How to Write a Paralegal Resume Objective With Examples

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A resume objective statement summarizes your best hiring features to quickly identify you as a well-qualified and leading candidate for the position you are applying for. Learning how to write a strong resume objective is important if you want your resume to stand out to law firms and hiring managers. Use these steps to write a paralegal resume objective statement using examples of effective resume objectives as a guide.

What is a paralegal resume objective?

A paralegal resume objective is a clear statement that briefly identifies what your career goals are and why you are the best candidate for the specific paralegal position you are applying for. This statement typically includes keywords for skills and experiences that are specific to the legal industry as a whole and to the specific legal field you have experience in. A resume objective also typically includes a brief statement identifying specific career goals and how those goals are relevant to your desired position and company.

Why are paralegal resume objectives important?

A paralegal resume objective is important because recruiters and hiring managers only spend about six seconds reviewing a resume before deciding whether it is a candidate they want to learn more about. A resume objective statement allows you to highlight your best and most relevant paralegal skills, experiences and accomplishments near the top of your resume so that the recruiter or hiring manager can quickly identify you as a strong candidate for the position.

How to write a paralegal resume objective 

Follow these steps to write a strong paralegal resume objective statement:

1. Firstly, read the job description carefully

Start by reading the job description for the position you are applying for carefully and looking for keywords throughout that are related to your specific skills and experiences. Use specific keywords you find in the job description within your resume objective in order to get an employer’s attention and stand out as a competitive candidate.

2. Secondly, research the law firm you want to apply to

By researching the law firm or company you are applying to, you can find information that will help you write a resume objective statement that is specifically tailored to them. Use the company’s website to look for information about the type of legal work the company does, who their clients are and the tone and style of their voice. You can mimic their tone and style in your resume objective and clearly identify skills and experience related to their specific legal field.

3. Next, identify your key skills, education and experience that relate to the job

Once you have done your research, identify specific skills, education and experience you have that relate to the position you are applying for. It is best to use abilities and achievements that directly relate to the keywords you found in the job description or on the company’s website when possible. However, you may also use industry-specific keywords if necessary.

4. Finally, mention a specific career goal and how that goal is relevant to the company

To finish your paralegal resume objective, you should try to identify a specific career goal you have and explain how it is relevant to the company or law firm you are applying to. This can be done by stating how you plan to utilize your skills and experience as a paralegal for their company.

Paralegal resume objective examples

Here are a few paralegal resume objective examples for specific legal fields:

Family law paralegal example

‘Dedicated family law paralegal with more than five years of experience in family law practices seeking paralegal position with Lee Fernandez & Associates. Excellent legal research and document preparation skills proven through experience researching case law precedent and preparing pleadings, subpoenas, requests for discovery, interrogatories and depositions. Seeking to apply my combined legal and communication skills and personal passion for helping families during the divorce and custody process to the family law division of your firm.’

Personal injury paralegal example

‘Motivated and detail-oriented personal injury paralegal with three years of experience working in legal settings seeking paralegal position with The Personal Injury Lawyers law firm. Experienced in working on personal injury, medical malpractice and workers’ compensation claims. Increased previous office efficiency by 20% by converting the office to an e-filing system. Seeking to apply my knowledge and experience in personal injury law and expand my career into a lead paralegal role with The Personal Injury Lawyers within three years.’

Criminal law paralegal example

‘Hardworking and ambitious criminal law paralegal with a bachelor’s degree in legal studies seeks position as an administrative paralegal supporting the misdemeanor division with the State Attorney’s Office. Extensive knowledge and experience in legal research, writing and document preparation shown through an internship with the Public Defender’s Office and a criminal law capstone project. Seeking to apply my legal knowledge and experience as a paralegal in the State Attorney’s Office while I attend law school and prepare to advance my career by becoming a State Attorney.’

Paralegal resume objective tips

Here are a few general tips to remember when writing a paralegal resume objective statement:

Always include the law firm or company name

The name of the company or the law firm and the specific position title for which you are applying are usually included as keywords the employer looks for when using applicant tracking systems (ATS). Additionally, when the recruiter or hiring manager is reviewing your resume, seeing a direct interest in their company can help make your resume stand out.

Keep your objective statement brief and simple

You should try to keep your resume objective statement as brief and simple as possible while still including the most relevant and important information. Generally, a resume objective statement should be about two to four sentences in length.

Quantify experiences and skills when possible

You should always quantify the skills and experiences you list with specific data, statistics or numbers when possible. Doing this allows you to show the employer how you have proven your skills and experiences in the past.