Paralegal Blog

A good instructor will evaluate your school performance in much the same way that a supervisor will assess your execution of work responsibilities. You will receive feedback on your knowledge, recall, competence, quality of product, completeness, communication skills, time management, punctuality, and more.

Sometimes that feedback can make you feel threatened and insecure.

Before shifting the blame for any shortcomings to your instructor, remember that getting better at anything requires feedback and follow-up. Accepting feedback, even if it is not candy-coated, is an opportunity to improve, grow your competencies, and advance your career. Faculty move into higher education because they genuinely like to teach. They care about their profession and want to make a difference – connecting with students is a big part of that. Keep the following points in mind the next time you receive instructor feedback:

Sometimes you are not the strongest candidate or the best fit. Sometimes it is not your fault. But sometimes it is. Here are the top 10 reasons you might not be getting hired.

When you apply for a job online your resume will often be scanned by an internet robot, also known as an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) before it ever lands in the hands of a hiring manager. An ATS is an electronic filtering software that scans resume content for specific keywords to determine if the document should be passed forward for human review. ATS search for relevant information that matches a job posting, including education, training, former job titles, and other keywords that point to the required experience. At least 98.2% of Fortune 500 companies use BOT technology.¹

Certificates and degrees will go far to establish your credibility. Having qualifications demonstrates that you can contribute and add value to an organization through training and education. However, employers are not just seeking candidates with credentials. Verifiable skills are a major currency for hiring and advancement.

Here are 6 ways you can show a potential employer that you are “skilled up” and able to integrate and add value to a professional environment.

At some point in their career, every working professional has made a mistake that shined the performance spotlight on them front and center. Typical mistakes made by new - and experienced - paralegals include misfiling documents, missing deadlines due to poor calendaring practices, failing to proofread for typos, inaccurately recording billable time, and coming to client meetings unprepared. And let’s face it…we’ve all sent that cringeworthy email to an unintended recipient. We’ve all ended an important call by accidentally hanging up. 

Colossal gaffes that result in termination are rare, but errors made by paralegals and legal assistants can have significant consequences and rippling impacts on a law firm, up to and including a claim for malpractice. While this may be an extreme outcome, it is important to understand that each practice is responsible for inaccuracies or omissions made by its’ legal staff. Mistakes can seriously harm a case, lead to an unfavorable court ruling, and cause major setbacks.