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	STUDENT CORNER Welcome to STOP's Student Corner. South Texas Organization of Paralegals, Inc. is dedicated to providing continuing legal education to paralegals in order to allow them to maintain their CLA designation. STOP provides ten hours of qualifying continuing legal education per year.            South Texas Organization of Paralegals, Inc. is also committed to helping students aspiring to get into the legal profession, and that is the purpose of this page on our web site.            We hope to provide some guidance, including helpful web sites, job-hunting tips, articles relating to our profession, and other information. We also invite you to participate by submitting any questions to info@southtexasparalegals.org. We will do our best to answer them.            If you are not yet employed as a paralegal, a good place to begin is to purchase a San Antonio Bar Association Pictorial Directory. The cost is between $25.00 and $35.00, and the directory can be purchased at the Bexar County Court House (the old court house). Just take the elevator to the 5th floor. When you exit the elevator you will see the receptionist, and she has the books at her desk.            The directory has a wealth of information, including the telephone and fax numbers of a large number of the law firms in San Antonio. There is also a comprehensive list of attorneys with their e-mail addresses.            The most useful feature of the directory is pictorial information of all of the attorneys that belong to the San Antonio Bar Association. Along with their photograph is information on what firm they are with, the address, telephone number, fax number, where they attended law school, their area of practice, and when they passed the bar exam.            If you are interested in a particular field of law, you can scan the directory and choose the firms that practice in that area. That is an excellent place to begin your job search.            Hopefully, you will find this information helpful. Please continue to visit our web site, as additional information will be posted on a regular basis. Practice Good Nonverbal Communication It's all about confidence: standing straight, making eye contact and connecting with a good, firm handshake. That first impression can be a great beginning--or quick ending--to your interview. Submitted by Paralegals Plus Dress for the Job or Company Today's casual dress codes in the office DO NOT give you permission to dress as "they" do when you interview. It is extremely critical that you look professional and well-groomed. Whether you wear a suit or something less formal depends on the company culture and the position you are seeking. Remember, you CANNOT over dress for an interview. Submitted by Paralegals Plus Looking For That 1st Paralegal Position If you haven't started looking for a paralegal position yet, now is the time to begin. It's never to early. Different legal employers look for different skills, however the following are usually common with all of them: Computer skills Writing skills, academic achievement, "life" skills Problem solving, flexibility, "can-do" attitude Many people feel that the single most important skill for an entry-level paralegal to have is common sense. Reading Suggestion: Legal Assistant Today P.O. Box 25202 Santa Ana, California 92799-9900 714-755-5450 / 714-751-2709 (fax) For students, entry-level, and experienced paralegals, this is probably the bible of the paralegal profession. Networking You can call it networking or word of mouth, but without a doubt, it is the best way to find a job. Join your local paralegal association and meet people. Get to know them and ask questions. There are various ways to find jobs including networking, classified ads, resumes, employment agencies, school placement, association job bank, and others; but by far the best way is................... Network............Network............Network............! Why Paralegals Are So Important As all of us know, the cost of legal services is often prohibitive, especially for many middle-class families. Many people perceive that attorneys are more interested in driving expensive cars than in providing legal services. No one knows exactly how legal services will be handled in the next several years. If you're just beginning your paralegal career, there is a good chance that you will be part of some considerable changes. As paralegals, we will be able to play a greater number of roles than either lawyers or secretaries. Our performance on the job will most likely affect the development of the professional scope of paralegals. Regardless of the type of legal enviornment we work in, our professionalism and expertise in the way we perform our legal services will either lift, or drag down, the reputation of paralegals, within both the legal profession and with the public. Not many professions offer the opportunity to make such an important difference. Useful Web Sites Paralegals need to know where and how to locate information. There is almost no limit to the information available on the Internet. The following web site will lead you to wealth of information: www.sanantoniobar.com. This site will lead you to a couple of links: By clicking on link #2 “Links”, you can get to all of the following: The State of Texas…..Texas Services online…..Texas Governor Online…..Texas Legislature Online…..Texas Judiciary Online…..U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas…..Office of the Attorney General…..Department of Public Safety…..Texas Parks & Wildlife…..Texas State Library…..Window on State Government…..Automated Tax Research System…..Business and Industry Data Center…..4th Court of Appeals…..Texas Court of Criminal Appeals…..Texas Workforce Commission hosts the Governor’s Job Bank…..University of Texas at Austin…..University of Texas at San Antonio…..Texas A&M University…..Texas Tech University…..Texas Assessment of Academic Skills Tests…..District Clerk of Bexar County…..National Association of Counties…..Texas Association of Counties…..Statewide Year 2000 Project…..Task Force on e-Government…..City of San Antonio, Texas…..U.S. Government Information…..Texas Bar Association…..Texas Legal Directory…..San Antonio Bar Association…..San Antonio Young Lawyers Association…..Texas Young Lawyers Association…..Texas Lottery. Listen From the very beginning of the interview, your interviewer is giving you information, either directly or indirectly. If you are not listening, you are missing a major opportunity. Good communication skills include listening and letting the person know you heard what he said. Observe your interviewer and match that style and pace. Submitted by Paralegals Plus Don't Talk Too Much Telling the interviewer more than he needs to know could be a fatal mistake. When you have not prepared ahead of time, you may tend to ramble, sometimes talking yourself right out of a job. Prepare for the interview by reading through the job posting, matching your skills with the position's requirements, and relating only that informaiton. Stick to the job! Submitted by Paralegals Plus Resumes The purpose of every resume is to get you to the next step--the interview. Your resume may not win you the job, but it must win attention during the screening process. Employers typically spend thirty seconds or less reading a resume. Unless your resume gets attention, you will sit at home. Legal work is based on accuracy. You will be judged by the appearance of your resume and cover letters. Within one to two pages, your resume must emphasize those skills and abilities that most interest lawyers. Whatever your background, you probably possess skills that you can transfer to the paralegal field. A self-study is helpful before you begin your resume and job search. You should be aware of your strengths and weaknesses. Take time to think through the following questions. Than write out your answers to each question. This provokes thought and can be used for rehearsing interview. What am I doing in my present (or past) position that brings me the most satisfaction? What do I most enjoy doing? What are my most significant accomplishments? Would I rather work with paper or people problems? Do I like to give great attention to detail or am I a "free spirit"? Would I rather work 9 to 5 or make my own hours? What are my best and worst personal qualities? What makes me different or special from everyone else? Do I enjoy taking responsibility for my actions or would I rather let someone else take the risk? What are my long-term and short-term career goals? The appearance of your resume is critical. The visual impression it makes at first glance must persuade the employer to read further. When writing your resume, be aware of margins. Too much white space makes the resume look sparse. Not enough makes it appear cramped. Remember, the job you are seeking is detail-oriented. A law firm will predict your work product by the quality of your resume. If your resume is not perfect, it reflects poorly on you, and will usually prevent your getting an interview. When you are finished preparing your resume, make certain to proof it. Don't rely on spell check. Read it several times, and then let at least one, preferably two, other people read it. | Return Home | Officers, Directors & Committees | Membership Applications | Calendar of Events | TAPA | Legal Links | Search Engines, Services | Sustaining Members | CLE Scholarships | Members Only | Contact | Texas Paralegal Day |

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