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| Posted By |
JD on 5/31/2008 12:53:10 PM |
| Subject: |
Should I continue paralegal studies |
| Message: |
I would greatly appreciate feedback on this: whether I should continue in this field, if there is another good option for my skills or any thoughts you would have on this posting. I am in my late 40s and making a career change.
I excel at obtaining the necessary info (in person, by Internet or by other research), writing and interviewing people; vocational aptitude and interest tests consistently pointed me to the paralegal field (and not much else). I do find law interesting and I am detail oriented. Everywhere I have worked, I have been given high marks for getting along well with others and my work ethic.
Unfortunately, I've worked at places that had high turnovers or massive downsizing, so I am hoping to work somewhere where employees are treated better than dirt and I have something better than zero job security.
I have just finished my second semester of an ABA-recognized paralegal program and I have had serious concerns about my future in the field. I have had to drop classes two semesters in a row because 12 hours of paralegal classes proved much harder than it was carrying 18 hours in my major when I was in college decades ago. (I also work part-time at a dead-end job, but at least it's decent pay.) I generally score 90 or above in paralegal classes.
Still, I don't seem to think like my fellow students, and they show strong secretarial aptitude I lack. I'm told I read too much into case scenarios. I have never been able to raise my typing speed to more than nearly 40 wpm, despite decades of typing on deadline. I fear I lack aptitude and interest.
I asked my school's adviser for guidance, and she said paralegals need to be neat, organized, detail oriented and able to meet deadlines. Out of those, I am definitely not neat, and while I can be organized, I'm not sure I'm organized in a way lawyers could find it organized.
I am worried that my return to school will do only more to dig me deeper into the career hole I feel I have been in, and I'm not a young person.
Thoughts? |
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