Jeffreda - biggz is right. I've been a paralegal in Orlando since 1986. I love the legal community here, and I am active in it. The paralegal profession has grown so much over the last 20 years, and the young men and women in the profession never cease to amaze me. They protect their own, and they're average normal people. You need to come down and spend some time here.
As far as your profession, depending upon your speciality and your experience, there are always openings of some kind some where. You would easily have several interviews to go on if you're a litigation paralegal--some we can steer you away from. The local colleges are cranking out paralegals with no prior legal experience, so there are many who have looked for a job but, unfortunately, are unable to find one, or they're getting jobs for $10 an hour. That is not good--we're working with the colleges to change that--the colleges are the gatekeepers.
The local paralegal association has an active job bank. There are a couple of placement agencies that firms look to that I can direct you to. As far as being a single mom trying to work and raise a family, there are several paralegals here in the firm I work for in your same situation, and they all manage to have a night life and their children are successful in school. We all support their children by buying the stuff they sell at the beginning of the school year.
Now, on the other hand, housing costs have increased, traffic in Orlando is hard. It's going to be hard coming to a new city, especially if you have family in other parts of the US or if you're leaving family to come here. Orlando is not at all backwards, but it's not a major legal community/city like Atlanta, New York or Dallas. You'll want to pick a location where the schools are "A" schools, and the only vicinity nearby (15 minutes back roads to downtown) that I know of with "A" schools is the Conway area, an older but very nice area. Other "A" school areas will be about 30 minutes away door to door. The salaries are very competitive, with good benefits, despite the e-mail fights I have gotten into with others on this list all over new paralegal graduates not being able to find a job.
Just FYI, Disney is looking for a paralegal. PM me if you have any questions. I've lived in Orlando for 35 years. While it has changed, and in some ways not for the good, people do manage to get to work without getting shot, approached to buy drugs or road raged, take pride in their homes and their lives, some do go to church, go out to dinner at very nice restaurants or holes-in-the-wall, and other night life activities, have fun at the parks and lakes we have here, read their Sunday paper on their porches, get a tan, raise good kids, play with their dogs or cats, save for their retirement and on and on.
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Originally Posted by jeffreda30238
Biggz I really appreciate your objective insight. Some of these post are self serving because some don't help me at all..lol...I do also appreciate those who are giving GENUINE, decent, OBJECTIVE advice.
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