Paralegals: 5 Reasons You're Not Getting Better Assignments

By Chere B. Estrin, Ph.D.
www.LegalProResumes.com

Who or what is to blame if you are not getting the assignments you want and think you deserve? What happens to paralegals who can't get promoted? Or even better, are there promotions for paralegals?

Many factors, in various combinations can be the cause, but one thing is almost certain. Like it or not, you and you alone must take most of the credit or the blame if your career is stuck on "hold."

There is valuable insight into all of this from an old anonymous quote, "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." I wish I knew who to credit for that wise observation. I have a feeling it may have been my mother. She knew stuff like that.

In the old paralegal world, the climb was not always upward. Rather, it was a horizontal or outward climb as the complexity of assignments increased. In the new age of paralegals, however, we do see promotions upward such as Case Manager, Manager of Paralegals, Trial Specialist, Assistant Corporate Secretary and more. Are you onboard? Are you ready to tackle the new age of paralegals?

Five Reasons Promotions are Stalled

1. You fail to score better assignments because you are not qualified to take on the bigger responsibilities. Two things can be happening here.

   One is you have the potential to learn the new responsibilities, but you haven't made the effort. Few firms, with the exception of the majors, have training programs. It is up to you to find a way to learn how to handle the bigger job. Many paralegals simply don't take the time to learn more because a) their firm won't pay for continuing legal education and they are adamant that if the firm doesn't pay for it, they won't take a class and b) they feel they don't have the time. Don't set yourself up for failure through antiquated attitudes and narrow thinking. Why, why, why, if your firm does not pay for continuing legal education would you allow it to limit your future success? The new Coach bag, the iPod, the dinner at the hottest restaurant can wait. Your career and your future success are on the line.

   Study and practice on your own time. Continue to be successful on the job at hand. Be patient, but persistent. Convince your boss that you are ready and willing to work for better assignments and that you can handle it. Let them know you took a class and now have more knowledge than ever before.

   The second condition is the job you covet is simply beyond your capacity. Can you accept the fact that like millions of other human beings, there are limits to your capabilities? You have at least two options: make the best of where you are; or strike out in a different and more realistic direction where your abilities can be put to better use. It's tough coming to this realization. However, you do have unique talents that you might not be putting to use. An in-depth review of your capabilities may be the appropriate next step.

2. You can't move up because there is no one to take over your present responsibilities.

   Ah, the old halo effect. Technically, your firm should have a training program to provide lines of succession for all paralegal positions. But, if your place of work is not so prepared, (and few are), you still can't place the blame for your lack of promotion on someone or something else.

   If you are stymied for lack of a replacement, it is up to you to make certain that at least one person is ready to step in and take your place. Pick out a likely candidate and train him or her to fill your shoes when you get promoted. Don't be afraid to groom your replacement. Succession training frees you to move up.

3. "They" don't know what you have been doing; how much you can do; how ready you are for promotion.

   There's an old Chinese saying "If you wish your merit to be known, acknowledge other people." That is a laudable ideal, but unfortunately, it doesn't square with reality when it is applied in the competitive world of work. Think of yourself as a product that must be sold to advance your career. This means the buyers (i.e., your superiors who make decisions about your career) need to be made fully aware of your good qualities and your potential for growth. If you're doing a good job, you need to get the word out. Otherwise, how will the powers of promotion know what you're doing?

4. You have tried repeatedly to get better assignments. Everything is locked up, nobody is leaving, new cases or matters are stagnant. There is no room to grow.

   You are still the key. If you're not kidding yourself that this is the real reason you're not receiving more sophisticated work, there are two things you can do.

   One, consider the pluses in your current job. There are always some benefits. Will things continue as they are? Is there a personal consideration that mandates you stay where you are for now? Be sure you are not fooling yourself into inaction. Are the benefits worth the price you are paying to live on a plateau below what you believe to be your potential? If so, you can stay put and hope for things to get better.

   Second, if your unmet ambitions are burning you up inside, perhaps it's time to make a move to another firm where you will have opportunities to advance. There are opportunities in corporations, government agencies, firms with a tiered system. Have you checked any of these out? Do you know your market? Are you aware of how the paralegal field has evolved?

5. The firm has a limited and outdated view on paralegal utilization.

   This is so simple, it's agonizing to watch. Yet, there are firms in the backwaters of paralegalism. It's up to you to educate the firm. How? Simple. Peer pressure works and works every time. If lawyers in your firm learn that a comparable firm down the street is better utilizing their paralegals, they're likely to jump on the bandwagon. Why? Future and present clients insist on lower legal fees. If associates in your firm are performing work that is perceived by other firms to be paralegal work, the client is therefore being overfilled. They'll leave to go elsewhere. Attorneys are becoming much more marketing savvy and peer pressure does have its merits.

The first step towards busting out of your stagnant situation is to take charge of your destiny. Career destiny is not a matter of chance; it's a matter of choice. Take the steps you need to take and stop wasting your time and energy in a job that's beneath your skill level. You owe it to yourself and frankly, to those in the profession who continue to strive for beneficial, upwardly movement.

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Chere B. Estrin, Ph.D. is the CEO of the Los Angeles based EstrinLegalEd, a well-known paralegal training organization. She is founder of The Paralegal SuperConferencesâ„¢ and its new division, www.LegalProResumes.com. She has written 8 books including The Successful Paralegal's Job Search Guide (Thomson Delmar) and The Paralegal Career Guide (Prentice-Hall). Ms. Estrin can be reached at ChereEstrinLegalEd.com. C.B. Estrin.