2 Questions About Becoming a Paralegal

[Kola]

I was contacted by a recruiter who encouraged me to send my CV for paralegal roles at City firms. I have two lingering questions:

1. I would assume it is okay, but just to check: if you have secured a Training Contract from firm A, is it okay to work as a paralegal for firm B (contractual terms permitting) during the summer? I could use the money and experience.

2. Is it pompous to put 'Future Trainee at Firm A' on your CV when applying to paralegal roles?

 

[whisperingrock]

Both should be totally fine. No one will find it pompous if you write you are a future trainee and your projected start date. In fact, it'll likely help you find a paralegal role a lot easier.

 

[Jacob Miller]

I agree with all of the above, with the caveat that you'll need to check that your commitments as a paralegal wouldn't affect your ability to begin your TC (or vice versa) and that your TC doesn't have any terms regarding the matter in particular, or working during your studies if the studies are firm-sponsored (unlikely, but worth checking).

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

I was contacted by a recruiter who encouraged me to send my CV for paralegal roles at City firms. I have two lingering questions:

1. I would assume it is okay, but just to check: if you have secured a Training Contract from firm A, is it okay to work as a paralegal for firm B (contractual terms permitting) during the summer? I could use the money and experience.

2. Is it pompous to put 'Future Trainee at Firm A' on your CV when applying to paralegal roles?

1) Yes - you are not employed by the firm until your start date

2) No

 

[lawnoob]

I was contacted by a recruiter who encouraged me to send my CV for paralegal roles at City firms. I have two lingering questions:

1. I would assume it is okay, but just to check: if you have secured a Training Contract from firm A, is it okay to work as a paralegal for firm B (contractual terms permitting) during the summer? I could use the money and experience.

2. Is it pompous to put 'Future Trainee at Firm A' on your CV when applying to paralegal roles?

I was wondering how you get approached by a recruiter? Does having linkedin help massively?

 

[TC fiend]

I was wondering how you get approached by a recruiter? Does having linkedin help massively?

I’d say LinkedIn is one of (if not the main) recruiting pool nowadays for paralegal roles. Look up a few of the big recruitment agencies and their recruiters - they’ll often accept anyone who is looking for a role as a connection. Recruiters often post about open vacancies they’ve got.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

I’d say LinkedIn is one of (if not the main) recruiting pool nowadays for paralegal roles. Look up a few of the big recruitment agencies and their recruiters - they’ll often accept anyone who is looking for a role as a connection. Recruiters often post about open vacancies they’ve got.

Agree with this. LinkedIn is great to follow recruitment agencies/recruiters and to search for jobs too. Firms/organisations also tend to use it to promote paralegal roles they are recruiting directly for too. I will often share paralegal roles being advertised by recruiters in my network.

It isn't by any means the only way to find paralegal roles though. I also recommend Law Gazette Job - Law Gazette Jobs | Jobs | Choose from 3,615 live vacancies as a good central point to find legal jobs, without having to wade through lots of other roles in different sectors. It will also direct you to agencies that are regularly recruiting in your area.

 

[lawnoob]

I’d say LinkedIn is one of (if not the main) recruiting pool nowadays for paralegal roles. Look up a few of the big recruitment agencies and their recruiters - they’ll often accept anyone who is looking for a role as a connection. Recruiters often post about open vacancies they’ve got.

Agree with this. LinkedIn is great to follow recruitment agencies/recruiters and to search for jobs too. Firms/organisations also tend to use it to promote paralegal roles they are recruiting directly for too. I will often share paralegal roles being advertised by recruiters in my network.

It isn't by any means the only way to find paralegal roles though. I also recommend Law Gazette Job - Law Gazette Jobs | Jobs | Choose from 3,615 live vacancies as a good central point to find legal jobs, without having to wade through lots of other roles in different sectors. It will also direct you to agencies that are regularly recruiting in your area.

Amazing, thank you both!!