Paralegal Schools Dropped the Ball
Paralegal Schools – Did They Drop the Ball or Did You?
Every single day I read how discouraged paralegal students and new graduates are. They arrive in the LinkedIn, Facebook or Yahoo paralegal groups to say how frustrated they are because of the current job situation.
The sad thing about their frustration is that they think they can’t land a paralegal job because of the economy. Yes, I know jobs are more scarce these days, however, the fact that a paralegal graduate cannot land a job in the field is not based on the number of jobs available.
Or…that new attorney grads are scooping up the paralegal jobs.
It’s based on this:
You don’t enter the legal field (in most cases) in a paralegal position.
Why not?
As a paralegal job applicant, you know the dreaded 4 words already, right?
“You don’t have experience!”
And your response is usually:
“But HOW do I get experience?”
The truth is, you wouldn’t be able to land a paralegal job even if the economy was booming.
So, who dropped the ball here?
Did the paralegal school drop the ball?
Or…did you?
Did your school offer job placement or internships so that you could get a foothold?
They should have.
Did you do your homework to find out how you were going to find employment after you finished your coursework?
You should have.
The truth is, you can enter this field.
However, you do not enter as a paralegal.
Period.
You enter as a runner, file clerk, receptionist or entry level secretary.
The truth is, the schools should offer job placement. They should have connections with law firms who will allow the students a chance to learn.
However…you would still enter the firm in a different position first.
If you attended a paralegal school/course who did offer job placement, I would love to hear from you.
And, if you’re thinking about signing up for paralegal school/courses, it’s important to do your homework first before you spend your hard-earned money or add debt through a student loan.
