Mini Freak-Out
So… I got a little freaked out while meeting with my law school’s career department last week. My counselor basically said, “Your job is going to screw you in terms of future employment opportunities,” which I think is pretty extreme but I get her point (although now, thinking about it, plenty of full-timers never work and get jobs, but I think she thinks never working is much better than working as a “lowly secretary” — shows what she knows!). She wanted me to start looking for something else in the next year or so. Chapin spazzed out (it would be hard to find another job that pays what I make now) and said I should wait until the last year of my four-year journey. I agreed with him… and then panicked on Friday. Sent a well-crafted, detailed memo to my HR director (who hired me) requesting that, should a paralegal position come open in one of two areas of practice in which I am interested, she seriously consider me for the job. I was confident about the decision to send the memo on Friday but now I’m a little worried. I doubt they would fire me for asking, but I was hired for this particular desk because of a special set of skills and, in the past, they’ve had a hard time filling the position. Hopefully they will take the request at face value and understand that I just want the chance to gain some practical skills sometime in the next few years. I made it clear that I want to stay with the firm and simply asked for consideration down the line if a position opens and/or the chance to pitch in during an extra-busy time for one of those departments. Please pray that this request doesn’t backfire on me. I sure can’t afford to lose my job!! 
P.S. I do actually have paralegal experience. I have a paralegal certificate and worked as a contract paralegal for several months before landing a position with a judge, followed by a great position as a legal secretary. My last job (the great position) consisted of many more paralegal-type activities, such as research, cite-checking and document coding. I also do contract cite-checking/proofreading work for a local company. My current job is much more secretarial in nature.
October 29th, 2007 at 8:46 am
I’m sure with longevity on the job, a positive work history with the firm and if they know your attending law school they will understand your request.
I wouldn’t think they would dismiss you for making a request. Good Luck!
October 29th, 2007 at 9:12 am
You just said they need you and would have trouble filling the position… I doubt it hurts to ask.
I am very surprised that being a legal secretary could hurt you later on, though. I can see why it would be better to be a paralegal, but as a secretary you have insight into how the firm really works and a perspective that nearly all attorneys lack. I would think your experience would be a plus.
October 29th, 2007 at 9:17 am
See, that was my thought. But the career counselor said that most employers get a bazillion resumes for each position and that the title alone could get me tossed in the “No Thanks” pile. Hmmm. I don’t necessarily agree, but I guess it doesn’t hurt to ask. No word from HR so far but I’ll keep you guys posted. Thanks for the reassurance. Monique, thanks for making those good points.
October 29th, 2007 at 9:39 am
Have you sought a second opinion to validate your counselor’s position?
October 29th, 2007 at 10:14 am
I can’t believe your counselor said that, and acutally called you a “lowly secretary”. Where does this woman get her information?
In my experience, currently as a legal secretary by day/an undergrad student by night, the most feedback I received for being an “older” (though I’m only 25) college student, that most employers would look at your part-time education status and full-time work experience and see that your experience as a 9 to 5-er actually proves your maturity and ability to manage a full time position, where as grads fresh out of college are simply that, fresh out of college and no experience working in the real world. Not to mention the ability and character needed to sucessfully complete a degree at night whilst working hard during the day.
I think your counselor should consider these things (and the fact that your a mother to boot) and see that your work experience, especially in the legal field, is actually an asset more than it is liablity.
October 29th, 2007 at 10:33 am
Kelly, the only person I can think of to talk to is the hiring person at my firm. I’ll ask her. As for the “lowly secretary” thing, this career counselor went from undergrad to law school and then worked in BigLaw so I’m not sure how good her perspective is. I’m just thinking that, in the current market, I should probably try to get as much experience as possible prior to graduation, whether through volunteer work or hands-on work at my firm.
October 29th, 2007 at 11:36 am
Number 16 in our class didn’t get a job last year, the main reason being he’s never worked a day in his life and went straight from undergrad to law school.
I think working as a secretary up until you take the bar is probably a mistake, but it’s still early now, and you have plenty of time to get other experience. Have you felt out how your current firm feels about taking you on as an associate someday? Also, even if they aren’t willing to give you the position (or the pay raise), maybe they’d be willing to give you the extra work to give you the experience. Something extra to put on the resume.
October 29th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
I work at a firm that has very few slots for only top candidates. There’s a lot of competition to get in here and unless I stop sleeping between now and finals, I doubt my grades will be at the top of my class. Besides, we get ranked against next year’s incoming full-time class so the competition hasn’t even arrived yet.
October 29th, 2007 at 7:33 pm
I can’t speak personally to the legal secretary situation. However, I can say that more than 50% of the time, the advice I’ve gotten from the career office has turned out to be totally bogus. I advise asking around and find out if what they said is actually legit.
October 30th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
Good move on your part to ask for more substantive responsibility when and if an opportunity arises!
As for your career counselor’s comment, I think it’s way off-base. It might be a challenge to move into an associate’s position at a firm where you’ve been working as a secretary (and it would certainly create some big barriers to conquer to do so) but I imagine you’ve acquired some good experience in your work. You’ll have something to discuss during interviews, and you’re well ahead of those who have never set foot in a law firm. I would be surprised to find that anyone would exclude you because you’ve worked as a legal secretary, and if that did happen, I suspect the exclusion would reflect far more on them than on you.