I am Not a Fortune Teller or How to Plan for the Future

Preparing for my first interview as a paralegal in a foreclosure office, I reviewed the top questions typically asked
with a friend of mine. The question, “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”
took me by surprise. “Honestly, I don’t think interviewers ask this.” I said.
“That’s because you’ve only had dead end jobs.” My friend replied. “You’ll do
fine. Just don’t say anything stupid like ‘I wanna get into personal injury’
because you’re not interested in that and it’s not relevant to this job.” I
laughed. The next day at the interview the man interviewing me looked me
straight in the eyes and said “Where do you see yourself in 5years?” The answer
I had thought up the night before flew from my head and without realizing it I
blurted out “I think I want to get into personal injury law.” DOH!!!

Right then, it dawned on me.

I didn’t have a 5-year plan. I never had to think that far ahead.

All About Goals

Short-Term

I’ve got my small goals
down. In the next two years I plan to graduate in the top of my class with my
postgraduate paralegal certification through an ABA program. Become a Notary
Public. I want to get an entry-level job in a law firm, any law firm. I plan to
grow my professional network by joining my local chapter of NFPA and online through
LinkedIn. I am building a professional reputation through blog writing and responding
to other blogs and posts. Short-term goals are in progress.

Long-Term

Sensibly, I want to earn
enough money to support myself and my family. I want to have a career, not a
job, doing something I’m interested in and I’m good at. I want respect within
the legal community as a peer. But what law do I want to do? True, personal
injury is not what I like but criminal sounds interesting. Although in my area,
paralegal jobs in criminal law field are rare and hard to get. How about
something juicy, like divorce? Except, I don’t know how I would be able to
handle ripping families apart and watching people try to destroy each other. I’m a fixer, not a breaker. I’ve heard Real
Estate is good work and stable…and boring. I want to use my investigative
skills. I have these bizarre fantasies where I have this sign on my door that
reads “Kate Frank: Legal Investigator” and I wear a fedora. Ok, ok, so it’s
clear that I need to work on these long-term goals and one of the biggest ways
to narrow down my search brings me to next point.

Trial and Error

Being a Paralegal was not first career
choice. I have worked as an event planner, a direct support professional in a
group home, customer service in a furniture store and as a secretary in mental
health clinic. And these are just the job titles I’ve held. Since I graduated high
school, I’ve tried to follow careers in internal design, psychology, marketing,
library science and even next great American novel author. They were not right
for me. So, what makes the paralegal field different? I feel drawn to this
field. My reasoning skills, my background working with difficult people and my
eerie sense of right and wrong all are natural fits within the legal field.
Plus, for years, the running joke is that I should be a lawyer because I never
lose a verbal spare. However, it’s all trial and error. I could not find a job
in this field, no matter how hard I try. Maybe I’ll go through every law office
before I find the right one. I could realize  I hate paralegal work. I guess only what my
career path will be but one for sure, if I never try, I will never know.

Acceptance or I am Not a Fortune-Teller!

It’s good to have goals,
try new and plan out where you want to go but we know what happens to. If
you’re reading this blog, I’m assuming you have some interest in becoming a paralegal,
so even if you don’t know exactly what you want in 5 years, feel lucky that you
have a direction. Think back to time in your life when you didn’t have that
direction, I know I have several, and relish in feeling knowing you’re on a
path.  Enjoying the ride is more
important than knowing the destination.