Being trained and skilled in both law and management opens many doors that neither could even budge alone. Being multi-credentialed in these two areas makes you a doubly desirable job candidate, because each is a key element of optimal organizational operations.
Legal + Managerial = Powerful Professional Punch
Both private and public sector organizations require competent oversight and acquisition of their most valuable asset – human workers. Moreover, our increasingly litigious society makes ongoing legal risk management vital. Indeed, commerce and law fit together so tightly that many firms offer hiring incentives in the tens of thousands of dollars for qualified candidates trained in both areas.
Major Multi-Use Skills
An ability to comprehend and concisely convey complicated labor laws is a valuable skill. Moreover, other generalized skills gained from paralegal training are readily transferable to human resource management, such as:
• Research methodology
• Writing
• Analytical and critical thinking
• Familiarity with labor and business laws
• Objective perspective
• Legal strategy development and implementation
Possible Careers
Holding dual degrees in paralegal studies and human resources can open the door to many challenging and lucrative careers. Here are a few examples:
- Lobbyist
- Labor Relations Coordinator/Consultant
- Regulatory Compliance Specialist
- Contract Analyst
- Paralegal Manager
- Law Office Administrator
- Corporate Recruiter
- Corporate compensation planner
- Business Coaching
- HR Consultant
Per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”), as of May 2012 the average annual earnings for Human Resources managers was $109,590. BLS further projects a 13-percent occupational growth for HR professionals through 2020. Thus, it is clear that professional employment and career advancement opportunities are quite abundant.
Go to the official source
Believe it or not, your best resource for identifying ideal career options is Uncle Sam himself. The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook (“OOH”) is a literal treasure trove of useful information and tools for taking a total transferable skills inventory for hundreds of jobs.
Each OOH listing includes a comprehensive discussion of specific job duties, work settings, a five-year occupational outlook, required and most desired training and education, and available certifications and designations.
You may use OOH as a starting reference to:
• Analyze previous job descriptions to discover other seemingly unrelated jobs that entail the same skills you already possess.
• Browse an all-inclusive list of related positions that utilize identical or very similar qualifications and skill sets.
• Find details about positions attainable only via increased experience and promotions.
• Ascertain a realistic earnings range and learn of emergent trends within various interrelated industries and occupations.
• Browse an “Other Resources” section that lists items such as cross-referencing research sources, relevant websites, available designations, certifications, and professional or industry associations.
You need not worry about wasting time, as OOH features a cluster format that makes it easy to locate and quickly peruse interrelated job descriptions and titles.
The best news of all is that this invaluable official resource is available for absolutely no charge whatsoever at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/.
Put It All Together
By making maximum use of the above-described information, resources, ideas, along with some creativity, you can optimize the occupational versatility of a dual paralegal and Human Resources MBA to the fullest.
