After returning home from a war, one of the toughest adjustments you may have to make is finding new employment. One way to utilize your personal experience in fighting to make the world a better place is to pursue a career in law enforcement or as a paralegal. The Role of a Paralegal A paralegal requires either a certification or an associate’s degree. Most commonly, they work for law firms, government organizations, law libraries, and corporate legal departments. A paralegal’s primary job is to support attorneys in their daily tasks, by performing the following jobs:
- Maintaining files
- Organizing files
- Conducting legal research
- Drafting important legal documents
Required Paralegal Skills According to the The Paralegal People Blog, the most important quality that someone entering the profession can possess is the ability to be efficient. Your overall goal of making sure that an attorney’s time is never wasted will require you to also possess the following skills as required by the Paralegal Job Description:
- Communication: As a paralegal, you will need to possess written and verbal communication skills.
- Patience: You will be spending long hours working in research libraries in order to do research, and the ability to persevere even when the job is being monotonous is essential.
- Computer skills: As a paralegal, you will be spending a lot of time preparing documents on the computer, and skills related to spreadsheets and Internet searches are vital.
- Multitasking: When working for a lawyer, you will be required to perform multiple tasks within an hour, and you will need to possess the ability to juggle these demands.
Why Choose a Job in Law Enforcement? While you were fighting a war, you had the ability to fight back against injustice. Part of your adjustment in coming home to a civilian life typically involves getting used to no longer having that ability, despite the fact that you are still living in an unjust society. However, by choosing a law enforcement career, you will again have the ability to fight against injustice. Types of Law Enforcement Careers If you are interested in a federal law enforcement career, you can pursue a career as an U.S. Marshall, customs agent, secret service agent, or FBI agent, especially if your military career included information technology or language specialties. At the state or local level, you can pursue careers as a police officer, forensic scientist, state trooper, or security guard. Joining the Swat Team is also a great idea. The types of law enforcement careers that you are eligible to pursue depend upon the amount of education that you have or are willing to obtain. By choosing a career that allows you to utilize your strengths, you will once again feel a sense of purpose. Whether working as a paralegal or as a law enforcement officer, you will have the opportunity to protect others, just as you did while serving your country.