Workin' Girl
I just realized something: I've been working in law for ~gulp~ 16+ years now. Holy shit!! I went to paralegal school in Upper Darby, PA (not the best choice, but at the time it worked) in 1989. I've worked at 6 different law firms (or maybe 7, it's been too long) during that time, and my salary has increased steadily in the right direction (I'm making close to quadruple what I started out at), so I guess I could say I'm successful and very good at what I do. Every boss I've had has said that I'm the best, and that feels good to hear. I work hard, I'll get the job done, and I know when I need to act professionally and when I can goof off. (Although I admit, I don't have the enthusiasm and energy that I once did.)
I've worked both in big firms and smaller firms. The larger ones are, of course, more corporate and professional, especially on the east coast. The smaller ones are more laid back and fun, which is what I like.
My first job was a temp secretarial job that I got right out of paralegal school. I wanted to take a step back and get some experience before diving right in (I had little office experience and no law experience), and I figured temping for a little while as I looked for a great permanent position would do the trick. Within a couple days I had a job at a firm in Media, PA, about 20 minutes from my house. I learned a whole helluva lot during the couple years I was there. Back then there WERE NO COMPUTERS, NO PCs!!! I started there working on an IBM Selectric typewriter with frickin carbon paper! That sucked, let me tell you. I can type very fast, but of course it's easier to make errors that way. Let's just say carbon paper was NOT my friend back then.
Skipping forward, a few years later I ended up at a smaller firm in the same area. What a nightmare. The boss was totally bipolar and was having a torrid affair with his long-time "assistant," Sandy (also his wife's name - pretty smart move, I guess, that way you can't screw up and call out her name mistakingly in bed with the Mrs.). She ran around frantic all day, but never really did anything of substance. She just piled up ungodly amounts of paper on her desk - I mean, like 3 feet high. Filing? What's that? Deadlines? Huh, that's YOUR job! It sucked. But, I really liked the other secretaries and attorneys there. I was at that job when I got married. When the boss was on the wrong side of the pole, he would literally scream at us. A total dick.
Then I decided to venture out of the 'burbs and head to downtown Philly, to make more money and get the hell out of Media. By then I was living and working there, and it's not a big town, and I got sick of it quick. I didn't like working downtown at ALL. City seemed so big, and so, well, cold. Just didn't feel very comfortable there. Took the train in, no way I was fighting that traffic every day. Train alone cost about $125 a month ($150 when I moved further west of the city). Got a lot of good experience, had a great boss, and worked my tail off to become, again, the best. When I moved further west of the city, it took me over an hour to get to work, each way. It was getting tough. Then, we decided to open a satellite office in Cherry Hill, NJ (we had a "ghost office there already"). My boss, a new partner and living down near Marmora, NJ (shore), was the natural choice to head up the office. I was asked if I wanted to go with him over there. My other choice involved working for the sweetest, but most neurotic and hard-working (24/7, literally) attorney in the Philly office. I loved the guy, but I'd be working 12-18 hours each day - no thanks. If I wanted that I'd go to law school. So, I went to the NJ office, which was now a 2 hour commute EACH WAY. It sucked. I'd leave at 7 am and get home at 7 pm, had to take 2 trains, and luckily the firm started paying for the travel expenses b/c it was pushing $200 a month.
My then husband needed the one car we had for his job (installing central air conditioning), so I was stuck with the train. We split up (my choice), and I came out to Oregon for a week (had a friend out here) to chill out and relax, and I fell in love with the place. I moved 6 months later.
Now I have a great job, make pretty good money, and am pretty comfortable with things. For a long time I've thought about toing to medical school, but at my age it just seems like a whole lotta work in an industry where less and less $$ is going into the doctor's pockets and instead going to the insruance companies. No thanks.
I think I'll wear shorts & a tank top to work tomorrow, woohoooo!
I've worked both in big firms and smaller firms. The larger ones are, of course, more corporate and professional, especially on the east coast. The smaller ones are more laid back and fun, which is what I like.
My first job was a temp secretarial job that I got right out of paralegal school. I wanted to take a step back and get some experience before diving right in (I had little office experience and no law experience), and I figured temping for a little while as I looked for a great permanent position would do the trick. Within a couple days I had a job at a firm in Media, PA, about 20 minutes from my house. I learned a whole helluva lot during the couple years I was there. Back then there WERE NO COMPUTERS, NO PCs!!! I started there working on an IBM Selectric typewriter with frickin carbon paper! That sucked, let me tell you. I can type very fast, but of course it's easier to make errors that way. Let's just say carbon paper was NOT my friend back then.
Skipping forward, a few years later I ended up at a smaller firm in the same area. What a nightmare. The boss was totally bipolar and was having a torrid affair with his long-time "assistant," Sandy (also his wife's name - pretty smart move, I guess, that way you can't screw up and call out her name mistakingly in bed with the Mrs.). She ran around frantic all day, but never really did anything of substance. She just piled up ungodly amounts of paper on her desk - I mean, like 3 feet high. Filing? What's that? Deadlines? Huh, that's YOUR job! It sucked. But, I really liked the other secretaries and attorneys there. I was at that job when I got married. When the boss was on the wrong side of the pole, he would literally scream at us. A total dick.
Then I decided to venture out of the 'burbs and head to downtown Philly, to make more money and get the hell out of Media. By then I was living and working there, and it's not a big town, and I got sick of it quick. I didn't like working downtown at ALL. City seemed so big, and so, well, cold. Just didn't feel very comfortable there. Took the train in, no way I was fighting that traffic every day. Train alone cost about $125 a month ($150 when I moved further west of the city). Got a lot of good experience, had a great boss, and worked my tail off to become, again, the best. When I moved further west of the city, it took me over an hour to get to work, each way. It was getting tough. Then, we decided to open a satellite office in Cherry Hill, NJ (we had a "ghost office there already"). My boss, a new partner and living down near Marmora, NJ (shore), was the natural choice to head up the office. I was asked if I wanted to go with him over there. My other choice involved working for the sweetest, but most neurotic and hard-working (24/7, literally) attorney in the Philly office. I loved the guy, but I'd be working 12-18 hours each day - no thanks. If I wanted that I'd go to law school. So, I went to the NJ office, which was now a 2 hour commute EACH WAY. It sucked. I'd leave at 7 am and get home at 7 pm, had to take 2 trains, and luckily the firm started paying for the travel expenses b/c it was pushing $200 a month.
My then husband needed the one car we had for his job (installing central air conditioning), so I was stuck with the train. We split up (my choice), and I came out to Oregon for a week (had a friend out here) to chill out and relax, and I fell in love with the place. I moved 6 months later.
Now I have a great job, make pretty good money, and am pretty comfortable with things. For a long time I've thought about toing to medical school, but at my age it just seems like a whole lotta work in an industry where less and less $$ is going into the doctor's pockets and instead going to the insruance companies. No thanks.
I think I'll wear shorts & a tank top to work tomorrow, woohoooo!
posted by Miss_Vicki at 12:50 AM
|
<< Home