Although the legal field in Canada has seen some contraction in recent years, demand for legal support professionals remains high in the GTA, where booming business brings with it a demand for legal services.
The government’s Job Bank website predicts that job openings in legal support fields, including paralegal and legal assistant positions, will outpace the number of people available to fill those openings until 2024. This means the coming years will offer a number of opportunities for job seekers in these fields, particularly in Toronto and surrounding areas.
Here’s how to position yourself for some of the best upcoming opportunities in these fields:
Find and follow your passion.
The practice area or niche you most enjoy working in is one in which you will most likely thrive. Find work you’re passionate about doing and put it front and center on your resume, LinkedIn profile and other application materials. Doing so will help you target positions that allow you to focus on what you enjoy most.
Explore your options.
Create a system for job searching in 2018. Schedule a block of time each day to devote to your job search, and during this time, diversify where you look for leads. For instance, you might spend Monday looking at job boards, Tuesday perusing LinkedIn or trade journals, and Wednesday connecting with someone in your professional network. Add a day each week to attend job fairs, conferences and other networking events. These events can help you not only hear about job leads, but also keep developing your skills.
Talk to a recruiter.
A staffing firm that specializes in connecting legal support professionals to law firm and legal department positions can help you ensure you’re among the first to hear about job openings. Your recruiter can also help you prepare an application and interview that allow your skills to shine, compare job offers, and more.
Make 2018 your year to advance your career: talk to the experienced legal recruiters at Kent Legal. We connect job seekers with law firms and legal departments throughout the greater Toronto area. Contact us today to learn more.