There are many potential reasons why a paralegal job may excite you. Paralegals are not lawyers, but they do help lawyers in a wide variety of contexts. They may do research, draft documents, and manage cases, as well as reach out to clients. It’s a great stepping-stone if you’re interested in becoming a lawyer, but it can also be a deeply fulfilling job all on its own, as you get to help people in the same way a lawyer does. In Charlotte, North Carolina, as in many other well-populated areas, paralegals are in demand, as there’s certainly no shortage of legal cases in these areas.
Whatever job you’re looking to get will always need to consider your skills, qualifications, experience, and other elements of your past. This is especially true in paralegal jobs, as you’ll need at least some amount of training to become a paralegal. Many legal experts give higher preference to anyone who has previous experience. It can be helpful to use a resume builder to construct your resume, as the builder can help you put your skills, knowledge, and training into perspective for a hiring manager.
The job application process as a paralegal can be a bit difficult overall. Here’s what you need to know about your salary expectations as a Charlotte paralegal.
Top-paying Paralegal Jobs To Consider
In Charlotte, North Carolina, a paralegal salary is typically between $30,000 and $78,000. Of course, this scale is extremely wide, and some more highly-experienced paralegals, especially in more expensive areas like copyright law, may command a salary of as much as $160,000 yearly. Your salary will depend on how many years of experience you have as a paralegal, what area of law you’re most well-versed in, and oftentimes how much experience you have.
However, if you’re interested in the world of law but you’re not sure about becoming a paralegal, there are some other options you might want to consider in the Charlotte area that are similar to a paralegal.
- Legal secretary: $16,000-$70,000
- Legal manager: $73,000-$90,000
- Legal counsel: $130,000-$140,000
- Law office manager: $50,000-$60,000
Generally, the more legal experience someone has, the higher salary they can command. A full-blown corporate lawyer with decades of experience in Charlotte may make $320,000 to $630,000 per year, as companies are paying as much for their experience as they are for their services. As a paralegal, you have training in the legal system, but not as much as a lawyer, and your salary will reflect that.
Applying for the Job You Deserve
When it comes time to put in the actual application, you should first carefully look at the requirements and qualifications necessary to apply. Unlike other jobs, which may be more entry-level, paralegal applications often require you to have certain qualifications. And they may even require a certain number of years of experience. If you need to brush up on your qualifications or pursue a new one, it is best to do this before applying for the job. Check out Jooble if you desire to find a paralegal job.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting the best compensation for your specific skills, and it’s good to remember that as a paralegal, you can command a higher salary when you’re more experienced and have more knowledge regarding the legal system. That’s why there is a range of salaries. Entry-level paralegals will be more likely to stick to the lower end of the range, while highly-experienced paralegals will be more likely to look at the higher end. You need to showcase your education, experience, and any qualifications you have in your resume so that a hiring manager sees why you’re worth bringing into their business.
