What jobs are growing in the DuPage and Chicagoland area?

[Jenksismyhero]

Do you think he would suffer gender discrimination? In my 11 years at this law firm I have seen 1 male paralegal come through here and he didn't last more than a couple months. I think there is a reluctance by male attorneys to work with male paralegals. Any thoughts? Also, lawyers are some of the most difficult people to work for. Their job is very demanding, hence they are very demanding.

 

Eh, discrimination in the sense that more would be expected of a male probably, at least from old school lawyers like in my firm. I'm downtown Beast. We only have the female paralegal, and I know the prior paralegal was also a female. I think for a "career" paralegal you're probably going to get mostly women. Most of the male paralegals are law students. But like everything else, if you know how to do the job and you do it well it shouldn't matter who/what you are.

 

A "needy" personality isn't a good fit within a firm though, especially a litigation firm. You have to be proactive and live with the fact that everything you do will be questioned and everything that you didn't do/forgot to do you should have done 2 weeks ago.

 

Or maybe that's just my experience!

 

CC what kind of law do you practice?

[maggsmaggs]

You can, but most of the "professional" firms require a paralegal certificate. But really, at least as an attorney, I love working in the small firm without the office politics. Pay isn't as good, but value of life is immensely better (actual contributing member to the firm versus bring a grunt working 80 hrs a week). I'm sure it's the same feeling for our paralegal.

 

 

Out of curiosity, how do you see the job market for the smaller firms? I applied to law schools last fall and recently deferred my admission at U. of Illinois one year thinking that maybe law was not the right thing for me. I have been working at a sports marketing agency and realize hours here are just as bad as the law field with less pay, so I am back on maybe-go-to-law-school path. But I wouldn’t want to work at Jenner & Block, Baker & McKenzie, DLA Piper, etc. Too many hours, stress and hate for your life. I would rather do what apparently you do, work at a smaller firm, enjoy life with a still-good paycheck. I also would have in-roads at a sports agency so that if I went to Illinois, I could practice law and do a sports agent gig as well (granted for now, it would be UFL/CFL talent). So back to my question, how plentiful do you see thee small-firm jobs for the future? How best do you obtain those jobs? Thanks!

Edited June 22, 2010 by maggsmaggs

[The Beast]

I'm downtown Beast. We only have the female paralegal, and I know the prior paralegal was also a female. I think for a "career" paralegal you're probably going to get mostly women. Most of the male paralegals are law students. But like everything else, if you know how to do the job and you do it well it shouldn't matter who/what you are.

 

A "needy" personality isn't a good fit within a firm though, especially a litigation firm. You have to be proactive and live with the fact that everything you do will be questioned and everything that you didn't do/forgot to do you should have done 2 weeks ago.

I'm well aware that the field is dominated by women, but someone suggested to me that I should look into being a paralegal or one of the other jobs I listed. I don't think I am crafty enough to be a law student, but that is not to say that I'm stupid or anything. I have a lot of the skills that a paralegal needs, and I am willing to learn the job.

 

I wouldn't say that I have a "needy" personality - you could argue otherwise based off of the internet - but what I will say is that when I'm certain on something, I work my ass off to make sure it is not only done, but also done well. Isn't that bolded part just life, that we are questioned in everything that we do and that s*** should have been completed weeks ago? I may not be the toughest baddest motherless b**** out there but I can hold my own. I'm an umpire after all.

 

I appreciate the honesty in your post, however.

 

I have been working at a sports marketing agency and realize hours here are just as bad as the law field with less pay, so I am back on maybe-go-to-law-school path.

 

My question to you would be, how does someone with a business management degree, with courses in journalism, sports marketing and work experience in a sports information department get into something that you have?

Edited June 22, 2010 by The Beast

[Texsox]

I'm shocked that no one has endorsed taking the job of an illegal.

[maggsmaggs]

My question to you would be, how does someone with a business management degree, with courses in journalism, sports marketing and work experience in a sports information department get into something that you have?

 

First, it's an internship, but it's paid just for full disclosure sake. Second, my dad's friend knew the boss and gave me his number to talk to him about sports marketing since I decided I wanted to get involved in it. Unbeknownce to me they had internships available, so I sent my resume and interviewed with a couple people from the office and then got the internship. I'd say keep your head up and continue to look and e-mail people, you never know what might happen or what's available that's not advertised.

[Controlled Chaos]

Eh, discrimination in the sense that more would be expected of a male probably, at least from old school lawyers like in my firm. I'm downtown Beast. We only have the female paralegal, and I know the prior paralegal was also a female. I think for a "career" paralegal you're probably going to get mostly women. Most of the male paralegals are law students. But like everything else, if you know how to do the job and you do it well it shouldn't matter who/what you are.

 

A "needy" personality isn't a good fit within a firm though, especially a litigation firm. You have to be proactive and live with the fact that everything you do will be questioned and everything that you didn't do/forgot to do you should have done 2 weeks ago.

 

Or maybe that's just my experience!

 

CC what kind of law do you practice?

 

I'm way more important than a lawyer. I'm in IT.

[Jenksismyhero]

Out of curiosity, how do you see the job market for the smaller firms? I applied to law schools last fall and recently deferred my admission at U. of Illinois one year thinking that maybe law was not the right thing for me. I have been working at a sports marketing agency and realize hours here are just as bad as the law field with less pay, so I am back on maybe-go-to-law-school path. But I wouldn’t want to work at Jenner & Block, Baker & McKenzie, DLA Piper, etc. Too many hours, stress and hate for your life. I would rather do what apparently you do, work at a smaller firm, enjoy life with a still-good paycheck. I also would have in-roads at a sports agency so that if I went to Illinois, I could practice law and do a sports agent gig as well (granted for now, it would be UFL/CFL talent). So back to my question, how plentiful do you see thee small-firm jobs for the future? How best do you obtain those jobs? Thanks!

 

I graduated in 2007, passed the bar in 2008, and didn't get this gig until Fall of 2009. It took FOREVER. I worked as a solo guys b**** (glorified clerk/new attorney) during that time. I randomely found the posting on craigslist and just happened to find a place with a good fit with my experience and personality.

 

Over that year and a half, I probably went on 12-15 interviews, but nearly every one ended up being "you know, in a normal market I'd hire you, but as it is I'm getting people with twice the amount of experience as you willing to work for less money." That was the same whether it was a small, medium or large firm. I'm guessing the situation is the same now. There's a crazy amount of new attorneys each year, and while most will find a job, others will have to wait a while.

 

So I guess my answer depends on your grades. If you're a law review/dean's list kind of student, go for it, because you'll have an easier time finding a job. If you're a 3.5ish gpa kind of student like me, competing with a bunch of other people right in the same area (i.e., no discernible difference), you're going to have a more difficult time.

 

And really, I'm finding that the small firm route is actually kind of tough to get. Normally they're run by partners at bigger firms that decided to leave and start up their own thing. They hire clerks from law schools who eventually become associates, or they hire other colleagues they've known for years. I think my situation was unique in that they sought out an associate with 1-2 years experience.

 

Lol, so in the end, I have no advice. Just know that it's possible you'll be waiting a while, unless you have the credentials/experience to land something. But that's probably the same situation in any field.

[Jenksismyhero]

I'm way more important than a lawyer. I'm in IT.

 

Lol, ah I see.

[Controlled Chaos]

I graduated in 2007, passed the bar in 2008, and didn't get this gig until Fall of 2009. It took FOREVER. I worked as a solo guys b**** (glorified clerk/new attorney) during that time. I randomely found the posting on craigslist and just happened to find a place with a good fit with my experience and personality.

 

Over that year and a half, I probably went on 12-15 interviews, but nearly every one ended up being "you know, in a normal market I'd hire you, but as it is I'm getting people with twice the amount of experience as you willing to work for less money." That was the same whether it was a small, medium or large firm. I'm guessing the situation is the same now. There's a crazy amount of new attorneys each year, and while most will find a job, others will have to wait a while.

 

So I guess my answer depends on your grades. If you're a law review/dean's list kind of student, go for it, because you'll have an easier time finding a job. If you're a 3.5ish gpa kind of student like me, competing with a bunch of other people right in the same area (i.e., no discernible difference), you're going to have a more difficult time.

 

And really, I'm finding that the small firm route is actually kind of tough to get. Normally they're run by partners at bigger firms that decided to leave and start up their own thing. They hire clerks from law schools who eventually become associates, or they hire other colleagues they've known for years. I think my situation was unique in that they sought out an associate with 1-2 years experience.

 

Lol, so in the end, I have no advice. Just know that it's possible you'll be waiting a while, unless you have the credentials/experience to land something. But that's probably the same situation in any field.

 

Were you a summer associate anywhere? I would say about 95% of the time we hire our summers the following year, when they graduate. They'll work for a little while and then take the bar. Now we merged with a larger Firm last year, so I'm not exactly sure how they do things here with regard to summers, but that's definitely how you get your foot in the door and make some contacts.

 

 

 

[Jenksismyhero]

Were you a summer associate anywhere? I would say about 95% of the time we hire our summers the following year, when they graduate. They'll work for a little while and then take the bar. Now we merged with a larger Firm last year, so I'm not exactly sure how they do things here with regard to summers, but that's definitely how you get your foot in the door and make some contacts.

 

No, I wasn't. That's how the big firms handle it. I did not go through the process. You have to have really good grades and/or be really active in the school to get those. I had a really nice paying gig in a professional services firm at the time that I thought would lead to a long term position. Unfortunately that didn't work out and I had to quit and get a s***ty part time clerk job just to gain experience.

 

But yeah, that's the preferred way of getting a job out of school.