In the world of rules and law, lawyers are often dependent on the help of their paralegals. These paralegals must support these professionals by taking on some of the work. In case you didn’t know, a paralegal is someone who is professionally trained to assist lawyers in various roles. Paralegals must conduct research, draft documents, work with clients, and conduct cases.
Being a paralegal comes with a lot of responsibility, so if you are interested in such a career, you need a good cover letter.
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What is a cover letter
A cover letter is a one-page document in which employers explain why you are most qualified for the job and why you would fits good For the company. They can be tricky to write and yours needs to stand out from hundreds of others.
So, if you want to get a job as a paralegal, then you need to compose the best paralegal cover letter. Let’s start!
Focus on your paralegal skills
In your cover letter, you need at least a paragraph detailing your best accomplishments in that field. Thus, in your paralegal cover letter, you need to list your skills that are relevant to this career, as well as additional technical skills such as knowledge of the law and some computer skills. Other skills that would be helpful to add are organization and time management.
But the day-to-day job of a paralegal will differ depending on what law you work with and what firm. In your cover letter, you should indicate what skills you have that are useful not only for the position, but also for the company. Who knows where you could be there?!
Here are a few different skills you should list in your cover letter:
- Legal terminology
- Data input
- Knowledge of administrative protocols
- Knowledge of laws, codes and court records
- What account software can you use
- Ability to work with other applications such as Microsoft Office, Excel and Word
- Proficiency in project management software
- Ability to work with information retrieval software
The above are all sorts of hard skills, skills that are acquired through education and experience. Soft skills are also important. These are skills that help separate you from others. Keep in mind that these can greatly improve your chances of getting a job:
- Accuracy
- Detail
- multitasking
- Problem Solving Skills
- Critical thinking
- Communication skills
- Teamwork
- and much more
Use the cover letter format
If you didn’t already know, lawyers are known for their attention to detail. This means that they will monitor your cover letter for errors. Your cover letter needs to be perfect, and the best way to do this is to use the cover letter format. There are many different templates that you can use for your letter.
To make a great first impression on a recruiter, use the traditional format. Here’s what you need:
- Use an easy to read font
- Set the font from 10.5 to 12.
- Adjust margins to 1”-1.5”
- If you are applying online, please make sure it is submitted in PDF or DOCX format.
Remember, a cover letter doesn’t have to be a manifesto. One page up to 400 words is enough.
Bring it to the end with the final statement
All areas of work are competitive, especially when you are looking for a job. By ending a letter in a memorable way, you can make it stand out. To write a strong paralegal closing statement, mention the following:
- Express your interest and enthusiasm for a career opportunity. You must show them that you have the will and passion to take on the hard work.
- Emphasize what your strengths are as a paralegal, as well as your skills that can help the rest of the law firm.
- Be sure to include a call to action. Encourage them to insist on a face-to-face meeting for further application.
- And, of course, thank them for their time and attention in reading the letter.
Conclusion
Being a paralegal is a big responsibility. It’s long hours and a lot of reading, talking and terminology. But, if you are prepared for such work, then you will not have problems with this. Thus, it is the cover letter that will become your golden ticket.
You have to talk about yourself, so learn to sell yourself to the point. You know yourself better than anyone else so this should be easy. Also, don’t forget to pay attention to grammar and spelling, otherwise you’ll have to keep looking.
A cover letter can be a stressful document to write. But, if you have the template and the drive and skills to get the job done, then you won’t have any problems at all.
