Pursuing A Career In Paralegals: Questions And Answers
My Career Plan
By Melissa Doughty
In today’s society there are many options when it comes to choosing ones career. I have had some time to contemplate on what I wanted to do with my life and find a career that would suit. I made the decision to return to school and obtain my AAS in Paralegal studies. The reason that I have chosen this field is because the aspects of law has always intrigued me. I also love the fact that in this field there is always something new to learn because, laws are always changing and being modified. As well it is a stable career with many benefits. I know that paralegals are very busy individuals and I believe that they are the heart of the firm, they keep things functioning. I also really love helping others and I love it when justice is found for those who deserve it. …show more content…
Paralegals today have a range of responsibilities and they differ depending on the size of the firm.
Some of those responsibilities may include some of the following: researching information for trial, filling out depositions and witness statements, interviewing clients and witnesses, filing paper work with the courts. It is also very important that paralegals are organized and prompt when filing, because some files are time sensitive. There are many schools that offer a range of programs for individuals interested in becoming a paralegal. They range from a certificate program which generally takes about 9-12 months to complete, an AAS program that takes about 17-19 months to complete, and some schools offer BS degree which generally takes about 2-3 years to complete. In some instances no education is required because some lawyers will offer in house training. But, it is very important that you do your research and find a school and program that fits you and your
needs.
As individuals we all have certain skills that will set us apart from others and will help us succeed in our careers. Here are some skills that I know will help me in my career. I have excellent phone and computer skills. I have the ability to finish my task in a timely matter. I am a very fast learner, you only have to show me once how to do something, and then I have it down pact. This is only a few of my skills I know that with just the few that I have listed that I will be able to succeed in my career. The reason that I say that is because they are all very strong skills and that is the key to success along with being happy with your career.
Some of the personal traits that I have are: the ability to relate to others on their personal level, I always have a pleasant attitude, I have the ability to adapt to different types of environments, and I am a hard worker and loyal employee. The way that my personal traits will be helpful in my career is by continuing to make me a stronger paralegal. Having the ability to relate to others on their level will help me get on a more personal level with clients and it will help me better understand their needs. Having a pleasant attitude will not only benefit me but it will also benefit the firm that I work for and it will make things easier for the clients as well. Having the ability to adapt to different types of environments is also a good trait to have because every case and interview is not the same. I also believe that being a hard worker and loyal is a great trait to have because it will not only show in the work that I produce and in my overall work ethics.
My long term goal is to have a long and successful career that I am happy in. I know that in order for me to reach this goal I will need to set some mid-term goals along with some short-term goals. Here are a few of my mid-term goals: to finish my education and to graduate, to start networking myself and line up some interviews, and to successfully land my career in a criminal law firm. For my short-term goals I plan on pass all of my classes; the way that I plan to do that is to stay focused on what the end results will produce and dedicate adequate time to my studies. Another short-term goal is to start working on my resume and keep it updated. I plan on using the resources provided by the school and having others review it as well. I would also like to set up a few mock interviews to help me not be so nervous. The way that I plan to meet this goal is to gather a group of family and friends to participate in this activity.
Having the ability to have a successful career takes a lot of hard work and dedication that you must be willing commit to. I have learned a lot from writing this paper, it has given me the chance to really sit back and focus on what I really expect from myself not only as an individual but as a student and future paralegal. The way that I am planning to apply this to my future is now having the knowledge that goal setting has given me. Setting and reaching your goals is a key element of leading a successful life and career. The way that it will help with my motivation is that with every goal that I set and every goal that is met will get me one step closer to a brighter future.
Resources
Paralegal Today Sixth Edition
From Master Student to Master Employee Fourth Edition
Westwood College-Student Access-Student Support
By Melissa Doughty
In today’s society there are many options when it comes to choosing ones career. I have had some time to contemplate on what I wanted to do with my life and find a career that would suit. I made the decision to return to school and obtain my AAS in Paralegal studies. The reason that I have chosen this field is because the aspects of law has always intrigued me. I also love the fact that in this field there is always something new to learn because, laws are always changing and being modified. As well it is a stable career with many benefits. I know that paralegals are very busy individuals and I believe that they are the heart of the firm, they keep things functioning. I also really love helping others and I love it when justice is found for those who deserve it. …show more content…
Paralegals today have a range of responsibilities and they differ depending on the size of the firm.
Some of those responsibilities may include some of the following: researching information for trial, filling out depositions and witness statements, interviewing clients and witnesses, filing paper work with the courts. It is also very important that paralegals are organized and prompt when filing, because some files are time sensitive. There are many schools that offer a range of programs for individuals interested in becoming a paralegal. They range from a certificate program which generally takes about 9-12 months to complete, an AAS program that takes about 17-19 months to complete, and some schools offer BS degree which generally takes about 2-3 years to complete. In some instances no education is required because some lawyers will offer in house training. But, it is very important that you do your research and find a school and program that fits you and your
needs.
As individuals we all have certain skills that will set us apart from others and will help us succeed in our careers. Here are some skills that I know will help me in my career. I have excellent phone and computer skills. I have the ability to finish my task in a timely matter. I am a very fast learner, you only have to show me once how to do something, and then I have it down pact. This is only a few of my skills I know that with just the few that I have listed that I will be able to succeed in my career. The reason that I say that is because they are all very strong skills and that is the key to success along with being happy with your career.
Some of the personal traits that I have are: the ability to relate to others on their personal level, I always have a pleasant attitude, I have the ability to adapt to different types of environments, and I am a hard worker and loyal employee. The way that my personal traits will be helpful in my career is by continuing to make me a stronger paralegal. Having the ability to relate to others on their level will help me get on a more personal level with clients and it will help me better understand their needs. Having a pleasant attitude will not only benefit me but it will also benefit the firm that I work for and it will make things easier for the clients as well. Having the ability to adapt to different types of environments is also a good trait to have because every case and interview is not the same. I also believe that being a hard worker and loyal is a great trait to have because it will not only show in the work that I produce and in my overall work ethics.
My long term goal is to have a long and successful career that I am happy in. I know that in order for me to reach this goal I will need to set some mid-term goals along with some short-term goals. Here are a few of my mid-term goals: to finish my education and to graduate, to start networking myself and line up some interviews, and to successfully land my career in a criminal law firm. For my short-term goals I plan on pass all of my classes; the way that I plan to do that is to stay focused on what the end results will produce and dedicate adequate time to my studies. Another short-term goal is to start working on my resume and keep it updated. I plan on using the resources provided by the school and having others review it as well. I would also like to set up a few mock interviews to help me not be so nervous. The way that I plan to meet this goal is to gather a group of family and friends to participate in this activity.
Having the ability to have a successful career takes a lot of hard work and dedication that you must be willing commit to. I have learned a lot from writing this paper, it has given me the chance to really sit back and focus on what I really expect from myself not only as an individual but as a student and future paralegal. The way that I am planning to apply this to my future is now having the knowledge that goal setting has given me. Setting and reaching your goals is a key element of leading a successful life and career. The way that it will help with my motivation is that with every goal that I set and every goal that is met will get me one step closer to a brighter future.
Resources
Paralegal Today Sixth Edition
From Master Student to Master Employee Fourth Edition
Westwood College-Student Access-Student Support