So, you’ve decided you want to become a paralegal.  Well, the first thing you want to do is start your career out right.  The key is to find a field you would enjoy working in.  If you go into finance because you’ve found out that paralegals make six figures, but you hate spreadsheets and number crunching, you are going to hate your job.  Start out with what you love and creatively build from there. Do a little research to determine what paralegals in those fields do and what the job landscape is like for paralegals in that industry. Not all fields use paralegals with the same regularity. 

Keep an Open Mind When Researching the Paralegal Profession 

            Don’t get caught up with other people’s personal opinions, particularly in some forums that are full of disgruntled paralegals. Type any word in Google and type the word “complaint” next to it and thousands of websites come up.  As in any profession, there are those who enjoy what they do and feel appreciated and well-compensated. Likewise, there are those who despise what they do and simply feel used by their employers. Then there are those who fall somewhere in the middle.  The key here is to keep an open mind, don’t be blind, understand that it can be a high-pressure job and don’t pigeon-hole yourself. Being a paralegal can be quite enjoyable and is one of the more exciting professions, depending on the field you are in and the type of work environment you enjoy. 

Tip: Keep learning; stay relevant; and leverage the power of networking.  It’s not a fluke that the paralegal profession is growing.  If you are not happy in your paralegal job, look for another one that is likely to provide you with what you need. Some will say, “that’s so not easy.”  I say to that, “Success never is.”  

Keep Reference Tools and Books Handy  

            Be ready to jump right in day one on the job . . or, at least, by day three. Go into the profession with an understanding of what it’s really all about.  Keep website addresses handy to help keep you on your “A” game.  Keep a reference book or two nearby (for when computers go down – and I promise you, they will go down). You want to be able to put your finger on something that will explain what your boss means by, “Joe  create a trial notebook for Smith and a demand letter to Thomas.” She will assume you know what she means by “trial book” and “demand letter,” because the other paralegal you replaced did. Find tools you can use that put your paralegal studies and all those wonderful terms and concepts you learned into perspective. 

You want your paralegal education to make sense, especially because attorneys give you very little time to process and integrate what you were taught. For some reason, many lawyers are under the erroneous assumption that your paralegal certificate means you are a seasoned paralegal. “Well, you’ve graduated, so you must already comprehend the advantage of using checklists to do an intake or prep a witness.” Never mind that that’s something often learned on the job, not in school. You have to be ready for this type of experience; it will happen often. 

Use Your Previous Career to Your Advantage           

            If this is a second career, you create an advantage for yourself if you work in a legal field that can benefit from your specialized knowledge. Also, you can command a higher salary, especially, if there are not many paralegals who know what you know. Just because you are no longer satisfied with your current profession (if this is the case), it does not mean you won’t like working as a paralegal on cases related to your former line of work. You may find that looking at your previous career from a legal angle is something you love. 

            The bottom line is, as with any career pursuit, you want to start the journey out in the most optimal way. It gives you more flexibility, you work better when you are confident in the value you provide by staying on top of your game; you remain in the driver’s seat of your career, i.e., you decide which direction it takess.

                    Praised by paralegal instructors, students and practicing paralegals, “Paralegal Career for Dummies” (and its bonus CD with samples, documents and other resources), is an exceptional reference tool for new paralegals. It’s a quick, inexpensive read, but loaded with valuable and practical information. If you want to start your profession out right and want a reference tool at your fingertips, check out “Paralegal Career for Dummies.”