Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am just going to be brutally honest. I am 31 years old with an Associates of Arts. degree, I still have no idea what I want to with my life. My past experience is all administrative work which I really hate, lol. I am currently employed in the government as a Sr. Legal Secretary. I decided a year ago before i got this job that I was going to finish my degree just for the sake of having one. The quickest way to have a degree was the old Bachelor's of General Studies Of course, I know this is not really marketable and I am getting it because I have so few classes to complete and I just want to be able to check a box.
So while I have been employed as a Legel Secretary, primarily contract drafting I started to think Paralegal might be a good pathway for me. I am unsure of the best way to go about getting it. Should I continue to complete the BGS and then obtain a certificate. Or finish my last 3 classes for this semester and quit college and enroll in a a 2 year Paralegal program that would enable me to sit for the NALA. I am trying to figure out the best road to take.
I will say that I am not really passionate about just one thing the amount of credits I have any various subjects show that. I always did well in school and have never failed a course, but never was truly able to make up to make up mind. I know I should have things figured out by now but I don't. My company will re-reimburse my tuition. Has anyone every been where I am?
I'd just go for the Bachelor's of General Studies, just to get it done. You can always take other classes that will get you a second bachelor's degree in another major, if you ever wanted to.
There's nothing wrong with having a bachelor's in general studies. Many employers only care if you have a degree, they don't care what it's in.
I worked as a legal secretary many years ago. I moved to a different state and ended up in office management and executive assistant type jobs. But, legal secretaries can make really good money. I'm not sure paralegals make much more, and I think their job would be really annoying. They do most of the actual work, and the lawyers make a lot more money and get all the credit. As a legal secretary, you're more removed from that lackey type of position, in my opinion.
In my opinion, if you really want to stay in law and you're sure you want to be more than a legal secretary (with probably better hours than anyone else in the firm, as far as being able to have a life), then I think you should just get that bachelor's in general studies, and then look at night law schools. Might as well be the lawyer who gets the paralegal to do your work for you, eh?
To get into even the cheap law schools, you'll need a bachelor's and it doesn't usually matter what your major is.
I am currently employed in the government as a Sr. Legal Secretary. I decided a year ago before i got this job that I was going to finish my degree just for the sake of having one. The quickest way to have a degree was the old Bachelor's of General Studies Of course, I know this is not really marketable and I am getting it because I have so few classes to complete and I just want to be able to check a box.
There are dozens of different jobs within any government. Take the time to see what is available across the board that jives with your experience. Go ahead and get that degree. Yes, being able to check the box will greatly improve your long term career.
With legal and contract experience, you could work that into working in the purchasing/procurement/vendor management department. This is a great area with long term growth potential. Procurement can lead to work in supply chain or to work in the regulatory area. Again, your legal and contract experience would help with that. All of this would pay way more than being a paralegal.
Think long term.
Last edited by charlygal; 01-12-2019 at 10:38 AM..
I would ask some people currently working as paralegals about their views of the field. With the amount of underemployed and unemployed attorneys, I'm not sure how much growth there is in this career field. Plus, many lawyers are jerks. If you do not like admin work you will hate doing admin work for an egotistical attorney.
There are dozens of different jobs within any government. Take the time to see what is available across the board that jives with your experience. Go ahead and get that degree. Yes, being able to check the box will greatly improve your long term career.
With legal and contract experience, you could work that into working in the purchasing/procurement/vendor management department. This is a great area with long term growth potential. Procurement can lead to work in supply chain or to work in the regulatory area. Again, your legal and contract experience would help with that. All of this would pay way more than being a paralegal.
Think long term.
This is good advice. You can rear a family on what a Contract Specialist earns working for any of the U.S. Army's major materiel commands. It can be intense, but with your background nothing you couldn't handle. And they all have procedures and lawyers to make sure you don't make any truly horrible mistakes. Supporting our nation's warriors can feel incredibly rewarding. Good luck.
Wait I thought the legal secretary did most of the admin work.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Of course, I know this is not really marketable and I am getting it because I have so few classes to complete and I just want to be able to check a box.
