How to Get a Paralegal Promotion | CLS by BARBRI

If we’re going to be completely honest about the paralegal industry, there are few ways to get a promotion. It’s not that nobody gives paralegals their due; it’s just that the nature of the profession doesn’t grow in the same way other careers do. While everyone’s looking to move vertically, paralegals advance their occupations horizontally. Paralegals expand outward instead of upward to get an edge and get more benefits.

The Advances in the Industry

The industry is evolving, though, and there are opportunities that exist today that can encourage even more people to enter the profession. Firms are continuously recognizing the vital roles their paralegals play every day and are creating hybrid positions to both retain and reward them. The forefront of these new positions is the Paralegal Manager that is tasked to manage paralegals, records, as well as provide litigation support.

This is good news for everyone coming into the industry since it virtually eliminates the fear young professionals have of ending up in a stagnating career. It also simultaneously encourages them to do better with their work once they get in, because promotions mean that advancement depends on skill instead of tenure. Advancement options will allow the industry to move away from the secretarial shadow many people put it in, and give it the recognition it deserves.

Boosting the Resume

The question remains: how can paralegals take advantage of these opportunities and get a promotion as soon as possible? The answer – as always – is education. The challenge of advancing in any industry is convincing a company that you have what it takes to carry the responsibilities of the position, as well as making it difficult for them to dismiss you.

The easiest way to make that happen is to give them a resume that spells out your abilities in black and white, and that’s only possible through a degree. But every paralegal already has a degree, what recourse do applicants have to stand out? Multiple degrees.

More Chances to Advance

Paralegals shouldn’t think that they’re limited to just one skill. There are dozens of specialized courses within the industry, and the more skills a paralegal can show a firm, the better chance of getting the coveted advancement.

If you want to increase your chances of being considered for a promotion, contact us today. We have multiple specialized paralegal certificate courses that tap into virtually every aspect of the industry. Explore the rest of our website to see what kind of classes we offer, and choose which one is the best to help advance your career.