Career spotlight on paralegals - Sterling Career Concepts

Career spotlight on paralegals Career spotlight on paralegals Our guest author today is Audrey Marden of www.paralegalcareerguide.com, whichprovides information on the paralegal field,training programs, certifications, and career options, includingworking from home.Ive personally had a handful of clients over the past year whove completed accredited paralegal programs, obtained internships and then full-time job offers. Maybe its the right career option for you, too. Now Ill let Audrey tell you a little bit more: Lets start outby banishing a few common myths about paralegals. Myth #1 Paralegals are typically recent law student graduates looking to get in the door at firms and companies. Reality Once upon a time this was true but not anymore. It might surprise many people to learn that there is actually no educational prerequisite to becoming a paralegal. And often the average applicant would demand a lower salary than a law student, recently graduated or not. Myth #2 Paralegals work only for law firms. Reality Paralegals are employed in many different industries and for organizations ranging from government to legal to consumer corporations. Why Should I Consider this Career? Two reasons; the first being that the pay is pretty decent, the median salary in 2008 for all full-time paralegal and legal assistants was $46,120, not half bad. For you over achievers, the top 10 percent earned more than $73,450. The second reason is the projected job growth. Between 2008 and 2018 analysts predict a growth of 28% in the demand for paralegal employees. Okay Youre Interested, So What Next? The foremost thing youll need to consider getting something to put on your resume that sells yourself as a paralegal professional. This can come in the form of an associate’s degree in paralegal studies, many community colleges offer these. If you already have a bachelors degree, its more likely youll pursue a certification from a national paralegal association. There are a few to choose from, each with different standards and requirements. Perform the proper research before making your decision, perhaps utilizing a paralegal career guide, or if you happen to know someone in the profession already, seek out their advice. Additional Advice As mentioned before; paralegals are employed across many industries in a varying capacity. I recommend choosing a very specific area of law to focus on, one that relates to your interest or previous experience. For example, if you have previous experience in human resources, you may find that specializing in labor law makes you more attractive to a potential employer. You can even take this a step further and strongly focus on employee benefits within labor laws. Youll be cutting down the number of paralegal jobs you qualify for but for those that you do qualify for, youll stand out from the crowd of applicants in a good way. Audrey Marden isasuccessful entrepreneur who owns a handful of online and offline businesses,including http://www.speedy-incorporation.com,a site that offers businesses and individuals information about incorporating online as well about forming a nationwide LLC.