Paralegal

A paralegal needs to use tact and diplomacy when dealing with sensitive and confidential issues and situations. Provide a specific example.

A Paralegal is the face of the company and during this time professionalism is required.

You should tell the interviewer about specific techniques you used when handling a difficult client and how you stayed calm. At the same time explain how you were able to get all the necessary facts and information, discussing options and coming to an agreement.

There was an instance when a client we figured to be lying wanted to make us believe otherwise. It was a sensitive case and we couldn't be too careful. He would come in to the office and threaten us when the office refused to take his case. He almost made it into a hostage situation when he tried abducting one of the secretaries. I took over the situation and calmly convinced him to leave.

I have been trained to first comprehend the topic I am researching and to then look for resources. I am familiar with most legal books that hold pertinent information and have the knowledge of how to look through them for precedents and information.

You might be put in a position where a client is guilty or suspected of a crime that conflicts with your personal ethics, however the interviewer must ensure that won't affect your work.

"Our job is to provide high quality legal services and I believe everyone deserves to be represented equally, regardless of the alleged charges. I pride myself on my level of diplomacy. At the end of the day, I have a job to complete so I would never let personal feelings cloud my professional judgment."

I am confident that I possess the legal educational background, the experience and the skills that this job demands. I believe I am much above in these areas as far as other contenders for this job is concerned as I possess excellent research skills along with a profound ability to work in a fast paced environment.

I am an individual with high attention to detail. I check and recheck my work continuously and make sure that there are no errors.

I am a dedicated paralegal professional with law education and ample experience in the field. I posses all the core competencies needed for the routine legal assistance tasks and am proficient in legal research and report writing as well.

You represent the company to the public and your ability to act professionally at all times is important. Discuss the specific techniques you use to handle a difficult interaction including staying calm, getting all the necessary facts and information, discussing options and coming to agreement.

I enjoyed my job a lot and it provided me with great opportunities to learn. However it was limited to family law and I wanted to broaden my horizons in the law field.

If you are switching careers or trying something a little different, your experience may initially not look like it is matching up. That is when you need a little honest creativity to match the experiences required with the ones you have. People skills are people skills after all, you just need to show how customer service skills can apply to internal management positions, and so on.

Be realistic and mention a small work related flaw. Many people will suggest answering this using a positive trait disguised as a flaw such as "I'm a perfectionist" or "I expect others to be as committed as I am." I would advocate a certain degree of honesty and list a true weakness. Emphasize what you have done to overcome it and improve. This question is all about how you perceive and evaluate yourself.

A paralegal is a person qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible, and absent such assistant.

If your previous company took your advice and ended up going bankrupt, that is not such a great example either. Be prepared with a story about an idea of yours that was taken from idea to implementation, and considered successful.

Here are some additional skills of paralegal:

☛ Oral Communication

☛ Written Communication

☛ Computers and Technology

☛ Research

☛ Interpersonal Skills

As paralegals are frequently dialoging with lawyers, clients and other professionals, strong communication is a must. Any class, conference, workshop or meeting that gives you the chance to practice clear and precise speech can be helpful. Look for Toastmasters International, debate clubs, public speaking workshops and other opportunities.

You are interested in law, you are detail-oriented, you enjoy critical thinking tasks and research. At this juncture you must decide which path to follow in order to find a job as a paralegal. There are several possibilities:

☛ Earn a certificate or degree

☛ Find employment that provides on-the-job training for paralegals

☛ Find a job in the legal field, such as legal secretary or court clerk and work your way up to a paralegal position

There are numerous legal specialties from which paralegals may choose. Some of the more popular areas are:

☛ ABA Paralegal

☛ Bankruptcy

☛ Corporate

☛ Family Law

☛ Freelance Paralegal

☛ Immigration

☛ Litigation

☛ Nurse Paralegal

☛ Paralegal Specialist

☛ Real Estate

The Standing Committee on Paralegals approves ABA-Approved Paralegal Education programs to "enhance their careers goals as a paralegal." The Standing Committee, although it does not provide ratings for ABA-approved educational programs, provides an approved status to help individuals find programs that meet specific standards.

You will need to highlight your attention to all the details within a specific task, whether it was small or big. You should then tell the interviewer about your systems and processes used for checking your work and its accuracy.