How to Get a Job as an Paralegal in 2020
Paralegal
US Median Salary
$49,500/year or $23.80/hour
Education Requirements
Associate’s Degree in Paralegal Studies
Paralegal Certificate Often Preferred
Some schools offer bachelor’s or master’s degrees as well, but these programs aren’t nearly as common as associate’s degrees or certificate programs and certainly aren’t necessary to obtain an entry-level paralegal job.
You'd be great for this position if...
– You’re detail-oriented
– You love research and digging for information
– You’re highly organized
– You enjoy working with a team
– You’re tenacious
– You’re patient with others
You'd be great for this position if...
– You’re detail-oriented
– You love research and digging for information
– You’re highly organized
– You enjoy working with a team
– You’re tenacious
– You’re patient with others
Resume Tips for Paralegals
To have a successful career as a paralegal, there are certain skills that hiring managers know to look for. Take inventory of these important qualities and emphasize them in your resume:
- Exceptional Communication Skills
- Strong Writing Ability
- Excellent Time Management Skills
- Computer and Internet Skills
- Polished Research Skills
- A Knack for Learning Quickly
- Ability to Analyze Information from Several Sources
- Critical and Creative Thinking
If you don’t have much on-the-job experience, include things like…
- Successful research projects you’ve conducted (include results and findings you were able to make)
- Any past experience as an assistant or secretary
- Volunteer work (especially in local government or a nonprofit like Legal Aid or the ACLU)
- Involvement in your local paralegal association
- Any past experience working at a law firm (in any capacity, even working in the mail room!)
- Certificates from Microsoft Office classes (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
If you’re still feeling stuck on what skills to list in your resume, check the job description! Hiring managers list the key qualities they’re looking for, so you can score serious points for including them.
Interview Pointers for Paralegals
Prior to your interview, be sure to think of examples of personal experience applicable to the role:
- Provide an example of a time when you took initiative and how it paid off.
- Describe your approach to researching information to solve a problem.
- Offer an example of a time you created an organization system and discuss its impact on your productivity.
- Talk about your techniques for coping with tight deadlines and how you’ve resolved stressful situations in the past.
Be prepared to answer questions like:
- What makes a successful paralegal?
- How do you use technology to improve the quality of your work?
- How would you handle a stressed-out over-worked attorney who is about to go to trial?
Trouble finding Paralegal jobs to apply for? Try searching for these jobs as well!
Legal Assistant • Law Clerk • Court Reporter • Contracts Administrator • Nurse Paralegal • Legal Secretary • Paralegal Specialist
Famous Former Paralegals
Ellen DeGeneres
Talk Show Host / Actress / Comedian
