Taking the initiative to get specialized training for a career is a very important step in a person’s life. It can really impact your future career, and open up many opportunities that are not available to those lacking proper training. However, before undergoing something like paralegal assistant training, it is important to really consider if you have the prerequisite skills and earnest interest in what the job might entail.
The Basic Five: Computers, Interpersonal, Communication, Research, & Organization
Not everyone is suited to a particular career field, so it is important to be sure you have the basic skills and necessary disposition before spending time and money on training. When it comes to paralegal work, it is critical to understand and possess the five following skills.
- Computers: In today’s world, computers are involved in some manner in just about every job, from fast food work to medical practices. Paralegal assistants need to have more than basic computer skills in order to perform in depth research and prepare/share reports.
- Interpersonal: Paralegals work closely with legal secretaries, lawyers, court officials, and clients on a daily basis. Having strong interpersonal skills is essential to anyone wanting to work in the legal field. You need to be able to handle high stress situations, as well as be able to negotiate successfully with others.
- Communication: Closely tied with interpersonal skills, paralegals need to have excellent communication skills when it comes to in person, written, and over the phone. The amount of research and preparation that paralegals handle require them to maintain professional communications with many different individuals.
- Research: A large part of being a paralegal assistant is in helping lawyers prepare for their cases by gathering and verifying pertinent facts, preparing arguments, and researching any other bit of information that can help the case they are working on. Even if the paralegal is working in a different setting, such as corporate, they must be able to research legal codes to prepare contracts and other important documents.
- Organization: When it comes to being organized, paralegal professionals need to not just be able to keep track of several bits of information at one time, they also need to be able to quickly shift their focus as priorities change due to sudden shifts in deadlines. A large part of the stress in a legal career comes from frequent changes in priority and having great organizational skills can help decrease the impact of these changes.
