How to Get Experience

How to Get Experience CAROLE BRUNO
I enjoy reading many of the paralegal listServs, such as Legal Assistant Today’s LAT-Forum; it helps me keep current with what paralegals are concerned with today. (Sign up at http://www.legalassistantoday.com/). The range of conversations vary from paralegals seeking forms or ways to handle certain legal matters that they are struggling with, and often the topics are entirely off the subject of law. Successful paralegals really work hard; sometimes it is good to vent, share a joke or a story. The paralegals who participate on the different list servs vary from being slightly experienced, highly experienced, to paralegal students, and recent graduates desperately looking for their first job, mystified by the beginning of their exciting new career. They join the list serv and are quite surprised to view the exchange of information. They ask many questions and are surprised to receive so many responses from the online paralegals who are eager to help and mentor them; they remember their early days of struggle. The most common question I read is from paralegal students and graduates (“newbies”) is how to get experience. For example, recently, one paralegal wrote: "I am on the verge of completing an online paralegal course and look forward to taking the Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) exam this summer. It was unfortunate that I did not have all the facts in regards to ABA school programs because I have discovered my program is not an ABA program. I could not help but notice the employment ads all specify 'heavy experience.' Simple question: How can I get experience without experience?" Have any of you found difficulties obtaining the necessary experience to enter the field? In 1975, when I graduated from one of the first classes of paralegals, my challenge was more difficult, because paralegals were virtually unknown. What did I do? I had to concentrate on selling not only myself but also, the new profession. The only way I could present my skills to a potential employer was to present a list of ten things I could do as a paralegal. I chuckle at that list whenever I come across it in my files. Today, I see several ways a graduate can work around the lack of experience without feeling like a nervous salesperson. Respect the experienced paralegal; one day you will have that job. 1. Take a job in a law firm. Notice I did not say what type of job—Consider any job: typist, secretary, runner, file clerk, mail clerk, or receptionist. This firm may not be the particular firm you hope to work for as a paralegal. You need the legal environment; you need to be right in the middle of it. You can see how a law firm works and what goes on. Depending upon the position you accept, you may or may not get the experience you need. Right now, you just need experience in a law firm. Your job will be to learn and observe law firm interactions. Most likely, your first job as a paralegal will be a different firm, and that is okay. You just want to discover how a law firm operates. However, do you best no matter what your title is so that you will get a good reference. 2. Research firms before you approach them for work. The more you know about a firm, the more you can have a knowledgeable interview. Be prepared to ask them questions. 3. Offer to do contract paralegal work. If you research law firms in your area, you may find a firm that is open to delegating contract work. Contract work can be any field of law; you just do it as a freelance and under the supervision of a lawyer. 4. You have to send out many resumes. Twenty, thirty, or forty resumes will not work. Send out resumes to every firm in town. However, be sure someone reviews your resume. Make sure your resume is free of typos; proof it carefully. Buy one of the many books on how to find a paralegal job and look at others in the library. 5. Join your local or state paralegal association. Most associations have a student or non-voting membership. Attend as many meetings and seminars as you can and circulate. Do not be afraid to let the members know you are looking for your first job. Find out who the job bank coordinator is and take her to lunch to get to know the ins and outs of job seeking and the local paralegal job market. The National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) (http://www.paralegals.org/) publishes National Paralegal Reporter, and The National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) (http://www.nala.org/) publishes Facts and Findings, two excellent journals. The American Alliance (AAPIPARA) (http://www.aapipara.org/), the International Paralegal Managers Association (IPMA) (http://www.ipma.org/), and the National Association of Legal Professions (NALS) (http://www.nals.org/) all have newsletters. 6. Spread the word. This is where you access your networks, and that includes the students you know from paralegal school. Keep in touch with them to see if they know of job listings. If they have, find out how and where they got their job, and ask if they know of any other openings. 7. Get on Linked In. This is a free business-specific network and in which you may build a network of contacts. You have to get permission to add a contact. You connect to a contact and can get access to their contacts. It has structured rules that protect your privacy. I highly recommend this service. Go to http://www.linkedin.com/ 8. Try Plaxo. First, get on Plaxo on a trial basis, and read their instructions on how to connect with others. Go to http://www.plaxo.com/ 9. Join Yahoo e-groups. Go to www.yahoogroups.com and under Yahool Groups, under “Government,” click “Law,” and then “Paralegals.” There are more than 100 paralegal groups. Join the relevant groups. Usually, there are no requirements or cost. Paralegals@yahoogroups.com is an active and informative group. Also, consider joining some legal secretarial groups and ask for contacts. Legal secretaries always know what goes on at their firms and other firms. 10. Join the LAT Forum. Legal Assistant Today has one of the best paralegal forums. Both experienced and new paralegals post on LAT. Go to http://www.legalassistanttodaycom/ to sign up. Often paralegals post jobs on this active forum. (There are many websites that post jobs, and I will add them to my LINKS page later.) 11. Look at the smaller firms and apply for those positions even if it states "receptionist.” 12. Have you thought about temping? If you can use a computer, call the various temporary employment agencies; often, if you do an excellent job and make an impression, a law firm will hire you. You will always be a work-in-progress. 13. Many paralegal training programs also offer an internship in which students gain practical experience by working for several months in a private law firm, the office of a public defender or attorney general, a bank, a corporate legal department, a legal aid organization, or a government agency. Experience gained in internships is an asset when you are seeking a job after graduation. Search the Internet using “intern” and “paralegal.” Prospective students should examine the experiences of recent graduates before enrolling in a paralegal program.

CAROLE BRUNO

I enjoy reading many of the paralegal listServs, such as Legal Assistant Today’s LAT-Forum; it helps me keep current with what paralegals are concerned with today. (Sign up at http://www.legalassistantoday.com/). The range of conversations vary from paralegals seeking forms or ways to handle certain legal matters that they are struggling with, and often the topics are entirely off the subject of law. Successful paralegals really work hard; sometimes it is good to vent, share a joke or a story.

The paralegals who participate on the different list servs vary from being slightly experienced, highly experienced, to paralegal students, and recent graduates desperately looking for their first job, mystified by the beginning of their exciting new career. They join the list serv and are quite surprised to view the exchange of information. They ask many questions and are surprised to receive so many responses from the online paralegals who are eager to help and mentor them; they remember their early days of struggle. The most common question I read is from paralegal students and graduates (“newbies”) is how to get experience. For example, recently, one paralegal wrote:

"I am on the verge of completing an online paralegal course and look forward to taking the Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) exam this summer. It was unfortunate that I did not have all the facts in regards to ABA school programs because I have discovered my program is not an ABA program. I could not help but notice the employment ads all specify 'heavy experience.' Simple question: How can I get experience without experience?"

Have any of you found difficulties obtaining the necessary experience to enter the field? In 1975, when I graduated from one of the first classes of paralegals, my challenge was more difficult, because paralegals were virtually unknown. What did I do? I had to concentrate on selling not only myself but also, the new profession. The only way I could present my skills to a potential employer was to present a list of ten things I could do as a paralegal. I chuckle at that list whenever I come across it in my files. Today, I see several ways a graduate can work around the lack of experience without feeling like a nervous salesperson.

Respect the experienced paralegal;

one day you will have that job.

1. Take a job in a law firm. Notice I did not say what type of job—Consider any job: typist, secretary, runner, file clerk, mail clerk, or receptionist. This firm may not be the particular firm you hope to work for as a paralegal. You need the legal environment; you need to be right in the middle of it. You can see how a law firm works and what goes on. Depending upon the position you accept, you may or may not get the experience you need. Right now, you just need experience in a law firm. Your job will be to learn and observe law firm interactions. Most likely, your first job as a paralegal will be a different firm, and that is okay. You just want to discover how a law firm operates. However, do you best no matter what your title is so that you will get a good reference.

2. Research firms before you approach them for work. The more you know about a firm, the more you can have a knowledgeable interview. Be prepared to ask them questions.

3. Offer to do contract paralegal work. If you research law firms in your area, you may find a firm that is open to delegating contract work. Contract work can be any field of law; you just do it as a freelance and under the supervision of a lawyer.

4. You have to send out many resumes. Twenty, thirty, or forty resumes will not work. Send out resumes to every firm in town. However, be sure someone reviews your resume. Make sure your resume is free of typos; proof it carefully. Buy one of the many books on how to find a paralegal job and look at others in the library.

5. Join your local or state paralegal association. Most associations have a student or non-voting membership. Attend as many meetings and seminars as you can and circulate. Do not be afraid to let the members know you are looking for your first job. Find out who the job bank coordinator is and take her to lunch to get to know the ins and outs of job seeking and the local paralegal job market. The National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) (http://www.paralegals.org/) publishes National Paralegal Reporter, and The National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) (http://www.nala.org/) publishes Facts and Findings, two excellent journals. The American Alliance (AAPIPARA) (http://www.aapipara.org/), the International Paralegal Managers Association (IPMA) (http://www.ipma.org/), and the National Association of Legal Professions (NALS) (http://www.nals.org/) all have newsletters.

6. Spread the word. This is where you access your networks, and that includes the students you know from paralegal school. Keep in touch with them to see if they know of job listings. If they have, find out how and where they got their job, and ask if they know of any other openings.

7. Get on Linked In. This is a free business-specific network and in which you may build a network of contacts. You have to get permission to add a contact. You connect to a contact and can get access to their contacts. It has structured rules that protect your privacy. I highly recommend this service. Go to http://www.linkedin.com/

8. Try Plaxo. First, get on Plaxo on a trial basis, and read their instructions on how to connect with others. Go to http://www.plaxo.com/

9. Join Yahoo e-groups. Go to www.yahoogroups.com and under Yahool Groups, under “Government,” click “Law,” and then “Paralegals.” There are more than 100 paralegal groups. Join the relevant groups. Usually, there are no requirements or cost. Paralegals@yahoogroups.com is an active and informative group. Also, consider joining some legal secretarial groups and ask for contacts. Legal secretaries always know what goes on at their firms and other firms.

10. Join the LAT Forum. Legal Assistant Today has one of the best paralegal forums. Both experienced and new paralegals post on LAT. Go to http://www.legalassistanttodaycom/ to sign up. Often paralegals post jobs on this active forum. (There are many websites that post jobs, and I will add them to my LINKS page later.)

11. Look at the smaller firms and apply for those positions even if it states "receptionist.”

12. Have you thought about temping? If you can use a computer, call the various temporary employment agencies; often, if you do an excellent job and make an impression, a law firm will hire you.

You will always be a work-in-progress.

13. Many paralegal training programs also offer an internship in which students gain practical experience by working for several months in a private law firm, the office of a public defender or attorney general, a bank, a corporate legal department, a legal aid organization, or a government agency. Experience gained in internships is an asset when you are seeking a job after graduation. Search the Internet using “intern” and “paralegal.” Prospective students should examine the experiences of recent graduates before enrolling in a paralegal program.