1. CHAPTER 2
Career Opportunities

2. Introduction
Paralegals enjoy a wide range of employment opportunities in both private and public sectors
Most legal assistants work in law offices
Corporations, insurance companies, banks, and real estate agencies regularly employ legal assistants
The government has created positions for paralegals at many agencies

3. Where Paralegals Work Law firms
Corporations and other business organizations
Government
Legal aid offices
Freelance paralegals
Learning Objective: What types of firms and organizations hire paralegals.

4. Paralegal Specialties
Litigation
Corporate law
Contract law
Real estate law
Personal-injury law
Insurance law
Employment and labor law
Learning Objective: Some areas of law in which paralegals specialize.

5. Paralegal Specialties
Estate planning and probate administration
Bankruptcy law
Intellectual property law
Environmental law
Family law
Criminal law
Additional specialty areas
Elder law
Legal nurse consultant (LNC)

6. Paralegal Compensation
Compensation Surveys
Paralegal income is affected by a number of factors
Size of the firm or legal department
Specialty area of practice
Years of experience
Geographical location
Cost of living
Learning Objective: How much paralegals can expect to earn.

7. Paralegal Compensation

8. Paralegal Compensation

9. Paralegal Compensation
Job Benefits
Part of total compensation package
Paid holidays
Sick leave
Group insurance coverage
Pension plans
Packages vary from firm to firm
Consider the benefits that you will receive
Consider what these benefits are worth to you

10. Paralegal Compensation
Salary versus Hourly Wages
Most paralegals are salaried employees
Frequently asked to work overtime
Overtime wages
Bonuses

11. Planning Your Career Three key steps Define your long-term goals
Define your short-term goals, adjusting them to meet the realities of the job market
Reevaluate your career after you have had some experience

12. Planning Your Career Defining Your Long-Term Goals
Define your career goals from the beginning
Requires personal reflection and self-assessment
Your goals may change
As you gain experience as a paralegal
As your life circumstances alter
Different goals later in life

13. Planning Your Career Defining Your Long-Term Goals (continued)
Explore new challenges
Changes within the profession
Your own experiences
New opportunities

14. Planning Your Career Short-Term Goals and Job Realities Find a job
The ideal job
Salary consistent with training and abilities
Level of responsibility that is comfortable/challenging
Excellent job benefits
Realities of job market may not allow for the “right” employer or the “perfect” job

15. Planning Your Career Short-Term Goals and Job Realities (continued)
Can gain valuable skills and experience in any job
“Try on” jobs

16. Locating Potential Employers
Networking
Career opportunities often go unpublished
More paralegals find employment through networking than through any other means
Online networking, such as LinkedIn
Join a professional association
NALA
NFPA
IPMA
State bar association
Learning Objective: How to search for an employer.

17. Locating Potential Employers
Networking (continued)
Network during internships
Volunteer
Finding Available Jobs
Locate sources that list paralegal job openings
Trade journals
Online publications
Online databases

18. Locating Potential Employers
Finding Available Jobs (continued)
Identifying possible employers
Legal directories
Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory (also online)
West’s Legal Dictionary (also online)

19. Locating Potential Employers
Job-Placement Services
Your school’s placement service
Legal staffing or placement companies (recruiters)
Temporary contract employees are often used
Job can last from a few days to over a year
Valuable work experience

20. Marketing Your Skills The Application Process The résumé
What to Include in your résumé
Header: name, address, telephone number, address, website address
Body: simple, brief, clear
One page is sufficient
Do not include personal data
Age, gender, hobbies
Marital status, number of children
Photograph
Learning Objective: How to present yourself to prospective employers.

21. Marketing Your Skills The Application Process Proofread your results
The cover letter
Content is key
Hard copy is best
List of professional references
Permission is required
Build your contacts

22. Marketing Your Skills The Application Process
Your professional portfolio
Should contain several samples of legal writing
Always include résumé and list of references
Digital marketing
Ensure that you have a presence online
Build a professional-looking web page
Your digital image must convey professionalism

23. Marketing Your Skills The Interview
May be most challenging/stressful part of your search
Every interview will be different
Remember what went right about the interview
Before the interview
Do your homework: learn about the employer
Think about what may be asked, then prepare
Look professional
Cont.

24. Marketing Your Skills The Interview At the interview Pay attention
Listen closely
Be prepared for four types of questions
Closed-ended questions
Open-ended questions
Hypothetical questions
Pressure questions

25. Marketing Your Skills The Interview (continued)
Some topics are not appropriate
Be ready to respond
Question the interviewer
After the interview
Jot down notes to provide a refresher for your memory
List names and positions of people you met

26. How to Jumpstart Your Paralegal Career by Antoinette France-Harris, J
How to Jumpstart Your Paralegal Career by Antoinette France-Harris, J.D.
Tip 1: Formal Education
Tip 2: Never Stop Learning—Continuing Legal Education
Tip 3: Get Certified
Tip 4: Improve Your Paralegal Résumé
Tip 5: Network/Find a Mentor
Tip 6: Become a Volunteer
Tip 7: Take Other Jobs in the Legal Environment
Tip 8: Keep Abreast of Hot Areas of the Law

27. Marketing Your Skills The Follow-Up/Thank You Letter
Send a day or two after the interview, but not longer than a week later
Mention again your availability and interest
Thank the interviewer for his or her time
Perhaps refer to a discussion from the interview

28. Marketing Your Skills Job-Hunting Files
Keep professional portfolio materials up to date
Construct a filing system for job-search activities
Create a separate file for each potential employer
Preserve copies of all correspondence

29. Marketing Your Skills Job-Hunting Files (continued)
Keep information on each firm at your fingertips
Files will be an excellent resource for networking
Salary Negotiations
Be prepared
Gather information beforehand
Respond carefully

30. Marketing Your Skills Salary Negotiations (continued)
Remember that salary is just one factor in the decision
Benefits
Career opportunities
Compensation
Competition
Job description
Job flexibility
Location
Permanence
Travel

31. Career Development Third step in career planning
Reevaluating your career goals
Reassessing your abilities based on your experiences
Three options
Being promoted or transferring to another department
Moving to another firm or specialty
Going back to school for additional education
Learning Objective: How to prepare a career plan and pursue it.

32. Career Development Career Paths Creating Opportunities
Often provided by large firms and government agencies
Creating Opportunities
Smaller firms
No specific career path
Limited opportunities and advancement
Suggest a plan to your employer
Acquire additional education
Work toward an advanced degree

33. Using Social Media Effectively
Social media a key factor in determining career success
Digital shadow
You influence how people perceive your digital shadow
Invest effort in creating an online reputation
Manage how others see you
Professionalism
Abilities
Work ethic
Learning Objective: How to use social media to promote your career.

34. Summary More than two-thirds of paralegals work in law firms
Many paralegals work in corporations, government agencies, or legal aid offices
Some experienced paralegals own their businesses and work for attorneys on a contract basis

35. Summary Many paralegals specialize in one or two areas of law
Salaries and wage rates for paralegal employees vary
When evaluating a job, paralegals should consider the total compensation package

36. Summary
Career planning involves three steps: defining long-term goals, devising short-term goals, and reevaluating career goals after gaining on-the-job experience Paralegals can locate jobs through networking, the Internet, school placement services, and private placement companies
Prepare a professional résumé, a cover letter, a professional portfolio, and a list of references

37. Summary
Conduct background research on a firm prior to an interview, and send a personalized follow-up letter after an interview
Keep your records organized as you look for work by creating a filing system for all job-search activities
Career goals change over time, as do job opportunities
Skillful use of social media creates links and impressions about your ability