Paralegal Salaries & Job Market in California?

When I went to paralegal school I had 3 former probation officers in my class. The career placement guy at the school told me they would have a lot of trouble finding a legal job in the private sector. Apparently the private sector doesn't like to hire people with public sector backgrounds because they think they are lazy. This was 15 years or so ago and I do know one of them did eventually get a steady paralegal gig after being hired twice temp to perm at law firms and getting fired from both - for being lazy, reading the newspaper on the job, etc. She's in a crummy area of law in my opinion. Low paying. But, hey, she overcame.

The jobs just aren't there. I have loads of experience but also a big gap at the tail end of my resume. Still, I'm not hearing back for full-time, part-time or even temp work. I'm guessing it's mostly because the jobs aren't there, but I do know the gap will cause firms to also discount me immediately. Outside of this board, I don't hear a peep from recruiters or anyone on the inside who would know what the status is of the job market. I do know that many people who used to work in legal are now out of work, and that includes from attorney down to clerks and secretaries.

To Denver, Dallas and Chicago, all awesome towns by the way. Thank you for your advise and insight. I will look into the criminal CLE-never thought of that. I know what your saying about the lazy part, fortunately I was not lazy. However you may be right in what you say about having a stigma due to having worked in government. And as far as having a gap, it's not as if I was treking Europe with my back pack, I was actually in school trying to better myself by getting a degree. It appears that my landing a job may have to do more with the job market than what my resume may or may not have listed. Thank you all for the help, Good luck to everyone on this board too.

Displaced in Colorado,
I wish they would write a LOR, but supposedely they are not allowed. Maybe they don't want to be liable for any screw up employees. I actually did get one from an investigator I worked with and another Paralegal. The deputy attorneys are the ones that will not provide though. Are you employed as a paralegal currently?

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: I would add that at least you have a couple of LORs. That's a start. Maybe you know of other people who can provide a couple of more letters.

should these be attached to my resume? Or just provided if requested. That if they ever call me back of course.

I've seen ads placed where they want your references up front with your resume. No can do. Employers are really getting brazen with these tactics. It's almost a direct invasion of privacy and totally uncalled for. But they hold all the cards and can do anything they want.

Hey!

I am thinking about going into the paralegal field,I am already signed up for classes.If anyone has any information I would be very thankful!

It's really really hard to get that 1st job as a paralegal, so start networking from the get-go via attorney/teachers, internship, anything.

But what about my college having a system that helps you get a job out of college? Does that work?

You mean like a Placement Office? My paralegal school had one. They had a ton of job postings. Turns out all were fake or extremeley out of date. Ya gotta watch that. When the admission people are showing you the paralegal school they will show you a wall of job postings. It's all for show. Trying to get a paralegal job without any experience is TOUGH. I was able to land a job quickly without any help of the placement office - about 5 in my class of 30 were able to get jobs - and we all had bachelor degrees, too. This was when the job market was a lot better.

Thank you Paralegal in Dallas,Texas!

Unfortunately, what Dallas is saying is true. Furthermore, it's tough to get a Paralegal job even if you have experience as a Paralegal. Consider signing up with some agencies to try to get temporary work so you can get some experience.

I spent eight years working as a Paralegal in a Prosecutorial setting. I enjoyed a lot of things about my career, but I wanted to further my education and return to school. I have completed my education and now find myself attending an ABA approved private university. I am specializing in Business Litigation. I obviously love the field and want back in. It is not for everyone, but if you want to give it a try GO FOR IT! You don't want to say "I wonder if I would have liked it or did I miss out on anything" Everyone is different and you may just love it. Good luck!

Thanks everyone for ya'lls awesome advice! I think it would be best for me to go through with the schedule I have set up for fall,if it doesn't agree with me (Which I highly doubt) I can always switch to a different career path.Thanks again!

caliparalegal in San Jose, California said: I live in California.
I am entry level and make 60k a year.
My boss said in 4 years i can make 100K a year if i stay with his firm.
I love this state.

wow! entry level?? Where do you work? ...if you are at liberty to say.

My husband is just getting into the paralegal biz. He has about 2 years exp and is making just over $30k. He is in litigation, but I agree with others that better money and less stress are in corporate law. My husband wants to get into corporate, but it's tough to get into without prior experience. He would probably have to start over at an unpaid internship or low paying entry level job making less than he his now (which doesn't go far in OC). Be cautious about where you start because everyone wants you to have experience in their specific field. Most jobs don't just ask for years of experience as a paralegal, they want you to have experience as a paralegal in family law, or bankruptcy law, or corporate law, etc. So do some research and decide what kind of law you want to get into. Make those first few years count to get you on the path you want to be on. There are TONS of jobs right now in Orange County for paralegals with around 3-5 years of experience for about $45-$65k. Much less for entry level, but there are at least some jobs there now that we are coming out of the recession.

Is this true about Orange County? Maybe I should check online to see if there are any such ads. I find it hard to believe there are "tons" of paralegal jobs out there because there seems to be none anywhere else.

As to the entry level Paralegal claiming to make $60K, I'm calling BS, unless the person knows someone or something that rhymes with "knows someone." There is no way. And then, to say that they've been told they could have an increase of pay of 80% in four years? Um, no. Certainly possible under extremely rare circumstances and, um, shenanigans, but not likely or in the mainstream at all. Kind of like saying the Paralegal field is booming, get into our school now!

Don't feed that.

I agree with Parafreegal.

I only know experienced paralegals in Dallas, no entry level. I am pretty far removed from paralegal school. I have 12 years experience.

Parafreegal in Chicago, Illinois said: Is this true about Orange County? Maybe I should check online to see if there are any such ads. I find it hard to believe there are "tons" of paralegal jobs out there because there seems to be none anywhere else.

As to the entry level Paralegal claiming to make $60K, I'm calling BS, unless the person knows someone or something that rhymes with "knows someone." There is no way. And then, to say that they've been told they could have an increase of pay of 80% in four years? Um, no. Certainly possible under extremely rare circumstances and, um, shenanigans, but not likely or in the mainstream at all. Kind of like saying the Paralegal field is booming, get into our school now!

Don't feed that.

There are lots of jobs. You can check it out if you'd like. I usually check craigslist.com for orange county and los angeles and there are always a few new jobs each day. Also indeed.com is a good one for job seekers. I find lots of jobs for experienced paralegals. The entry level and 1-2 year exp. positions are hard to come by, unless you want to work for free. I check for my husband almost every day because we can barely afford to live here on what he is making now.

You find jobs for paralegals? Are you a recruiter/headhunter?

No, I just meant that I see a lot of job postings for experienced paralegals listed in my area. :)

stewart326 in Anaheim, California said: No, I just meant that I see a lot of job postings for experienced paralegals listed in my area. :)

Dang, Stew, you see a lot of job postings for experienced paralegals listed in your area? So do we. I see an incredible amount in Tampa. By now, my logic tells me they are almost all posted by agencies.

I have been looking for a job for three years. I have a Bachelor's Degree, an AA in Paralegal Studies, at least ten years of experience, and was a court reporter. I keep applying to all these jobs - and I don't even get a call for an interview.

It's pretty easy to spot an agency posting. I can't say for sure, but I believe most of them are fake, designed to get you to "sign up" with them. Agencies, for the most part, are a complete waste of time.

Stewart, you said you "find lots of jobs for experienced paralegals." I don't understand what you mean by that.

Mary, sometimes I think having too much experience disqualifies you from certain jobs. I've seen ads out there saying they want at least three years of experience but no more than seven years. I believe the same ad asked that nobody with any gaps in their resume need apply. I think it was written to exclude me personally! Well, not really.

Parafreegal in Chicago, Illinois said: It's pretty easy to spot an agency posting. I can't say for sure, but I believe most of them are fake, designed to get you to "sign up" with them. Agencies, for the most part, are a complete waste of time.

Stewart, you said you "find lots of jobs for experienced paralegals." I don't understand what you mean by that.

Mary, sometimes I think having too much experience disqualifies you from certain jobs. I've seen ads out there saying they want at least three years of experience but no more than seven years. I believe the same ad asked that nobody with any gaps in their resume need apply. I think it was written to exclude me personally! Well, not really.

It's just like I said above, I have come across a lot of job postings for experienced paralegals listed in my area. I'm not a recruiter or anything, I just check our local job postings daily. I agree agencies are a usually a waste of time.

stewart326 in Anaheim, California said: It's just like I said above, I have come across a lot of job postings for experienced paralegals listed in my area. I'm not a recruiter or anything, I just check our local job postings daily. I agree agencies are a usually a waste of time.

You might see a lot of listings, but 90% of them are recruiters looking to put you on a paralegal employment roster. Not only is the market saturated with paralegals, but there are lawyers posting on craigslist willing to take $75 an hour, which is unheard of in California.

The days of paralegals and lawyers working for a firm are numbered. The new job market is going to be based around selling specific skills on a contract basis to employers. The people who have the most skillsets will find more work. On the other hand, those who spend time perusing recruiter job listings are going remain among the unemployent ranks.

BG in Carlsbad, California said: You might see a lot of listings, but 90% of them are recruiters looking to put you on a paralegal employment roster. Not only is the market saturated with paralegals, but there are lawyers posting on craigslist willing to take $75 an hour, which is unheard of in California.

The days of paralegals and lawyers working for a firm are numbered. The new job market is going to be based around selling specific skills on a contract basis to employers. The people who have the most skillsets will find more work. On the other hand, those who spend time perusing recruiter job listings are going remain among the unemployent ranks.

BG - True, a lot of the job postings are agencies, but those are usually easy to spot and I think 90% is quite a bit exaggerated. There are fewer agencies on craigslist than on other sites like monster and careerbuilder. (actually 90% might be accurate for careerbuilder. that one is bad.) The legal market is definitely changing though. Numbers of law school applicants keep going up, but so does the number of unemployed graduates. Also, I think it is a little presumptuous to say that as long as someone looks at online job listings, they are bound to be unemployed. Those new to the field can't build skills without experience and you can't get that opportunity unless you look for it. Signing up for agencies is a waste of time, but there are other opportunities out there. If you know of a better way of finding jobs, please share.

I think altogether on Indeed, CL, CB and Monster, well over 50% of the ads are recruiters and/or fake. And, yes, recruiters are a waste of time. It amazes me that they pay to place ads for fake jobs or never place anyone while remaining in business. I assume they only make it based on an occasional big score of some sort. I don't get it.

BG's post is scary. Is that the future? Who knows? Possibly in 15-20 years. Things are changing.

stewart326 in Anaheim, California said: Also, I think it is a little presumptuous to say that as long as someone looks at online job listings, they are bound to be unemployed. Those new to the field can't build skills without experience and you can't get that opportunity unless you look for it. Signing up for agencies is a waste of time, but there are other opportunities out there. If you know of a better way of finding jobs, please share.

The likelihood of an inexperienced paralegal finding employment through a job listing is next to nil. Even paralegals with experience are having a tough time finding work, which is the consensus shared among career placement people I talk with.

My advice for anyone embarking on "any career" right now is to diversify your skills and become proficient in a variety of fields. Rather than pursue a long term degree program, enroll in variety of short term vocational programs, which you have an aptitude in. Then market your skillsets on a contract basis to a specific target market.

The nature of employment as a result of global outsourcing has dramatically changed the traditional concept of employment. People whom are attached to those traditional notions of employment, will not fare well in the new job market.

The vast majority of lawyers today are solo-practitioners. Many have cut down on staff and work from their home based offices. What we will likely see over the next five years are virtual paralegal offices providing contract services to solo lawyer practitioners and remaining law firms based on specific skills needed for the legal assignment at hand. For paralegals to remain competitive, they should consider outsourcing work to other paralegals (with specific skills), including common law countries where legal services are inexpensive.

That is just the tip of the iceberg.

Parafreegal in Chicago, Illinois said: I think altogether on Indeed, CL, CB and Monster, well over 50% of the ads are recruiters and/or fake.[QUOTE]

I'd be relunctant to post my personal information relating to my educational or work history on any of those sites given the high probality that it's being collected and sold to informational brokers. There are also a lot of scam artists that contact you once they have your email address.

Good posts, BG. You paint a rather bleak future scenario, but I don't doubt that's where we're going.

I do have my resume posted at CB, but it's led to nothing other than spam from insurance "agents" and other scams, so I'll be taking it down today.

What are your thoughts on blind ads asking for references, salary history and salary requirements up front? I see quite a few of these types of ads. I refuse to give this information up front to an unknown entity. I don't know if these ads are fake or simply trying to weed out. They're asking for just too much personal information up front.

Hi Parafreegal - the only references, salary history and salary requirements I would provide is if I was talking to an employer face-to-face.

My resumes have always been scaled down with a simple outline of my experience, but without the name of employers. I also ommit the dates for my credentials along with personal details. My contact address is a P.O. Box.

At the foot of my resume I state in bold 12 point font: "Due to the high incidence of identity theft and the confidential nature of my work as a legal professional, any specifics relating to the names of employers, dates or other personal details shall only be disclosed in person on request. The information provided hereunder is the exclusive property of the author. It may only be used for authorized employment purposes in accordance with applicable law. No part of this resume may be stored, archived, conveyed, rented, sold or leased to any third party or entity without the express written consent of the author."

I forgot to mention, that two recruiters refused to deal with me after examining the contents of my resume :O My guess is that they were selling personal information to information brokers.

Do you get hired with that statement across the bottom of your resume?? To me that just screams "Warning! Warning! High Maintenance Difficult Employee Ahead!!" I can't imagine you can get hired with that on there. Does it impact your ability to get hired? I mean, it just takes so little to turn off a hiring manager these days.

Paralegal in Dallas, Texas said: Do you get hired with that statement across the bottom of your resume?? To me that just screams "Warning! Warning! High Maintenance Difficult Employee Ahead!!" I can't imagine you can get hired with that on there. Does it impact your ability to get hired? I mean, it just takes so little to turn off a hiring manager these days.

What you see as a warning I see as a matter of necessity given the inclination of fly-by-night recruiters to selling the personal information they acquire.

What my notice does convey is that I can be entrusted with information and that confidentiality is high on my list.

Really, I would be careful about the information I put on a resume, since many of the specifics can be discussed in person.

I refuse to give my references to online applications. My references are all attorneys. I consider it an invasion of personal and professional information.

I just find it so unfair that employers are asking for references, salary history and salary expectations up front in a cover letter or email. No can do. But nothing is fair, is it?

I have filled out references in online applications I've been able to complete (by some miracle), but I am still very uncomfortable about putting peoples' names out there without ever stepping foot inside an office for an interview.

Interesting tactic, BG. I could see some employers dismissing a resume outright due to such language in this environment. Then again, I could see it impressing some employers. One never knows what goes on in the minds of prospective employers anymore.

Legalmagic in Los Angeles, California

Have you found a job yet?

Legalmagic in Los Angeles, California said: Wow! It is very refreshing to read a positive statement about the paralegal profession. I have been purusing many of the different topics, and needless to say, the majority of them are very negative towards the industry. I am very glad to see you enjoy your job. Do you have any openings? I do have one question for you? How did you land a paralegal job in Estate Planning? This has been an area I have been looking into and it is a tough nut to crack without the prior experience. If you have any insight on getting around the "expereince" thing please, I would love to hear about it.

Have you found a job yet?

I smell a recruiter. Be advised, magic, stay far, far away from this person. They only want to sign you up to meet quotas. In other words, they want to use you. Meanwhile, you'll get nothing. Lovely.

Parafreegal in Chicago, Illinois said: I smell a recruiter. Be advised, magic, stay far, far away from this person. They only want to sign you up to meet quotas. In other words, they want to use you. Meanwhile, you'll get nothing. Lovely.

Are you calling me a recruiter because i'm not...i was asking because i just moved to LA and wanted to know how difficult it was to find a job in the field so please don't assume

Thanks

Hello,

Here's my story, I'm a native New Yorker , I have a Bachelor's in Criminology with a minor in communications.
I currently reside in Corfu, Greece but I'm planning on returning to States to re-enter the job force. I only have 3 months experience at a NYC law office ( which is basically nothing) I also interned at a court house and at a famous radio station in NYC. I've been residing overseas for 17 years, I taught as an ESL teacher, I was a Virtual Assistant for 3 years and I worked in a multimedia company. Now, I want to break in the paralegal field but I don't have any experience and all positions ask for experience. I'm looking at NY and California positions. I have tweaked my resume but I still need assistance with it. If anyone can help me with jobs or resume help,I would really appreciate it.

Without experience or a paralegal certificate, no law firm will hire you, since there are thousands of experienced paralegals looking for work.

I graduated from a four year university with a B.A. in political science. Two weeks later I went back to school and got my paralegal certificate. A month later I got a receptionist position at a small law firm because no one would hire me as a paralegal or legal secretary since I had no experience. However, after three months my small firm merged with a mid-size firm and they offered me a paralegal position. I got really lucky because other legal secretaries that were more senor got laid off when we merged. Now I am working at the mid-size firm as a paralegal. I get paid $40K as a junior paralegal which is decent for not having any prior experience. The job is pretty tough at times when we are preparing for trial. Some attorneys are difficult to work with, but my attorneys are pretty reasonable and nice to me. This job is high in stress and pressure, but if you are hard working and pay attention to detail, you should survive. To be honest, it is really tough to get hired in a law firm as a paralegal if you do not have prior experience. My advice is to take any job in a law firm and work your way up. Once you get your foot in the door, you can take on more responsibilities and show everyone that your are capable to being a paralegal. Good luck!