Back to School?
As you all know, I have been searching for a job for months now. I come from a small town where the job opportunities are few. I do apply to companies in my area, but most of them inform me that I am not qualified. I have also applied for jobs in other states, but here again I face competition against those who have higher qualifications as well as experience.
My degree is in creative writing and the open jobs I have seen here in my area have been for legal secretaries and receptionist. This is about as far as it goes for jobs that are somewhat in my area. Being a legal secretary is something I'm interested in so I called a community college, the one I attended before I transfered to my other college, and luck has it, they are having a six month course to be a legal secretary.
I was planning on taking this course, but was depressed to find that the tuition was over $1,000. I don't have the money to spend on this course. I asked the obvious question about making payments on the course, but was turned down due to the fact that the class is non credit and there is no financial aid. The best they could do was to allow me to put at least half down on the payment. This also didn't work for me because I'm currently working to help pay off my stafford loan.
i was told that I have an option of getting a loan for an interest rate of 10%, but that is absurd. Then after calling a local career center, they told me they might be able to help me pay the tuition for the class in full. The woman whom I talked with asked me a few questions and when we were done, she told me that I could not have the class fully funded because I already had a degree. Apparently, the funding would only be permitted for non-degree seeking individuals. I was so frusterated.
I desperately wanted to take the class because I knew it would assist me in finding and obtaining a job and in time it would help me build up experience for something better. After this major downfall, I have been seriously thinking about going back to my alma matter and majoring in elementary education. My whole family tells me that I would be a great teacher and it may be easier to find a teaching job as opposed to a job with the degree I have now.
I'm not exactly sure what I want to do right now. I feel discouraged and I groan at the thought of going back to school. I have so much money already put into my education. Do I really want to go back to school, spend more money, if being a teacher is not exactly what I want to do? I keep hoping that some employer will give me a chance and allow me to gain experience by working for their company, but no one has taken that risk yet. I have done all I can think of in order to improve my chances of finding jobs, applying, and getting hired, but there aren't any takers as of yet.
It seems as if other people have all the luck. I feel that my education is going down the drain because I'm not using it. I want to be able to go to work knowing that I'm doing what I love to do and not dreading having to do it. Everyone keeps telling me that I will find something, but being in the position I'm in, I highly doubt that I will. Did I major in the wrong thing? Why can't there be a demand in writing or at least an employer give me a chance? I can't see myself working as a dietary aide the rest of my life and wasting my education.
Jill, you are a very talented, intelligent, *and* experienced young woman. Please sit down with paper and pen or keyboard and mouse. Go back over the things you've done in relation to being involved in groups, social organizations (yes, even church), volunteer endeavors of any length or brevity. What sorts of things did you do? List them. Think of these tasks as job duties. List them.
Were there any special situations or crises that arose where you supplied the remedy (alone or in conjunction with others)? Those are called accomplishments. List them.
Were you referred to other things or people because of your involvement in these activities? Those are called references. Follow up with those people (the referrers) and keep them aware of what you're up to these days. Make it a happy, chatty call and keep it brief. Let them ask about what your job search is revealing. Just make certain that you stay in touch with them on a periodic basis. Share some information with them that they may be interested in knowing. This is called networking.
There are law firms that take entry-level legal secretaries. They train them. What's required is excellent spelling and vocabulary (which you have), good punctionation skills. A good sense of organization, work well under pressure, readily catch on to concepts, are precise in what you do and how you do it. Are confident and self assured. Communicate with people in a tactful and clear way and accurately understand what is said. You have a willingness to learn legal terms. You are a quick thinker and creative problem solver.
Go forth. If you have additional questions about being an entry-level legal secretary, just ask me.