Paralegal: One Of The Top 20 Best Performing In Career Opportunities
For those wanting to enter a legal-related career without committing to the entire sphere of being an attorney, the question remains: “what is the job outlook for paralegals?” Fortunately, there are many lucrative and promising options available. Regardless of inconsistent figures often quoted about paralegal careers, the fact remains that job outlook reports trend towards a positive future for career aspirants.
Since 2007, the paralegal profession has been consistently ranked as a promising career to enter for those seeking stable, gainful employment. By CNN figures, job growth projections were 18 percent for years 2010-2020. Going further, CNN also named the paralegal, or legal assistant, profession one of the top 20 best careers to enter. (1)
However, official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics project the growth rate at 28 percent between the years 2006 through 2016. (2) Discrepancies exist; however, the actual figures indicate the growth rate is better than average of other career choices. Even with dismal economic forecasts, litigation and legal activities are on the rise adding to a healthy prospective for jobs.
For Those Better Prepared: More Jobs And Better Salaries
Interestingly enough, while the growth rate for paralegals during the next seven years to ten years is undeniable, so is the concurrent intensity and level of competition. Undoubtedly, positions inevitably go to those better prepared for it such as those having a good proficiency level in Spanish or other languages.
For many, the current job market is now a “jungle.” Increased competition now mandates job applicants be more aggressive and career savvy than ever before. While some job seekers may have an Associate Degree, other do not. Other aspirants have accumulated experience over the years, yet some applicants have no experience whatsoever. Consequently, it behooves job seekers to know what their own skills are and home in on their training while furthering their education.
Likewise, those who merge other co-careers such as healthcare/paralegals now become prime candidates for hiring. Below we cover several of the most promising co-career specialties typically producing higher salaries, benefits and room for advancement.
Healthcare and Nursing Paralegals
Easily one of the most prone to growth potentials, nursing offers a wide choice of paralegal duties for those involved in healthcare. Typically, positions abound at hospital or doctor office environments such as dispensing legal advice on cases involving litigation disputes. Death and personal injury cases in the health insurance industry also offer another potential arena of career choice interest.
Law Firms
While not as specialized as nursing paralegals, law firms still produce many job opportunities. However, they vigorously compete with financial institutions, healthcare-related industries, banks and insurance companies for the brightest and the best in paralegal job seekers.
Real Estate:
More specialized than general law firms, these paralegals typically come from a background in real estate or mortgage brokering. Many times, their educational level does not exceed high school, but many tenaciously upgrade their skills while preparing for a real estate/paralegal future.
Since the 1960s, paralegal or legal assistant job opportunities have consistently spiraled upwards. Defying the national norm in career availability, prudence indicates the future of the paralegal profession looks very bright for those seeking a prestigious yet less demanding job than say a fully licensed lawyer.
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Reference Resources
(1)http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/moneymag/0703/gallery.bestjobs_young.moneymag/14.html
(2)http://www.bls.gov/ooh/Legal/Paralegals-and-legal-assistants.htm
