If You’re Writing a Paralegal Resume...

© Copyright 2009
David Alan Carter / All Rights Reserved

...you’ve got competition. With the worst job market in decades, people are chasing job opportunities in herds. Yes, employers are trying to reduce costs and increase the availability and efficiency of legal services by hiring paralegals to perform tasks once done by lawyers. And paralegals are performing a wider variety of duties, making them more useful to businesses. All that's good - but it's a two-edged sword.

Here's what the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has to say regarding the job outlook for the paralegal...

Paralegal. "Employment of paralegals and legal assistants is projected to grow 22 percent between 2006 and 2016, much faster than the average for all occupations... Despite projected rapid employment growth, competition for jobs is expected to continue as many people seek to go into this profession; experienced, formally trained paralegals should have the best employment opportunities."

Bottom line: You need a paralegal resume that can rise above the competition. If you haven’t reached that point yet...

I Can Help In One Of 3 Ways

I’m a former recruiter and resume writer. Emphasis on the ‘former,’ so I won't be writing your paralegal resume myself. These days, I’m committed to helping folks either write their own resume, or identify resume products and services that do outstanding work at reasonable prices.

So, regarding those 3 ways...

1 - Tapping A Professional To Write Your Paralegal Resume

Many people don’t consider utilizing a professional resume writing service until they’ve either exhausted themselves or thrown away good job opportunities by submitting a sub-par resume. So, should you consider hiring a professional? The answer is yes – if your resume is going to be fighting for attention in an extremely competitive field, or if your work history or job qualifications are difficult for you to express in a promotional and unbiased manner.

I can help you identify that "pro," that special writer who is qualified to deliver a polished document that puts your best foot forward in a tough job market. The page Review of Resume Writers identifies 9 of the more popular companies out there, and ranks these writers on values like...

• Quality of workmanship
• Credentials
• Pricing
• Guarantees

You’ll find in-depth reviews on each of the 9 companies. Or, if you're pressed for time, you can click straight to the website of well-rated Careers Plus Resumes. They offer affordable and up-front pricing, and you work one-on-one with writers who are not only certified but have actual hiring experience. Plus, they guarantee you'll get interviews with their resume. That cinched the deal for me.

2 - Using a Resume Builder To Help Write Your Paralegal Resume

For those of you with the time and the inclination to do it yourself, the page Review of Resume Builders identifies 5 of the more popular software products to help you craft your own resume. A good resume builder can prompt you with the necessary questions, help you phrase your answers, and organize those job responsibilities and career accomplishments in a manner that opens doors.

I compared 5 of the most popular resume builders on the web. I wrote in-depth reviews for each, and gave them star ratings based on the following:

• Relevant Bells and Whistles
• Options in Formatting
• Ease Of Use
• Value

There is a lot of junk out there. I know. I’ve been wading through it looking for the good stuff. With prices ranging from $9.95 to $39.95, the 5 builders I’ve identified are reputable and affordable. But – a couple of these resume builders are better than the others. I’ll show you which ones.

3 - Writing Your Paralegal Resume From Scratch

If your budget won’t allow it or you’d just like to see what you can do without the help of pros and technology, I can help get you started. Take, for example, the resume objective. This will likely be the single most important sentence on your paralegal resume. Click the above link to open a new window and visit our sister site with a home page dedicated to crafting a killer resume objective. You may even find an example or two of a paralegal resume objective that I’ve written for past clients (look along the right hand margin for your profession).

The second page of that site discusses which resume format is the better match for your experience and qualifications.

Finally, a collection of all my resume articles can be found at the website ResumeAssistance.net, including "Little Kisses Of Death" and "Why Nobody Wants To Read Your Resume."

Start Now

Whether you choose to go it alone, get a little help from a resume builder, or hand the project off to a professional resume writer, get the ball rolling. Your paralegal resume needs to be top flight and it needs to be out there, competing.

Look over the reviews; read the articles. And start now.

Best of luck in your job search!

--David

David Alan Carter is a former headhunter and the founder of Resume One of Cincinnati. For more than ten years, he personally crafted thousands of resumes for satisfied clients from all occupational walks of life -- entry level to executive.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor & Statistics - Paralegal

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