasentin is perfectly happy with his current job, he’s worked hard to widen his professional network. That’s required getting involved in “extracurricular” professional activities, he said, such as the Association of Corporate Counsel Canada and an organization for Catholic lawyers, the St. Thomas More Lawyers’ Guild.
He’s also become active in speaking at conferences and in the media.
As in-house counsel and sole lawyer at Sierra Systems, “it’s easy to lose touch,” Piasentin said. Those outside-work activities are also important to keep up to date on developments in law and business, as well as keep in touch with the legal community.
“In my company, the people I deal with primarily are outside of Vancouver. … I deal with people in Calgary and Toronto and the United States,” he said. “So if I don’t actually take positive steps to go out and make myself be seen and be visible, then I’ll lose that contact.”
It’s important to choose to get involved in activities that you truly care about and are interesting to you, Piasentin said.
“I’m not involved in something I could really care less about. … I’m not just going through the motions to bolster my CV or whatever the case may be.”
On being patient | “One of the other things I’ve learned is the necessity of patience and not being overly anxious in terms of looking for career opportunities that will help you build your career. … Many people’s inclination is to just jump at the first opportunity you get, whether it’s the right opportunity or not. … It’s understanding that there are opportunities out there, and if you take the necessary steps to build up to those opportunities, so you can take hold of the right one, that’s very good.”
Has a work or life challenge taught you a key career lesson? Contact Jen St. Denis at [email protected]
