Best Virtual Paralegal's guide debunks hiring myths and shares job searching strategies for new paralegals, from networking to resumes.

Why Are Law Firms Hiring During the Holidays?

The idea of a "holiday hiring freeze" is a myth. In reality, legal departments are incredibly busy planning for the year ahead.

• New Budgets are Approved: Many firms operate on a calendar-year budget. By November and December, they know exactly what their headcount and budget will be for the upcoming year. They have the green light to hire and want to fill those roles immediately to hit the ground running in January.

• Year-End Urgency: Managers often have a "use-it-or-lose-it" budget. They may have an open, approved position they must fill before December 31st, or they risk losing the funding for it.



• Less Competition: This is your single biggest advantage. The majority of job seekers, including other new paralegals, press pause on their search. When you submit your application, it lands in an inbox with far fewer competing resumes. This gives hiring managers more time to review your specific qualifications.

Your Holiday Job Search Strategy: Active & Engaged

Don't just passively apply. Use the unique social and professional atmosphere of the holidays to network effectively.



1. Leverage Holiday Networking (Virtual & In-Person)

The holidays are a natural time for networking. People are more relaxed and receptive to connecting.

• Attend Association Events: Check with your local and state paralegal associations. Many host "Holiday Social" or "Holiday Bash" events. These are fantastic, low-pressure environments to meet working paralegals and attorneys.

• Reconnect on LinkedIn: The holidays provide the perfect "excuse" to reconnect with your network. Send a simple holiday greeting to contacts from your paralegal program, former professors, or guest speakers. A short message like, "Happy holidays! I really enjoyed your presentation on e-discovery last semester and am now starting my job search," keeps you top-of-mind.

• Engage with Firms Online: Follow the law firms you're interested in. Many post holiday-related content or year-in-review articles. Engaging with these posts (a thoughtful comment or share) increases your visibility and shows genuine interest.

2. Update Your Resume to Beat the 'Robots'

Before you apply, you must understand that a human rarely sees your resume first. Nearly all mid-to-large firms use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to scan and filter resumes. If your resume isn't formatted correctly or lacks the right keywords, an algorithm will reject it before it ever reaches a hiring manager.

As a new paralegal, your resume must focus on potential and transferable skills, not just work history.

• Skills Over Experience: Create a "Key Skills" section at the top. List the technologies you learned in your program (e.g., Westlaw, LexisNexis, Clio, MyCase, e-discovery platforms) and your legal skills (e.g., legal research, document drafting, case management, Bluebook citation).

• Use Action Verbs: Frame your academic projects and internship duties as accomplishments. Instead of "Responsible for filing," write "Managed a case filing system for 10+ mock trial files." Instead of "Helped with research," write "Conducted legal research and drafted memoranda on civil procedure."

The Secret Weapon: Why New Paralegals Need a Career Coach & Resume Service

How do you translate a semester of coursework into "job-ready" skills on a resume? How do you answer the tough interview question, "Tell me about your experience," when you don't have any?

This is where professional help becomes a game-changer.

The Career Coach Advantage

A career coach specializing in the legal field doesn't just give you generic advice. They provide a strategic blueprint for launching your career. For a new paralegal, a coach helps you:

• Build a Strong Foundation: They help you navigate the "overwhelming" feeling of starting out and build a confident job-search mindset.



• Map Your Transferable Skills: Did you work in customer service? You have client communication and conflict resolution skills. Were you a server? You have time management, prioritization, and attention-to-detail skills. A coach helps you frame this experience in legal terms.

• Master the Interview: They conduct mock interviews to prepare you for paralegal-specific questions, helping you articulate your value and passion for the law, even with limited experience.

The Resume Service Advantage

A professional paralegal resume writer isn't just a proofreader. They are a marketing expert, and you are the product. They know exactly how to get your resume past the ATS and impress a hiring manager. They will:

• Optimize for ATS: They ensure the formatting is machine-readable and strategically inserts the keywords hiring managers are searching for.

• Craft a Compelling Summary: They replace a weak "Objective" (which focuses on what you want) with a powerful "Professional Summary" (which focuses on the value you offer the employer), which is used in your cover letter not your resume at all.

• Highlight Your Education: They know how to make your paralegal certificate or degree the star of the show, detailing relevant coursework and projects to function as "proof" of your skills.

Don't Wait for January—Start Your Career Today

Your paralegal career is a serious investment. Don't let a common myth delay your start. The firms are hiring, the competition is low, and the opportunity is now.

Take the first step to stand out from the crowd. Best Virtual Paralegal offers specialized Career Coaching and Resume Writing Services designed specifically for new paralegals. We know how to translate your academic achievements into a compelling professional profile that gets you hired.

 Schedule your consultation and get your holiday job search started!