Business & Legal Careers

Business & Legal Careers

As the business and legal sectors of the economy grow rapidly, the need for employment in both fields is also increasing. The wealth of opportunity available to workers in these career areas is vast and varied.

A variety of jobs in the business and legal fields are offered in the public and private sectors. Employment in these areas encompasses a wide range of industries, providing many unique and rewarding career options to professionals.

Workers with different backgrounds, skill sets and education levels can excel in business and legal careers. Finding the right niche within these sectors can lead to lifelong fulfillment and career growth. Both fields are so large and diverse that many career options combining business and legal skills are also available. The following jobs exemplify various career paths a professional can take in either sector or a combination of both areas.

Bookkeeping Careers

Careers in bookkeeping combine an understanding of business and legal practices with technical expertise. Bookkeepers maintain the day-to-day financial operations of a variety of businesses and institutions. Government offices, accounting firms and tax preparation services are just a few types of institutions that hire bookkeepers.

In order to succeed in this field, a detailed understanding of math concepts and computer skills is necessary. Employers in this field often prefer applicants with postsecondary education or relevant experience. However, a high school diploma is the only educational requirement for bookkeeper jobs. If you have a knack for number crunching, strong attention to detail and organization skills, bookkeeping could be right for you.

In this career, you will gain valuable experience managing finances over time. This experience often leads to growth within the field and gradually increased pay. Bookkeeping can be a stepping-stone to higher-paying jobs, such as accounting and financial management.

Real Estate Careers

Jobs in real estate are unique career options available in the business field. Real estate agents work in the housing sector to help clients purchase, sell and rent property. Professionals in this area must have an extensive understanding of the national and local housing market. This requires agents to learn about both business and legal information pertaining to real estate. Education requirements involve licensing and certification from real estate courses, and some requirements may vary by state.

Agents receive a percentage of each property sale made, so the potential to make a lucrative income is unlimited. However, it takes time and dedication to build a strong clientele basis that results in higher income. Real estate workers beginning their careers usually make lower wages until important client relationships are formed. Individuals with varied backgrounds and skill sets can excel in the real estate field. Successful real estate agents are independent self-starters who can communicate well with clients. Although real estate does not provide the initial stability of some careers, agents who are persistent can be very successful.

Event Planning Careers

Event planning combines business practices, hospitality and legal knowledge into an exciting career. In this field, event planners organize meetings, conventions and large events for a variety of clients. Responsibilities include managing venues, attendees and assuring the events progress smoothly. The success of an event planner is demonstrated in how accurately a client’s requests and ideas were developed.

Event planners usually travel often and meet a variety of people, so flexibility and adaptability is necessary in this career. Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills are other traits that help event planners become successful. These professionals must be composed and maintain positive interpersonal communication with clients. The ability to cope with deadline pressures, schedule and manage time well is essential for this position.

A bachelor’s degree in marketing or a related field is usually preferred to be hired for an event planning position, although event planners with a lot of experience in event planning are also competitive in this type of employment. Workers in this career field are encouraged to achieve other certifications that could result in higher salaries. However, payment is largely dependent on employer discretion. Large corporations hosting meetings and conventions tend to pay above the $48,000 median for event planning careers. Conversely, non-profit organizations typically provide much lower compensation.

Event planners can also advertise as self-employed. While it is sometimes more difficult to find clients through self-employment, it is a potentially more financially beneficial decision for an event planner to advertise as self-employed.

Paralegal Careers

If you are looking for a career in the legal sector, working as a paralegal has a variety of benefits. These legal assistants complete work under the guidance and direction of a lawyer. Although paralegals cannot perform official duties, such as provide legal advice or certify documents to be presented in court, there are several tasks assigned to the position. For example, case by case fact research and drafting of legal documents is an essential role that would otherwise be the sole responsibility of the attorney. Paralegals work closely with attorneys to investigate lawsuits, file court documents, manage legal files and more.

Many employers prefer or require a bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies, or a bachelor’s degree in another subject and a paralegal certificate. For some employers, an associate’s degree is paralegal studies is sufficient, while some employers may hire applicants without relevant experience to provide on-the-job training. Additionally, many law offices require or prefer applicants to have a valid paralegal certificate. Exceptional writing ability, strong communication skills and legal knowledge is necessary to excel in this field.

This career path provides professionals with steady income, important legal experience and room for future growth. Paralegals are typically employed through law firms and large corporations, with potential for being hired for federal or state government institutions.

Private Investigator Careers

Private investigator jobs involve the completion of detective work with great flexibility and secrecy. In this career field, investigators can gather evidence about missing people, expose instances of fraud or even reveal hidden information.

Working as a private investigator means working in different environments with a wide variety of employers. Law firms, security or consulting firms and private corporations may hire an investigator. This career also allows for self-employment through the use of private clients.

While a degree is not required for this career, past experience and/or academics in criminal justice is highly recommended. Dependent on the client seeking investigative services, additional credentials may be requested. Private investigators must maintain a combination of different qualities in order to be successful. These qualities include the skill to work through problems, communication ability and being able to acquire needed information.

Dependent on skill level, employer and efficiency, salaries can range from $25K to $75K annually, indicating room for growth within the career. Furthermore, positions as a private investigator are predicted to increase more than the average rate of all jobs.

By Admin