Best Financial Career Options for Law Degree Holders

Best Financial Career Options for Law Degree HoldersBest Financial Career Options for Law Degree HoldersThe financial services industry is highly regulated, and lawyers have credentials that are greatly in demand. Combine these two factors and financial services begins to look like a promising second career for a lawyer or others in the legal field who want a change of focus or direction. Producer Careers for Law Degree Holders Both financial advisors and financial planners pursue careers in which law is a constant factor. Taxation and the laws governing trusts and estates are central issues in managing both personal and small business finances. Lawyers can offer invaluable knowledge in these sectors. fruchtwein major financial services firms typically will not authorize lawyers to offer anything even remotely resembling legal advice, however, so this is one drawback - youre not utilizing all your training, education and knowledge. You must be at least somewhat circumspect in us ing your legal expertise. Major firms generally make disclaimers that they do not give tax or legal advice to limit their exposure to lawsuits from unhappy clients. On the other hand, certain boutique financial services providers - especially those catering to wealthy individuals - actually do offer tax preparation, tax advice and trust formation among their services. Included among these providers are some trust companies and specialized small financial services firms commonly called family offices. Depending on the laws in your state, it might be possible to offer a financial planning practice in conjunction with a law firm. If so, you could be a lawyer who decides to get certified as a financial planneror who decides to hire one or more into your firm. You might be a financial planner who decides to add a law degree to your resume, or you might want to hire one or more lawyers to expand your firms capabilities. Support Careers for Law Degree Holders The most obvious area wi th a need for legal expertise on the stab und sttze side of financial services is the one generally categorized as compliance, legal and tax. Not surprisingly, numerous jobs in this area require either a licensed practicing attorney, the holder of a law degree or a trained and certified paralegal. Additionally, many departments in financial services firms must clear their work with either internal or external legal counsel. For example, the text of all communications directed at clients or to the general public, such as marketing brochures and advertisements, must typically pass a legal review. Having someone on staff with legal expertise can be valuable, helping the department to anticipate what counsel will require and thereby avoiding wasted effort. Finally, a background in law can improve your future prospects for promotion to senior management. Specialize in Financial Fields With a Law Degree Of course, an obvious course would simply be to practice in a finance-related area of law. Youve gotten your law degree, youve passed the bar, so hang out your shingle with the intention of practicing in an area that covers all your interests. Theres no rule that says you have to be a general practitioner. You can focus on estate law, bankruptcy law, small business law or consumer law. The possibilities are endless.

Tips for Becoming a Hollywood Screenwriter

Tips for Becoming a Hollywood ScreenwriterTips for Becoming a Hollywood ScreenwriterBecoming a big shot, Hollywood screenwriter is a dream for many people, but most never take the necessary steps to become successful because they dont see the profession as a craft. They see it as a way to get rich. Granted, there are many screenwriters who have made millions of dollars over the courses of their careers. There are even a few overnight successes (if you dont include the months or even years of toiling over their scripts before they became an overnight success). But for the most part, becoming a successful screenwriter is just like anything else of value- the result of hard work. So, where does one start? Weve outlined below some very basic steps to follow. Keep in mind that this is one possible path of many. The truth is, there is no one right or wrong way when seeking out a Hollywood writing career. Some things work for some people, but notlage for others. Some of it is luck, some of it is talent, and some of it is just never giving up. But if youre looking for information on how to get started, the following steps should help provide a bit more direction. Educate Yourself Screenwriting isnt just something to jump into. There are those exceptionally few writers who seem to understand the rhythm of a movie script and have an innate gift of dialogue from the start. But for the most part, new writers need to have a basic understanding of what it is theyre trying to write, and that means research. One place to start is with some books on the topic. behauptung will help provide anunderstanding of the basic structure of a movie script as well as how to go about writing its various elements- from creating interesting characters and plot to the development of engaging dialogue and proper story structure. These three books are a good start Story Structureby Robert McKee is the bible of story structure and the basics of the principles of screenwriting. A must read.Scr eenplayby Syd Field is another must read by the one author that most Hollywood writers would agree is the master of the screenplay.Screenwriters Problem Solver, also by Syd Field, is a follow-up to Screenplay, and Field takes readers through common problems many screenwriters confront and exercises to help fix them. There are hundreds of books touting their screenwriting method as the best method. The fact is that once you know the basics of how to write a screenplay, you then need to practice doing so. Avoid books that claim to show you how to write a screenplay in 10days or 20 days, or whatever. You need to learn about the mechanics of writing a script before worrying about how long it takes you to write one. Read Successful Screenplays Perhaps the most useful reference materials you can find are going to be sample scripts, especially those that are in the same genre you intend to write. For example, if youre planning on writing a romantic comedy, get your hands on as many rom antic comedy scripts as you can find. You will see that by having these scripts at the ready, youll soon begin to see how a film translates from a writers head into the finished product of a film. Scripts can be purchased from places likeSamuel French Bookstore, but you also might have luck with something as simple asGoogle.Search the title of just about any movie you can think of with the yep screenplay, and you more than likely will find dozens of sites that will have exactly what youre looking for. If buying a script, be sure you get a full feature movie script rather than a transcript. A transcript is just a transcript of the dialogue of the film and wont help you. You need a full feature script that you can refer to that shows dialogue, descriptions, and all action. Start Writing Depending on where you live, there might be a number ofwriting classes you can choose from, many of which specialize in screenwriting, but the most important step is to start writing. Too many peop le get caught up in the mechanics of screenwriting. They spend months, if not years, in classes and reading books on how to write a screenplay, but they never actually write anything. So, after you get the basics down, start writing. Dont overthink the process. Sit down at your computer, start typing the words, and print your screenplay. Its what every screenwriter eventually does whether theyre a novice or a skilled professional. Keep Writing It is where many people get hung up. Once they start writing, they get deckenfries ata certain point and stop trying. Some excuses might include a hiccup in the storyline, dialogue that isnt working, or characters arent likable. All of these are valid issues, but none of them mean you should ever stop the writing process. As a screenwriter, you quickly will find that rewriting is about 80 percentof the job, if not more. The trick here is to avoid rewriting the same scene over and over without ever moving toward completion. Too many writers fall into the trap of thinking that every page of the first draft must be perfect, but take comfort in this First drafts of most screenplays usually are awful. The good news is that through your rewrites, they get much, much better. Forge ahead no matter how hard it is or how long it takes. A good practice is to set page goals. For example, vow to finish at least five pages every day no matter what when working on a first draft. It can help you to finish the script without caring about the initial quality. After all, its sometimes easier to rewrite an existing script than to stare at a leer page. Get Notes Getting notes on a script refers to getting a little constructive criticism. Once youve finished with an acceptable draft of the screenplay, give it to three or four people whose opinions you trust. Remember that what youre looking for here is constructive criticism, not someone who tells you they liked or disliked your script. Usually, another writer will be the most useful for this process. Listen to the notes you get so that you can properly address them. Network Networkingis still one of the most important skills a screenwriter can have. After all, this is more than likely how youre going to get your script to an agent, producer, or studio executive. InLos Angeles, there are numerous entertainment-relatednetworking events. Its crucial that as a screenwriter you attend as many of these as you can soyou can meet like-minded individuals. Keep in mind that your script will not sell itself by sitting on a shelf in your apartment. You have to let people know you are a screenwriter and that you have a product to sell. Through diligent networking, you mayeventually come across someone who will get your screenplay into the right hands. Dont be shy here. Be confident in your material and your abilities and be proud to label yourself as a screenwriter. Screenwriting can be a fun, rewarding, and extremely lucrative career. But its a craft that must be learn ed and practiced before it ever can be mastered.

5 Essential Steps to Get Ahead

5 Essential Steps to Get Ahead 5 Essential Steps to Get Ahead During my 50-year global career, I saw engineers with the broadest range of talents get promoted faster and move farther in their organizations. With each promotion, a young engineer would have fewer engineering responsibilities and more management tasks, requiring people skills for which most engineers have little training.Id like to suggest five essential steps for getting ahead as an engineer.1) IntegrityMy father lost his job in the middle of the Depression because he would not help steal oil from the owner of the pumping station where he worked. Pumps were taking suction out of the same tank that oil was flowing into. After he alerted the owner, my father was fired for being honest.Warren Buffett looks for three things in hiring people The first is personal integrity. The second is intelligence. The third is high energy level. But if you dont have the first, the other two will kill you. Integrity is an inside job the intersection of what we think (beliefs and values), do, and say to others. Its built over time, one step at a time. Integrity matters because its necessary for trust, the crucial factor in personal and professional relationships. The more trustworthy we become, the more trustworthiness we inspire in others.2) ReputationA reputation grows steadily, day by day, year by year, over a lifetime. But in merely a moment, it can be severely damaged, by inappropriate behavior. Your reputation will always follow you.Our industry is small stimmt gets around. Everything you say and do, both inside and outside your organization, creates your image. To many people, someones word transcends anything put in writing. Have a good reputationand keep it.3) PassionToday, work defines us. When we meet someone, we usually ask, what do you do? even before, where are you from?People accomplish more when they love their work. Have you ever seen an athlete win when no one had given her a chance? That motivati on and peak performance is fueled by love of the sport. Focus on the most stimulating parts of your job. Seek responsibilities that highlight them.4) People SkillsA senior executive from a major oil company told me that engineers not selected for promotion there were technically very competent. But they didnt communicate effectively, manage people comfortably, or get along well with colleagues and co-workers.Ive observed that people with only technical skills reach a plateau in their careers, and stay there, unless they also have people skills. You can hone yours through classes, webinars, or popular books about these abilities.5) ListeningI once asked a Spanish oil executive about a plaque on his desk. He said it epitomized his life history, and translated it Everything has been said, but since no one listened, I must start over again.Technical people cant afford to be poor listeners. How we do our jobs and get along with others is greatly influenced by how well we listen. Thats be cause a speakers words unconsciously reflect innerhalb feelings, idiosyncrasies, preconceptions, assumptions, background, and prejudices.Yes, listening requires effort. To be a better listenerPay attention. Put the speakers needs first.Be empathetic and responsive.Look at the speaker.Listen for ideas, but dont judge.Ask clarifying or follow-up questions, which also shows that youre listening.In 1968, I worked on a large project in the Soviet Union. Presidents of other involved firms led the discussions. On my flight back to London (where I lived), one of those company presidents was seated next to me. I asked a question about his career, then asked where he grew up. For the next 3.5 hours, I made occasional comments, but mostly posed questions, listening intently to his replies. At lunch a week later, his London manager told me that his president said I was the best conversationalist hed ever metAs you consider whether you can apply these suggestions, please remember The road to suc cess is always under construction.Adapted from Enhancing Your Engineering Career, by James R. Hutton, ASME Member, for Mechanical Engineering, February 2009.