Entry Level Paralegal Jobs

Entry Level Paralegal Jobs: What to Expect
Any time you're entering a new career field, it's normal to wonder about your first job. Same goes for the
paralegal field - what are entry level paralegal jobs really like? And what are some tips to actually
find your first paralegal job?
Types of Entry Level Paralegal Jobs
Obviously, landing a paralegal position is the ideal situation. However, given today's tight labor market, it
might take longer than average to get an entry level position. Other options that can get you in the door and
working often include:
- Receptionist
- File clerk
- Secretarial positions
- Runner (deliver filings to/from the courthouse or documents to other firms)
Spending some time working in any of these positions can get you some much needed experience which will
strengthen your resume and make you more attractive for true entry level paralegal jobs. In addition,
some paralegals report that they were able to start in such positions and their roles eventually morphed into
true paralegal jobs.
Finding Entry Level Paralegal Jobs
Here are just 10 the many places you might look for an entry level paralegal job:
- Your paralegal school's career placement office
- Networking with alumni from your paralegal school
- Networking through local and
national paralegal associations
- Staffing agencies specializing in the legal field
- Local bar association placement services
- Classified ads in your local newspaper
- Internet job postings (check out entry level paralegal jobs
now!)
- Word of mouth from relatives, friends, etc.
- Proactively contacting firms you'd like to work for
- Networking via social media like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook
Have the Right Mindset
No matter where you start, it's important to have the right mindset as you can learn a LOT just by observing how
things are done around you. Even if you're just filing paperwork, you can get a feel for the different types
of documents and can learn a lot of legal terminology.
Even if you're starting with the most mundane tasks, do your work thoroughly and diligently. Take
advantage of any opportunities to learn about the different legal areas, or learn how work is divvied up at the
firm. Get to know the paralegals there and ask them how they landed their first paralegal job, advice they
wish they knew when just starting out, and so on. All of this adds to your knowledge and gets you set up to
excel as a paralegal.
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What will you earn in an entry
level paralegal job? Find out here!
Find a
paralegal association and start networking
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