Paralegal Blog

Becoming a successful paralegal takes hard work and determination. Here are 20 ways to achieve success as a paralegal. Do you have suggestions for more?

1. Develop a Plan – Explore a range of non-lawyer legal positions. Identify specific, short term and long-term goals that will lead you to success. Enroll in school, expand your skills, talk to your college, work with career advisors and recruiters, volunteer, intern, and build relationships with others in the field.
2. Pursue Credentials – Take steps to obtain a certificate, diploma, or degree. Convenient options are available, both online and in person. Many firms require a credential as a pre-requisite for interviewing and hiring. Higher education will add value throughout your career.
3. Continue Learning – Successful people are students for life. Cultivate a growth mindset. Increase your knowledge. Law is always evolving. Stay current and informed by attending seminars and completing practical, skills-based training and courses created specifically for paralegals yearly.

FAB is an acronym for Features, Advantages, and Benefits. FAB is a common 3-Step strategy employed in sales and marketing to generate interest in products. However, the technique can also be utilized during an interview to SELL yourself and fit any expertise acquired through experience, education, and training to specific job requirements. Consider the following when organizing your FAB responses:

Feature – What key factors, attributes, and skills do you have as required by the position?
Advantage – What strengths do your accomplishments, abilities, or past performance indicate relative to the competition?
Benefit – What is the result or value an employer can anticipate from hiring you?

A paralegal job description will typically require the ability to prepare legal documents and correspondence as well as the ability to organize and maintain files. The examples below illustrate how you can use the FAB method to focus your responses, so they are more impactful.

Example 1
Feature: You earned a Paralegal Credential
Advantage: You understand the legal process and terminology better than someone without a credential
Benefit: You are qualified through education and training to perform substantive legal work that requires knowledge of legal concepts, and as a result, can complete the work more quickly and effectively.

Want to enhance your resume?  Many employers expect their paralegals to be notaries and trust they know what they are doing!  Do you know the various roles and responsibilities of a Notary Public?

This seminar, which is open to students, alumni, and the general public, covers everything you need to become and serve with confidence as a Notary Public for the state of Texas. 

Want to enhance your resume?  Many employers expect their paralegals to be notaries and trust they know what they are doing!  Do you know the various roles and responsibilities of a Notary Public?

This seminar, which is open to students, alumni, and the general public, covers everything you need to become and serve with confidence as a Notary Public for the state of Texas. 

Certificates and degrees will go far to establish your credibility. Having qualifications demonstrates that you can contribute and add value to an organization through training and education. However, employers are not just seeking candidates with credentials. Verifiable skills are a major currency for hiring and advancement.

Here are 6 ways you can show a potential employer that you are “skilled up” and able to integrate and add value to a professional environment.