Many students enroll in college programs to acquire the skill set needed in their career field of choice. For those interested in training for legal administrative careers, the future looks promising based on feedback from employers in the field.
Where the Legal Jobs are Headed
Robert Half Legal, a legal staffing firm, recently conducted a survey of employers across Canada to find out which fields should be hiring in 2013.
More than 31 per cent of respondents reported that the area of general business and corporate law would have the most job opportunities open up throughout the year. That was closely followed by litigation, which 29 per cent of law professionals said would be hiring.
While those segments dominated the top spots, many other areas also registered as a possible destination for aspiring professionals looking for jobs. Sectors like labour and employment, intellectual property and family law all received votes of confidence and could grow as the year progresses.
Employers Fighting for Top Talent
Despite the fact that a few specific sectors within the field of law should be offering numerous job opportunities throughout the year, the competition among firms should be stiff as they all try to hire the best talent. Positions are available, but employers are holding out for skilled, capable workers - and they are having a hard time finding them.
According to the survey, about 23 per cent of people said it was very challenging to find skilled professionals in the legal sphere, while an additional 44 per cent said it was somewhat challenging. Less than one-quarter of people said they had no problems finding workers.
With so many firms struggling to find top talent, these businesses are willing to do whatever it takes to become attractive to employees.
"Competition for top legal talent is rising as law firms strive to meet client requests and augment their teams to expand service offerings," said John Ohnjec, a director with Robert Half Legal. "... With many law firms and companies hiring from the same talent pool, employers are revising their retention programs to avoid losing valued staff members to other organizations."
Students ready train for legal careers can enroll in paralegal courses at Vancouver Career College. For more information on the program, fill out the form on the right.