If you were to read my resume you would see that I have over 12 years of experience in the legal field. I have worked in several different demanding fields of law. I have undertaken substantive legal work to include researching, and the drafting of: motions, petitions and court orders. I have also been responsible for training legal assistants. With experience that extensive people may wonder why I would choose to go back to school to obtain a degree in Paralegal Studies. Essentially, my reasons boil down to two.
My number one reason for undergoing pro forma training is that it is now becoming a prerequisite for employment. Gone are the days of strictly on the job training for paralegals. As the workload of lawyers is steadily rising, so are the demands on their paralegals. Due to time constraints attorneys are trusting their paralegals with more complex assignments. However, since they do not have the time it would take to thoroughly train someone; many employers are requesting paralegals come in with some accredited base knowledge of the profession. If you have happened to peruse or even seriously explore employment opportunities in the profession lately you will see that many are asking for some form of advanced training. As a matter of fact, during the application process some employers will ask you if you have certain educational requirements and if you do not, you will automatically be disqualified for employment. They will not proceed with your application. They put their blinders on and will not take work experience into consideration. This can be very disheartening as you may have all the experience necessary and may have performed the required duties pertinent to the position.
Nonetheless, unless you are extremely lucky enough to find an employer who is willing to overlook the educational requirements, this is one hurdle that is hard to overcome no matter how many years you have put in in the field. So be it an Associates or Bachelors in Paralegal studies or some other closely related field, or a paralegal certificate in addition to a Bachelors degree in any focus area, employers will be looking for it. One perk is that college courses and experience expose you to a variety of topics. Paralegal programs themselves are designed to cover all the basics of the profession and allot the opportunity to explore areas of the field that you may not have been exposed to throughout your working experience, thus allowing you fluidity with your career path.
My second reason for reentering the academic arena is of a more personal nature. As mentioned earlier, I have been in the field for a good while. With the encouragement of others in the legal field, I began entertaining the idea of going back to school starting two years in. Yet I still wasn’t sure if this was the career I wanted to pursue. I liked the work I did but I was not 100% committed to it. So I looked into other career paths and eventually I came to the conclusion that there was nothing else I wanted to pursue in which I wouldn’t have to start from rock bottom or spend a significant amount of time schooling. The profession offered me all the perks I wanted, a nice salary, great benefits and stability; so I stayed put. I wanted to stay in the field because my passion for it had developed. But I wanted more control, more opportunities for advancement; and more options. So I decided to enroll in school right then to avoid the analysis paralysis that I had been experiencing for so long. I knew that once I registered that was it. Finishing college is no easy task, especially while working full time with a husband and two small children, as is my case; so taking the step tested my commitment to my purpose and has tested my perseverance. Obtaining a degree also helps build confidence. Through the skills and knowledge obtained by way of academic training I am on my way to success in my career. I will be able to look back and feel an extreme sense of accomplishment at pursuing and achieving my academic goals.
