Is becoming a Paralegal realistic from a paycheck and benefits standpoint? (job offers, secretary)

[PriscillaVanilla]

Originally Posted by fantasy09

They say the job market for lawyers is horrible so if its horrible for them then just how bad is it for Paralegals?.

It's just as bad. The legal field is saturated. This affects all legal jobs, lawyer, paralegal, legal secretary, court workers, etc. etc. Everybody wants to do law. It's perceived to be (however rightly or wrongly) an exciting field of work, so everyone wants "in". Therefore, hard to get jobs. Good luck. I do know many lawyers don't want to hire introverts as they aren't perceived as being aggressive enough perhaps. Of course, introverts are stigmatized in many other professions too.

If you decide to go into healthcare you'll have an easier path ahead of you, in terms of opportunities.

[YorktownGal]

I know someone who is a pharmacist technician. It pays only sightly better than minimum wage ($14 per hour vs $8 per hour). Pharmacist technicians are trained by pharmacies (Rite Aid, CVS, Walmart).

They split their time between counting out pills and checking out people.

It involves getting yelled at by people finding out insurance doesn't cover their meds or the co-pays have gone up dramatically. It's not working with people at their best.

Like all hourly work, schedules change daily. Maybe you'll have two days off the in middle of the week or you'll two separate days off (like a Tuesday and a Friday). You'll not a real weekend. It's impossible to make social plans.

A paralegal at least you work in an office with regular hours.

[emm74]

Originally Posted by fantasy09

What three below should I study that is lucrative for a Paralegal but on the easy side?

there's no field that is going to be easy to do but lucrative. If it's easy, they can find lots of people who can do it and don't need to pay them all that much. You can make a fair amount of money as a paralegal but it's going to be in a more specialized area and involve a lot of hard work.

But a few things.

You don't have an opportunity to become a paralegal. You have an opportunity to pay several thousand dollars to obtain a paralegal certification. Those aren't the same thing because I'm fairly certain the program you are looking into doesn't guarantee that they will provide a job for you at the end of it.

Second, in my experience, certification programs are more typically for people without a college degree. Generally, a firm would be willing to hire a smart, hard working person with a bachelor's who can demonstrate good research and communication skills and then teach them what they need to know. So assuming the degree you have is a BA, there are probably jobs you could start applying for right now, if you have some good writing samples.

But in reality, you are so all over the place, it's hard to imagine that this is really the correct fit for you. Someone who would make a good paralegal isn't usually trying to decide between that and a job as a janitor at Walmart or driving a cement mixer.

Perhaps a session with a career counselor would help narrow your options more effectively?

[jobaba]

Originally Posted by fantasy09

What three below should I study that is lucrative for a Paralegal but on the easy side?

If you want easy, law is not the way to go.

I dealt with lawyers all day today. You understand what lawyers do, right?

It's lawyers' jobs to tear people apart and find any and all holes in not only work they've done, but work that has done before them by other people.

It will be your job to handle the administrative work for them and make sure there are ZERO mistakes.

And if you're thinking about working for a company that pays particularly well, and handles cases for big firms who are going up against other big firms who also represent bigwig clients ... OMG forget about it.

Edit: I will actually qualify this statement by saying that one of my good friends is a lawyer with his own independent practice, and he does immigration law, and his workplace is chill, but he pays peanuts obviously.

[jobaba]

Originally Posted by emm74

there's no field that is going to be easy to do but lucrative.

There's not fields that are easy but lucrative, but there are sure are jobs that are easy but lucrative.

I'm not sure why parents don't tell their kids the 'secrets' to getting well paid jobs for relatively easy work.

Not that anyone can get those jobs, but anyone can sure know the path to getting them...

[jobaba]

Originally Posted by PriscillaVanilla

If you decide to go into healthcare you'll have an easier path ahead of you, in terms of opportunities.

The other thing that people don't understand about jobs and careers is 'who pays your paycheck' makes a big difference in the environment of the job.

At most law firms, your paycheck is going to paid directly by a client. You are going to bill your 30 hours spent that week to Joe B Wealthy, who needs your services to close a real estate deal or something.

Well, Joe B Wealthy is not just going to sit there while you eat up all his bank account by doing a half-a@@ job on his project, thinking about what the easiest job is you can get for the most pay. Very often, small corporations and even individuals pay the salary of lawyers.

OTOH, if you do healthcare, insurance pays for your salary. I mean, there is privatization involved as well, but there's not ONE person who pays your salary. The person whose blood sample you took pays your salary, but indirectly.

And that makes a big difference.

[Mircea]

Originally Posted by fantasy09

I have an opportunity to become a Paralegal. I need a job and this seemed doable. However is it really?

I don't know. I don't really know you.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

The program is through an accredited university. Its ABA approved. Since I already have a Degree(useless journalism) I'm doing their 1 year course. So Aug-May. They have a 150 hour internship that is required at the end of the course. That will be my only Paralegal experience that I could put on a potential resume.

That's not very encouraging on your part from my viewpoint.

What, exactly, differentiates you from all the other paralegals in the same boat?

I'll simply say that there are many paralegal certificate programs that do not require a practicum.

That puts you head and shoulders above them, not to mention that these practicums often lead to full-time jobs. Your inability to see that leads me to believe you might not make a good paralegal.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

I'm also worried about what I'm truly getting myself into. How hard are these courses? How easy?

I don't have enough information to answer that. What's your reading level on the FROG/Slosson Scale?

Most of the texts are written at level 16-18.

If you can read and comprehend at those levels, it shouldn't be a problem.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

They say the job market for lawyers is horrible so if its horrible for them then just how bad is it for Paralegals?

Lawyers are not paralegals and vice versa.

Paralegals actually have more opportunities available to them than attorneys.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

BLS.gov is saying Paralegal is a good field with a good paycheck,but what does real world say?

The BLS info is real world info.

If you want more concrete info, you can contact either of the national paralegal associations and get specific info on wages/salaries in your area.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

I'm already 10,000 in student loan debt from my BA degree,if I take this course I will be adding another $5,550. That's now 15,000 or so.

I'm was tying to find a good scholarship database to look for some money to a pay because honestly I would feel way more comfortable taking this unknown, might be financially unwise, leap If I didn't have to pay for it.

It's all good.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

I want know is it worth it to be going further into debt for a job field that might not be realistically secure.

The legal field is economically stable, now and in the mid-Future. It is not subject to swings in the market, market shocks, market crashes, oil prices, recessions, the whims of consumers or bad management decisions or angry shareholders.

In fact, the worse things get, the more work there is.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

What three below should I study that is lucrative for a Paralegal but on the easy side?

If you are looking for easy, then paralegal is not for you, because there's nothing easy about it.

You will be part of a legal team. You will be multi-tasking and not just multi-tasking, but multi-tasking on multiple cases at the same time.

You'll be present at the client interview. You'll be identifying, locating and interviewing witnesses and other parties. You'll be conducting investigations. You'll be engaged in fact-finding. You'll be involved in a variety of research, including primary and secondary sources of law. You'll be calendaring events, and managing a tickler-system and probably case files, plus preparing memorandum, pleadings, motions, petitions and other documents, not to mention constantly communicating with clients.

If you are unable to do one or more of those tasks, plus others, you're not going to go very far.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

Administrative Law

That's primarily Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Worker's Compensation and the like, plus OSHA/MSHA and EPA and other federal or State agencies.

If you want to work for a government at any level, whether it's municipal, township, county, State or federal, you're going to need that class and even if you don't there are law firms that represent clients in those matters.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

Bankruptcy Law

Self-explanatory. Not very useful, unless you want to specialize in bankruptcies.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

Business Organizations

Not very useful, but know that you may be called upon to prepare business filings for corporations, non-profits, a variety of partnerships, limited liability companies and a variety of trusts.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

Civil Litigation

You will definitely need that.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

Contract Law

Not really necessary unless you want to specialize in it.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

Criminal Law & Procedures

You'll need that if you want to work for any government or with private firms that specialize in that.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

eDiscovery

Electronic Trial Presentation (Trial Director and other presentation software)

You don't need those. Better would be to get Microsoft Certified in Powerpoint. That will make you more marketable.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

Employment Law
Environmental Law

You don't need those.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

Family Law
Federal Civil Procedure

You'll need both of those.

You file in federal court when there's diversity of citizenship and the amount exceeds $75,000.

And, no, citizenship doesn't mean other countries it means other States.

You're in an auto accident in Florida and the defendant resides in Florida, but you live elsewhere.

You cannot file in your State. You could file in a Florida State court, but you'd fare better filing in a federal court under diversity of citizenship, because the federal court will have both subject matter and personal jurisdiction and it is the proper venue.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

Immigration Law
Intellectual Property

You don't need those.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

Legal Investigation & Interviewing Skills

If you have poor interpersonal communication skills, you're going to need that.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

Legal Writing
Real Estate Law
Wills, Successions & Inheritance

You don't need Real Estate.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

I'm 33 and would be 34 when I graduate. I'm not naive enough to think age discrimination doesn't exist.

You're wrong. There is no age discrimination. Law firms prefer older people and unlike other jobs, knowledge and experience is valuable and irreplaceable.

For example, in tech fields, experience is irrelevant.

All that's relevant is knowledge, and more than that, knowledge of current technology.

And, of course, Creative Capital. Most tech nutters are creatively dead. They blew their wad of Creative Capital a decade or two ago and now they're totally useless. They couldn't create or innovate to save their own lives, much less their job.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

I'm currently talking to a psychiatrist about some things and may take a med. Do any potential employers need to know this? Is it even legal for them to? I know, and understand, why the military would need to know this info,but any one else do they need to?

No.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

I live in the south. While standard of living wise that's a good thing(a paycheck goes a long way )job market wise it's not.

Relocating may increase your opportunities 10-fold.

Originally Posted by fantasy09

I'm an Introvert. While I will( and have) put on my big girl pants to fake it till I make it sort of speak I do prefer a job where I'm doing more reading and writing then talking to a dozen people.

An introvert? Okay. As long as you can communicate with people, no problem.

You might want to take that interview class. Larger law firms do have forms files, with interview questions for any kind of case you can think of an any kind of party related to a case. You can take those and modify them.

For smaller firms, you'll have to devise your own questions.

Every one you interview won't necessarily have pertinent info, but they often know who does, and you'll need to talk to them.

You'll learn how not to ask leading questions, because that's a recipe for disaster.

When you ask leading questions, people respond by telling you what they think you want to hear, instead of what actually happened, then that person is at a deposition or on the witness stand at trial and they get shredded, because they don't really know anything, or what they do know isn't what they told you happened.

Well, there you go.

[blueherons]

The paralegals I know are pretty well paid but work hard.

That said, go into law that is prevalent in your area.

Do you live in Texas, Florida, California, New Mexico? Immigration Law might be a good idea. Des Moines Iowa? Probably not immigration.

Talk to people in your area that are in the business.

[YorktownGal]

Another option might be a real estate appraiser.

https://www.investopedia.com/article...isers-make.asp

https://www.appraisalinstitute.org/a...al-profession/

[easy62]

Originally Posted by fantasy09

I have an opportunity to become a Paralegal. I need a job and this seemed doable. However is it really?

The program is through an accredited university. Its ABA approved. Since I already have a Degree(useless journalism) I'm doing their 1 year course. So Aug-May. They have a 150 hour internship that is required at the end of the course. That will be my only Paralegal experience that I could put on a potential resume.

I'm also worried about what I'm truly getting myself into. How hard are these courses? How easy?

They say the job market for lawyers is horrible so if its horrible for them then just how bad is it for Paralegals?

BLS.gov is saying Paralegal is a good field with a good paycheck,but what does real world say?

I'm already 10,000 in student loan debt from my BA degree,if I take this course I will be adding another $5,550. That's now 15,000 or so.

I'm was tying to find a good scholarship database to look for some money to a pay because honestly I would feel way more comfortable taking this unknown, might be financially unwise, leap If I didn't have to pay for it.

I want know is it worth it to be going further into debt for a job field that might not be realistically secure.

Also one small plus I don't have children so I'm free as a bird to do anything.

What three below should I study that is lucrative for a Paralegal but on the easy side?

Administrative Law
Bankruptcy Law
Business Organizations
Civil Litigation
Contract Law
Criminal Law & Procedures
eDiscovery
Electronic Trial Presentation (Trial Director and other presentation software)
Employment Law
Environmental Law
Family Law
Federal Civil Procedure
Immigration Law
Intellectual Property
Legal Investigation & Interviewing Skills
Legal Writing
Real Estate Law
Wills, Successions & Inheritance

Other hurdles

I'm also well aware that liberal arts fields are usually not desirable if you want to make good money with good to excellent benefits and actual job security.

I'm 33 and would be 34 when I graduate. I'm not naive enough to think age discrimination doesn't exist.

I'm currently talking to a psychiatrist about some things and may take a med. Do any potential employers need to know this? Is it even legal for them to? I know, and understand, why the military would need to know this info,but any one else do they need to?

I live in the south. While standard of living wise that's a good thing(a paycheck goes a long way )job market wise it's not.

Say I went on and did the course could I get other jobs that are similar even if paralegal experience would make me over qualified?

Other job opportunities I was looking into.

Getting a Class B CDL so I can drive for USPS, UPS or Fedex or even a cement mixer or something.

Working as a mail sorter at USPS?

A High school,University,or Walmart janitor? Apparently they make good money and have very good benefits, and since I'm only one person this doesn't seem bad at all.

A pharmacist technician. Especially ones that have an onsite training program. No college. Just take the Licence exam. I heard Walgreen's use to do this? The Pharmacology class I had to take for the LPN program I was in made my head spin though. It was like I was reading a foreign language so I'm not so sure about this one.

I'm an Introvert. While I will( and have) put on my big girl pants to fake it till I make it sort of speak I do prefer a job where I'm doing more reading and writing then talking to a dozen people.

My oldest daughter is a semi truck driver with a class A CDL and she made $70,000 but she has been driving for over 15 years so don’t think you will start at the high income you will have to prove that you’re a good driver and won’t tear up your truck or trailer.