3. SUBMIT A COVER LETTER AND RESUME

Once you've picked the firms where you want to apply, you will need to submit your request for an interview. All major companies have a professional staffer whose job is to oversee the work of the paralegals. You'll need to find out who this person is so that you can address your cover letter and résuméto him or her personally.

If you found the opening advertised on JOBTRAK or some other employment service, the contact person to whom you should send all correspondence will be listed there. If, however, you've used The Insider's Guide, The VaultReports, or Martindale, you'll need to do a bit more work. All of these books contain the main phone number of each law firm. Simply call that number and ask the receptionist for the name of the person in charge of hiring paralegals. Be sure to get the spelling and official title of that individual, as well as his or her phone number and e-mail. Be courteous on the phone, and treat the receptionist with respect - you may be working with him or her someday.

The cover letter and résumé you need to send are no different than ones you would use for any job. If, however, you are a wee bit anal retentive, and need to see some specific examples to use as models, you've come to the right place. Check out this paralegal cover letter and this paralegal résumé. And if you need more advice on these topics generally, check out SoYouWanna write a cover letter and SoYouWanna write an impressive résumé, courtesy of your friends here at SoYouWanna.net...