Many times I have heard how important it is to specialize in a specific field. I have also heard several lawyers to say that they didn’t choose an area of law, but instead they just finished working on it by chance.

Before coming to Columbia I worked as a corporate lawyer, but now I am looking for my niche. I like several areas of law and, honestly, more than thinking about which one I prefer, I am thinking about which one could be my niche. An area in which I can be very good at and that allows me to sell an expertise instead of just “hours”.

I am wondering whether this is the correct approach to choose my specialization. When I was younger, I always thought about it the other way around: first I was going to choose the area that I liked the most, and then I was going to specialize on it. Today, I believe that I will be happier having actual control of my career, which I could do working on something that allows me to get clients.

I liked when Eben said that we don’t need to have only one specialization. My concern is that if I change my area of practice now and I make the wrong decision, I may end having four years of experience, without being a true specialist on anything.

-- FranciscoGuzman - 25 Mar 2010